By John Schutt –
NASCAR Monster Energy, Toyota Owners 400, Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Va., Saturday, April 21.
Kyle Busch’s victory at Richmond was his third in a row. Chase Elliot, who has yet to win a Cup race this year, finished in second place for the eighth time this season. Following in third place was Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano in fourth, Kevin Harvick in fifth, and Jimmie Johnson in sixth.
Martin Truex, Jr. won the pole and had the car to challenge Kyle Busch. However, Truex, Jr. had two major pit errors which penalized his No. 78 car. Martin led 121 laps.
Logano won the first stage over Aric Amarillo.
The second stage was won by Logano over Clint Bowyer, with no cautions through the second stage.
With 37 laps to go and Truex, Jr. in the lead in the third stage the first caution came out when Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Cole Whitt spun out.
With 25 laps to go Kyle Busch had a quick pit stop and sped to the lead.
David Ragan’s car was hit and he spun out with only 11 laps remaining. During the caution, Kyle Busch, Truex, Jr., and many others went into the pits. Truex, Jr. left the pits four seconds later than Kyle Busch because of a miscue.
Kyle Busch stayed in the lead to bring home the victory.
NASCAR Monster Energy, Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, April 15.
Kyle Busch won the race with Kyle Larson in second place, Johnson in third, Stenhouse, Jr. in fourth place, and Alex Bowman in fifth.
Kyle Busch won the pole position and started the race in the lead until rain came and the race was delayed. A wreck towards the end of the first stage brought out the first red flag. On the restart, Brad Keselowski got out front and stayed in the lead to win the first stage.
Blaney’s car was involved in a wreck and the second red flagged followed when the rain started again.
On the restart, Keselowski led 130 laps and won the second stage.
During the third stage with 30 laps to go, Keselowski’s left, front, tire blew out and his car scraped against the wall, which brought out a caution.
Kyle Busch moved get to the front and stayed there for the victory.
It was Kyle Busch’s seventh victory at Bristol.
• Twenty-five years ago Alan Kulwicky, Nascar champion from Wisconsin, lost his life in a plane crash following the Spring Bristle race in 1993. He won the 1992 race one year earlier.
