By John Schutt –
NASCAR Monster Energy Series, Toyota Owners 400, Richmond Raceway, Richmond Va., Saturday, April 13.
Martin Truex, Jr. held off Joe Logano in final laps to get his first victory in 25 races and his first victory of the 2019 season. Following Logano in third place were Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick in fourth and Denny Hamlin in fifth place.
Harvick won the pole, but it looked as if Kyle Busch was going to steal the show again when he took the lead and won the first stage.
During pit stops in the second stage Kyle Busch got a speeding penalty when he entered the pits. Unfortunately Kyle Busch never recovered from that mistake and allowed Logano to take the lead with teammate Brad Keselowski along side of him.
Kyle Larsen had a tire blowout and hit the wall, which put his car out of the race and in last place for the day.
Logano went on to win the second stage of the race.
In the beginning of the third segment Logano was in the lead with Truex, Jr. in second place with the Busch brothers, Kyle and Kurt, at ninth and 10th places.
With 158 laps to go the No. 34 car of Mike McDowell spun out into the wall and a caution was issued. Due to the quick pit stop of Truex, Jr.’s team, his car was out first with Keselowski in the second position.
Truex, Jr. got the lead back with Logano in second and Clint Bowyer in third with 20 laps to go. Truex, Jr. held off Logano to win his first race of the year in the blue No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Motorsports.
NASCAR Monster Energy series, Food City 500, Bristol Motor speedway, Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, April 7.
Chase Elliott had fastest car at the start and on the pole position. However, it wasn’t his day because everyone got Busch-wacked by brothers Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch, who finished in first place and second place, respectively. Following in third place was Logano, Ryan Blaney in fourth, and Hamlin in fifth.
Blaney led most of Stage 1, but Clint Bowyer moved ahead in first place. In the last lap of the stage Ty Dillon passed Clint Bowyer to take the first stage victory.
The second stage was won by Logano over Blaney.
Bowyer led early in the third stage.
Kyle Larson crashed into William Byron which allowed Kyle Busch to take the lead over Brad Keselowski.
During the restart Keselowski lined up incorrectly in fourth position and was passed on the green restart.
Kyle Busch and his brother, Kurt Busch, took the lead positions to cross the finish line one-two.
The race was Kyle Busch’s 54th Cup victory.