New Hampshire NASCAR: Kyle Busch wins, damaged Truex falls back – NASCAR

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch took the win at New Hampshire after playoff points leader Martin Truex Jr picked up damage in a pileup.

Championship leader and Furniture Row Racing driver Truex dominated the first half of the race after moving past poleman Busch to lead halfway through stage one, and continued to take his 19th stage win of the year.

Truex then led all of stage two until its final lap when Kevin Harvick spun and created a plume of smoke on the back straight after contact from behind by Austin Dillon.

Busch, who had been running a close second, was able to just avoid the melee to win the stage, and he dominated the race to take his third win of the season.

His victory books his place as one of the 12 drivers who will remain in championship playoff contention following the next round at Dover.

While the earlier pileup played into his hands, it damaged Kurt Busch’s hopes as he retired in the collision and remains in the in the playoff ‘drop zone’ with just one more race before the playoffs drop to 12 drivers.

Truex was able to continue after the incident with just rear left corner damage, he then dropped to 18th place for the eventual restart after repairs and became the last car on the lead lap.

He recovered to seventh place and then briefly vaulted to the lead after making a two-tyre pitstop under a caution with 36 laps to go after Kasey Kahne stopped on track with a suspension breakage.

Kahne also received a penalty for deliberately starting the caution and lost several laps making repairs and he remains in the playoff drop zone.

After green flag racing resumed, Truex on his older rubber hung on to finish fifth.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson finished second, just as he did in the July race at this track, and secured passage into the round of 12 on points.

He was followed home by Matt Kenseth of Joe Gibbs Racing in third and Keselowski in fourth with the Penske driver now into the next round.

Erik Jones finished sixth for Furniture Row Racing and Clint Bowyer got seventh for Stewart-Haas. Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing, who won the July race at this track, dropped back by pitting under green just after half distance because his right rear wheel was loose and finished 12th.

While the Toyota driver struggled, the manufacturer continued its recent dominance of Cup races, with only one lap of the race led by a non-Toyota car.

Race result