Kyle Busch wins for third time in four Cup races at New Hampshire

Kyle Busch, who returned to competition in his #18 Toyota in May after severely breaking his leg in a crash during the Xfinity Series race in February the day before the Daytona 500, won for the third time in the last four Sprint Cup races on Sunday, taking the checkered flag under caution in the 5-Hour Energy 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, just ahead of the dominant #2 Ford of Brad Keselowski. Busch is now even closer to moving into the top 30 in points and earning a spot on the Chase grid (despite missing the first 11 points races of 2015) along with the season's other ten winners so far plus the top-five non-winners who would get in if the Chase started next week at Indianapolis.

Team Penske, the owner of the #2 and #22 Fords driven by Keselowski and Logano, swept New Hampshire's Cup races last year, with Keselowski winning in July and Logano in September in the second of ten Chase races. On Sunday, the Penske Fords combined to lead 113 of 301 laps. There was some action on lap 96 when the #7 Chevrolet driven by Alex Bowman caught on fire and laid down oil on the track. Bowman got out safely, and his crew made repairs, getting him back on the track 70 laps down. The #27 Chevrolet of Paul Menard stopped on the track on lap 200 to bring out a caution as well. Meanwhile, the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who ran in the top-ten most of the day, had to go onto pit road for a repair around the same time, but fought his way back up to a fifth-place finish, passing the eventual race winner's teammate Matt Kenseth's #20 Toyota in the final laps. Earnhardt's teammate Jimmie Johnson (#48) was the first driver one lap down at the end in 23rd place. Jamie McMurray (#1) also reported that his Chevrolet was losing its engine toward the end of the race, but he decided to tough it out. Around the time of the final restart, Busch made a daring move around Keselowski and the #4 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick to steal the lead.

The final caution came out after Busch had taken the white flag, and was for Bowman spinning on the opposite end of the start-finish line. Had NASCAR let the leaders race back, it is likely that Keselowski, who had led a third of the race and was steadily gaining on Busch, could have passed Busch, who led almost as many laps, to take the lead and become the third straight driver to lead the most laps and win. With the caution, Keselowski had to settle for second, but maintains a strong position on the Chase grid. It was a very hot day, and after the race was over, multiple drivers including Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger and J.J. Yeley were treated for heat-related symptoms. NASCAR's top series next races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the famed Brickyard 400.

Race Results:

1. (4) 18-Kyle Busch - Toyota - 301 laps, led 95 laps
2. (10) 2-Brad Keselowski - Ford - 301 laps, led 101 laps
3. (12) 4-Kevin Harvick - Chevrolet - 301 laps, led 59 laps
4. (2) 22-Joey Logano - Ford - 301 laps, led 12 laps
5. (19) 88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Chevrolet - 301 laps
6. (80 20-Matt Kenseth - Toyota - 301 laps
7. (1) 19-Carl Edwards - Toyota - 301 laps, led 19 laps
8. (24) 3-Austin Dillon - Chevrolet - 301 laps
9. (23) 24-Jeff Gordon - Chevrolet - 301 laps, led 2 laps
10. (6) 41-Kurt Busch - Chevrolet - 301 laps