What a race at Texas Motor Speedway as NASCAR starts the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday and finishes it on Wednesday.
The second race of the Round of Eight began Sunday, October 25th and raced 52 laps before the red flag was issued due to weather in Texas. More rain on Monday prevented the continuation of the race. Tuesday was also rain dominated to prevent racing. The weather finally cleared, the track was dried and racing resumed Wednesday October 28th.
Between Sunday and yesterday there were eight caution periods including the 72 hour, 28 minute and 34 second red flag.
Clint Bowyer was the winner of stage one of the race that finally concluded on Wednesday.
Kyle Busch was able to get the lead during stage two and hold on for the win of that stage. He was one of 11 drivers that would exchange the lead 23 times during the entire race.
Most of the race part of the race on Wednesday it appeared it would be either Kyle Busch of Clint Bowyer that would win. Kyle led for a race high 90 laps. Clint was just one lap behind in his total laps led at 89.
However, due to pitting it would be Kyle that would have the real opportunity to win at the end of the race. Kyle’s pit strategy put him right on the edge of making it to the end. Clint had no chance of making it to the end without a pit stop.
Kyle took the lead with 24 laps left and was able to both save enough fuel and hold the lead to get his first win of the 2020 season. While he (the defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion) has already been eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs, the win is a big one for Kyle. It extends his years with at least one win to 16 consecutive years.
Martin Truex Jr. claimed a second place finish. Christopher Bell took home third place with Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman in fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete race results for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 here.
The fact that Kyle Busch won the race eliminates a golden ticket to the Championship Four for one of the Round of Eight drivers. Joey Logano remains the only driver locked in the Championship “Winner Takes All” Race at Phoenix November 8th.
Kevin Harvick sits 42 points above the cut line. Denny Hamlin is at +27 points and Brad Keselowski is at +25 points above the cut line. The four drivers currently below that cut line are Alex Bowman (-25), Chase Elliott (-25), Martin Truex Jr. (-36) and Kurt Busch (-81). See the complete NASCAR Cup Series Playoff and Point Standings here.
There is one race remaining in the Round of Eight. That means one chance for one driver to win the “Golden Ticket” by winning the race to advance to the Championship Four. That sets up a very intense short track race for NASCAR at Martinsville Speedway in the Xfinity 500 Sunday, November 1st.
By: Buck Stevens
