Event: Ford EcoBoost 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 8th/22nd (Running, completed 265 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 14th with 2,217 points
Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):
- Kurt Busch started eighth and finished seventh to score four stage points.
- Early in the run, Busch said his Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion was loose on the exit of each turn.
- On lap six, under caution, Busch pitted for four sticker tires and fuel while in ninth position.
- Busch restarted 14th after pitting.
- Busch was up to third with fresher tires and pitted under green on lap 41 for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment.
- On lap 50, Busch was fourth and reported his car was “a tick loose in.”
- Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):
- Busch started eighth and finished sixth to score five stage points.
- Busch pitted on lap 83 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
- On lap 122, Busch was in seventh and pitted for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
- Busch reported shortly after the pit stop that his car was really tight in the center of the corner.
- On lap 145, while eighth, Busch pitted under caution for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
- Stage 3 Recap (Laps 161-267):
- Busch started eighth and finished 22nd.
- On lap 162, Busch pitted for four tires, fuel and a bit of tape on the grill.
- Busch pitted on lap 198 for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. He was in eighth.
- On lap 227, Busch hit some debris and cut a tire, which forced him to pit. He lost two laps and finished a disappointing 22nd.
Notes:
- Busch finished the 2017 season with one win (Daytona 500), one pole (Texas II) and 15 top-10 finishes.
- Twelve of the 39 drivers in the Ford EcoBoost 400 finished on the lead lap.
- There were five caution periods for a total of 26 laps.
- Martin Truex Jr. won the Ford EcoBoost 400 to score his eighth NASCAR Cup Series win of 2017, his first at Homestead and the 15th of his career.
- Truex’s margin of victory over second-place Kyle Busch was .681 of a second.
- With the victory, Truex won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, outdueling fellow Championship 4 drivers Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Busch.
Next Up:
The 2018 season kicks off Feb. 10-18 with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 60th Daytona 500, the first points-paying race of the season, is scheduled for Feb. 18 and will be broadcast live on FOX.