Skip to content

KURT BUSCH – 2017 Homestead Race Report

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.