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KURT BUSCH – 2018 Bristol I Race Report

Event:               Food City 500 (Round 8 of 36)
Series:               Monster EnergyNASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile oval)
Format:            500 laps, broken into three stages (125 laps/125 laps/250 laps)
Start/Finish:      2nd/22nd(Running, completed 496 of 500 laps)
Point Standing:  10th(241 points, 124 out of first) 

Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner:Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner:Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-125): 

  • Kurt Busch started second, finished ninth and scored two bonus points.
  • Before the green flag waved on Sunday, the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford dropped to the rear because the team was forced to a backup car during practice.
  • On lap 47, inclement weather postponed the race for 25 minutes.
  • During the restart, Busch battled his way through traffic to run as high as sixth.
  • Busch took four tires, fuel and adjustments during a final caution and maintained his ninth-place position on the one-lap shootout.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 126-250): 

  • Busch started fourth, finished 25th.
  • Busch held theNo. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford in the second position before a lap-156 caution. He pitted for four tires and fuel to restart seventh.
  • On lap 190 Busch reported a loose wheel, forcing him to the pits. The crew added four fresh tires and fuel, which put the No. 41 Ford three laps down.
  • The third red flag of the day was raised on lap 204 due to inclement weather, ultimately postponing the race until Monday.
  • Busch started from the 26thposition when racing resumed and gained one spot before Stage 2 ended. 

Final Stage Recap (Laps 251-500): 

  • Busch started 24th, finished 22nd.
  • The No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments during a lap-325 caution.
  • Busch gained two more positions before the race concluded. 

Notes:

  • Busch finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points.
  • There were 13 caution periods for a total of 114 laps.
  • Only 12 of the 39 drivers in the Food City 500 finished on the lead lap.
  • Kyle Busch won the Food City 500 to score his 45thcareer Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his seventh at Bristol. His margin of victory over second-place Kyle Larson was .628 of a second.

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Richmond 400 on Saturday, April 21 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The race starts at 6:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with a prerace show at 6 p.m.