CP MOTORSPORTS - ROWDY BREAKS OUT THE BROOM AT INDY AGAIN
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Kyle Busch just makes it look easy. Not just driving a race car -- breaking records and making history as well.
The 2015 Sprint Cup champion became the first driver to sweep both poles and win both races in the same NASCAR weekend after his dominating victory in Sunday afternoon's Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"This Toyota was awesome today; it was just so fast and able to get out front and stay out front," Busch said. "Not even some of my teammates could challenge. This thing was hooked up and on rails. I can’t say enough about Sprint and everything they’ve done for our sport. Of course the fans, thank everyone for being here and everyone watching on TV – you guys are awesome. We appreciate all of our partners at Joe Gibbs Racing. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and these guys are a phenomenal group, and I’m proud to be with them.
"It’s fun to come out here and have such a dominant piece at Indy. They don’t come along often, so I was just hoping I didn’t screw it up."
Busch's Sunday afternoon was historical in itself, the 149 laps led is a NASCAR Sprint Cup record at Indianapolis. Busch also joined six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson as only the second driver to win back-to-back races at the 2.5-mile Indiana speedway.
It is the fourth victory on the season for 31-year old driver of the No. 18 Skittles Toyota. Busch now has 13 top-10 finishes on the 2016 campaign and 10 top-10 finishes in just 12 career starts at Indianapolis.
Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth drove his No. 20 Dollar General Toyota to a second-place finish -- his ninth top-10 finish in 2016. Kenseth, who has won two times this season, knew he didn't have anything for Busch's ride.
“We never got in front of him all day, and the clean air is always really big here," Kenseth said. "It was a great day for our Dollar General Camry. We did not have a good Friday, did not have a good Saturday and pretty respectable Sunday. We were pretty competitive all day, just never got quite to the lead to see what we had.”
Four-time Indianapolis winner Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag in third place. The finish marks the first time Johnson has finished in the top-10 since May's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Johnson, who was given a pit road penalty for speeding, was proud of his team's effort to get back to the front of the field.
"We’ve been working really hard to get our cars where they need to be and we’re still not happy, but we’re getting closer," Johnson said. "I’m very proud of the effort today. Unfortunately, a mistake on my part in that second segment, trying to get in the pits I got dinged for speeding and then rallied from like 24th back. So, I’m just very proud of this race team, and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports."
Denny Hamlin finished in fourth place with Kyle Larson, points leader Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Martin Truex, Jr, Austin Dillon and Paul Menard rounding out the top-10.
Tony Stewart finished in 11th place in what is expected to be the final race for the 3-time Sprint Cup champion at The Brickyard. Stewart, who won twice at Indianapolis, had an emotional embrace with Jeff Gordon following the race.
"“When we got the checkered, we just didn’t want to come in quite yet," Stewart said. "I wanted to run one more lap, and Jeff (Gordon) was around us. Before that last green run, I told my spotter to go get his spotter and said after this thing is over, we needed to go a lap around here together because it’s likely the last time we’ll get both a chance to do that. I couldn’t think of a better guy to share that with than Jeff.
"This has been the most relaxing Brickyard I’ve ever had and probably the most fun I’ve ever had in the Brickyard."
Substituting for the ailing Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Gordon was able to finish in 13th place despite what appeared to be heavy damage to the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet.
Gordon said his main concern is the information he can convey to Dale Earnhardt, Jr, and team following the race.
"On one hand, I’m relieved that this is over but on the other hand, I would have liked it to go a little better," Gordon explained. "And a thank you to Tony Stewart, it meant a lot to me that he wanted me to make that last lap with him. 'Whew! It it’s this hot, I hope so!' My thing is that I can’t wait to talk to Dale Junior and debrief him on how today went and see how he’s doing. I want him in the car as soon as possible. I’m too old to be doing this stuff.
"But to come here and do this race and finish a decent 13th, I think I can do better next week for him and then we’ll just go from there."
Race Results
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
23rd Annual Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at The Brickyard
UNOFFICIAL Provided by NASCAR Statistics Sunday, 7/24/2016 @ 6:52 PM Eastern UNOFFICIAL
Fin Str Car Driver Team Lap Pts BPts Status TLd LLd
1 1 18 Kyle Busch Skittles Toyota 170 45 5 Running 3 149
2 18 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 170 39 Running
3 13 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Red Vest Chevrolet 170 38 Running
4 4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 170 37 Running
5 10 42 Kyle Larson Energizer Chevrolet 170 36 Running
6 7 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John's Chevrolet 170 35 Running
7 14 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 170 35 1 Running 1 6
8 8 78 Martin Truex Jr. Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota 170 33 Running
9 12 3 Austin Dillon DOW/Mycogen Chevrolet 170 32 Running
10 23 27 Paul Menard Valvoline/Menards Chevrolet 170 31 Running
11 3 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Chevy Summer Sell Down Chevrolet 170 30 Running
12 16 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. SunnyD Ford 170 29 Running
13 21 88 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet 170 28 Running
14 22 34 Chris Buescher # Dockside Logistics Ford 170 27 Running
15 15 24 Chase Elliott # NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 170 26 Running
16 11 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet 170 25 Running
17 5 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 170 25 1 Running 1 15
18 26 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 170 23 Running
19 9 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet 170 22 Running
20 33 38 Landon Cassill Snap Fitness Ford 169 21 Running
21 31 15 Clint Bowyer AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet 169 20 Running
22 24 10 Danica Patrick Nature's Bakery Chevrolet 169 19 Running
23 27 95 Michael McDowell Thrivent Financial Chevrolet 168 18 Running
24 34 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 168 17 Running
25 29 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 168 16 Running
26 37 7 Regan Smith Nikko RC/Toy State Chevrolet 168 15 Running
27 32 44 Brian Scott # Medallion Bank Ford 168 14 Running
28 38 46 Michael Annett Allstate Peterbilt Group Chevrolet 167 13 Running
29 35 98 * Cole Whitt Speed Stick Chevrolet 167 12 Running
30 20 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 167 11 Running
31 6 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet 166 10 Accident
32 36 93 * Ryan Ellis(i) ScienceLogic Toyota 166 PE Running
33 39 55 * Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 165 8 Running
34 40 32 Patrick Carpentier Can-Am/Kappa Ford 164 7 Running
35 2 19 Carl Edwards Stanley Toyota 154 6 Accident
36 17 21 * Ryan Blaney # Quick Lane/Motorcraft Ford 152 5 Accident
37 28 23 David Ragan Brandeis Machinery Toyota 117 4 Accident
38 25 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger/Kingsford Chevrolet 71 3 Overheating
39 19 16 Greg Biffle Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford 53 2 Accident
40 30 83 Matt DiBenedetto ScienceLogic Toyota 4 1 Engine
# = Rookie, Fin = Finish, Str = Start, Pts = Total Points, BPs = Lap Leader Bns Pts, TLd = Times Led, LLd = Laps Led. (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Average Speed: 128.940 MPH Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 17 Mins, 46 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.126 Seconds
Lead Changes: 4 among 3 drivers Cautions: 8 for 34 laps