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Matt Kenseth gambled on a fuel only pit stop to help win the rain postponed Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.
The Toyota driver beat it out of the pits, with 23-laps remaining, to take the lead alongside Jimmie Johnson who dominated the event at the 1.5 mile oval.
"I didn't roll the dice, Jason (Ratcliff - his crew chief) did,” said Kenseth following his fourth win of the year. “I thought he was a slightly crazy when it happened.
"This is such a great team and a great opportunity for me. It's been just an unbelievable season and year of my life, honestly. Jason did a great job. I didn't think there was any way we were going to hold on for that win. He made the right call at the right time and these guys got it done on pit road," Kenseth said.
After the race Johnson, who ended up ninth after falling below 20th after he spun in turn two on the final restart, said “he No. 20 (Kenseth) broke the pace car speed, which you aren't supposed to, but, they aren't calling guys on that so I need to start trying that in the future." Johnson had led a race-high 182-laps.
“I have no idea what happened or what happened to him or what I possibly could have done to upset him,” Kenseth said.
“I didn't check my tach when the pace car went off if we were exactly the same pace, but I think you can look through data and see I didn't slow down.
Really at that point you try to watch the guy inside you and try to make sure he doesn't lay back and try to get a run at you, and tried to keep him right by my door; and when I got to the box, I went. And from there, I don't really know what happened.”
Jamie McMurray finished second in a Chevy followed by the Toyota of Clint Bowyer. “I was quite a bit quicker than him (Bowyer), and I guess the No. 20 (Matt Kenseth) wasn't on (fresh) tires, so you are just fighting to get by as quick as you can because you never know when a caution is going to come out, or how it is going to play out," McMurray said.
Early in the race two Chase contenders were taken out of the fight for the win when 2004 series champ, Kurt Busch, attempted to pass Brad Keselowski by diving low under the yellow line. Unfortunately, when he attempted to move up the track, his Chevrolet hit a bump sending him into the side of the 2012 champ's Ford on a restart. Keselowski tried to save it, but, in heavy traffic his car was tagged by Greg Biffle and others. Keselowski came back late in the race to earn points by moving up a few places.
“We had the bottom lane on two or three restarts in a row and got shuffled back a little bit,” said Keselowski. “We were trying to get patient because it looked like we will get the whole race in before rain and there is no reason to drive like an animal. Apparently I am the only one that got that memo. It is one of those deals.”
Busch, who was able to continue, apologized, via his car radio during an 18-minute red flag to clean up the damage.
The Toyota driver beat it out of the pits, with 23-laps remaining, to take the lead alongside Jimmie Johnson who dominated the event at the 1.5 mile oval.
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| Matt Kenseth. (Photo: NASCAR) |
"I didn't roll the dice, Jason (Ratcliff - his crew chief) did,” said Kenseth following his fourth win of the year. “I thought he was a slightly crazy when it happened.
"This is such a great team and a great opportunity for me. It's been just an unbelievable season and year of my life, honestly. Jason did a great job. I didn't think there was any way we were going to hold on for that win. He made the right call at the right time and these guys got it done on pit road," Kenseth said.
After the race Johnson, who ended up ninth after falling below 20th after he spun in turn two on the final restart, said “he No. 20 (Kenseth) broke the pace car speed, which you aren't supposed to, but, they aren't calling guys on that so I need to start trying that in the future." Johnson had led a race-high 182-laps.
 |
| Photo: NASCAR |
“I have no idea what happened or what happened to him or what I possibly could have done to upset him,” Kenseth said.
“I didn't check my tach when the pace car went off if we were exactly the same pace, but I think you can look through data and see I didn't slow down.
Really at that point you try to watch the guy inside you and try to make sure he doesn't lay back and try to get a run at you, and tried to keep him right by my door; and when I got to the box, I went. And from there, I don't really know what happened.”
Jamie McMurray finished second in a Chevy followed by the Toyota of Clint Bowyer. “I was quite a bit quicker than him (Bowyer), and I guess the No. 20 (Matt Kenseth) wasn't on (fresh) tires, so you are just fighting to get by as quick as you can because you never know when a caution is going to come out, or how it is going to play out," McMurray said.
Early in the race two Chase contenders were taken out of the fight for the win when 2004 series champ, Kurt Busch, attempted to pass Brad Keselowski by diving low under the yellow line. Unfortunately, when he attempted to move up the track, his Chevrolet hit a bump sending him into the side of the 2012 champ's Ford on a restart. Keselowski tried to save it, but, in heavy traffic his car was tagged by Greg Biffle and others. Keselowski came back late in the race to earn points by moving up a few places.
 |
| Photo: NASCAR |
“We had the bottom lane on two or three restarts in a row and got shuffled back a little bit,” said Keselowski. “We were trying to get patient because it looked like we will get the whole race in before rain and there is no reason to drive like an animal. Apparently I am the only one that got that memo. It is one of those deals.”
Busch, who was able to continue, apologized, via his car radio during an 18-minute red flag to clean up the damage.
 |
| Greg Biffle. (Photo: NASCAR) |