Kansas NASCAR Cup: Larson beats Buescher in closest finish in history

Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson raced side by side off Turn 4 on the final lap of overtime and stayed that way as they took the checkered flag.

The scoring monitor said Buescher won by 0.001 seconds, but NASCAR officials said they were going to review video footage, which showed Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet edging Buescher’s No. Ford by inches at the line at most.

Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. Racing for third, nearly made it a four-wide finish.

The official margin of victory was confirmed as 0.001 by Larson, not Buescher – officially the closest finish in NASCAR history since the advent of electronic timing and scoring.

The wild finish capped a remarkable day of back-and-forth Racing among the leaders, despite the race being delayed by rain by more than three hours. The race featured 27 lead changes among 10 different drivers.

The victory is the second this season for Larson, who came in second just last weekend to Denny Hamlin at Dover. It’s also the 25th of his career.

Larson’s chance at the win only came about when a caution in the final laps sent the race – with Hemlin in the lead – into overtime. Hamlin was first off pit road, but Buescher quickly rocketed to the lead on the restart ahead of Larson before Larson caught back up with him exiting Turn 2 on the final lap, which set up the sprint to the checkered flag.

“I don’t know (what to think),” a stunned Larson said after the race result was announced as official. “That was wild. I was obviously thankful for that (last) caution. We were dying pretty bad. Was happy to come out third, and figured my best shot was me to choose the bottom (lane) and try and split three-wide to the inside.

“Worked out my car turned well and was able to get some runs. Got through (Turns) 1 and 2 really good down the backstretch and had a big tow on Chris, and got him to kind of enter shallow, and I just committed really hard up top. Wasn’t quite sure if we were going to make it out the other side. I got super loose in the center, and then we’re just trying to not to get too far ahead of him to where he can side draft and then I was just trying to kill his run. It was crazy.

“That race from start to finish was amazing. That first stage was incredible. The second stage at the end was fun, and then that whole last stage with the wrecks and cautions and then fuel strategy and tires running long and all that was wild. You guys got your money’s worth today, and I’m just proud to be a part of the show.”

Elliott ended up third, Truex fourth and Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Completing the top 10 were Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson and Michael McDowell.

Stage 1

Hamlin passed Larson with 12 of 80 laps remaining and held off a late charge from Ross Chastain by 0.441 seconds to take the Stage 1 win, his third stage victory of the 2024 season. Chastain ended up third, Bell fourth and Buescher rounded out the top five.

Stage 2

Buescher held off a determined Larson by 0.510 seconds to take the Stage 2 win, his first of the season. Hamlin was third, Busch fourth and Truex completed the top five.

Stage 3

Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, all the lead lap cars elected to pit with Larson first off pit road. Buescher, who went in as the leader, had to restart from the rear of the field for having a crew member over the wall too soon.

Larson led Busch and Ty Gibbs when the race resumed with 94 laps remaining in the race.

On lap 176, Jimmie Johnson – making his fourth start of the year in a third entry for Legacy Motor Club – got hit by Corey LaJoie, which then triggered an accident that also collected Austin Hill and Daniel Hemric.

Several cars pit under the caution, but Larson remained on the track and in the lead when the green flag returned with 84 laps to go.

A four-car wreck erupted on the restart when Hamlin slowed for an incident in front of him and got into Bell and Austin Cindric, McDowell and Bubba Wallace also got collected into it. Busch had moved into the lead prior to the caution and led Larson and Truex on the restart on lap 191.

A spin by Harrison Burton on the ensuing restart sent several lead lap cars – including Buescher and Hamlin – down pit road to pit for new tires and fuel in an attempt to make it to the end of the race without stopping again.

The top 15 cars stayed out and Busch continued to lead with 70 laps remaining.

A caution for a spin by Joey Logano shortly after the restart sent most of the field down pit road for new tires and fuel with Busch first off pit road. Todd Gilliland, Hamlin and Buescher were among those that remained on the track and out front with 62 laps to go.

Hamlin quickly regained the lead on the restart as Buescher moved into the runner up position.

With 39 laps remaining, Buescher and Hamlin engaged in another side-by-side battle and traded the lead before Hamlin again put some distance between the two.

Buescher remained on Hamlin’s rear bumper with 20 laps to go with Larson close behind in third. Hamlin’s team continued to caution him on saving fuel when possible.

Busch spun around in Turn 2 to bring out a caution in the final laps to send the race into overtime and sent up a critical pit strategy decision. Most of the teams took just two new tires with Hamlin first off pit road. Truex (10th) was the first car to take four new tires.

Hamlin led Buescher, Larson and Elliott at the start of the two-lap overtime.