Larson pips Buescher in closest finish ever

The AdventHealth 400 was delayed by wet weather, but it was worth the wait as it produced the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.

After a dramatic night of racing, it went down to a green-white-chequered finish with Chris Buescher leading the way.

However, hot on his tail was Kyle Larson, who made a run around the outside of Turn 4.

Buescher on the inside and Larson on the outside ran door to door to the line and even made contact before producing a photo finish that was too close to call.

In the end Larson snuck his nose ahead of Buescher by 0.001s, the closest margin of victory in NASCAR history.

It breaks a 21-year record held by Ricky Craven, who edged out Kurt Busch by 0.002s at Darlington Raceway in 2003.

It was matched by Jimmie Johnson when he beat Clint Bowyer by 0.002s at Talladega in 2011.

Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher go side by side across the line. Image: Fox Sports USA

Just like 13 years ago, Hendrick Motorsports prevailed by the barest of margins and Larson was delighted after a crazy race.

“It started off (turn) two, and I got a really good run and was able to get into his draft,” Larson recounted. 

“He was trying to break it and you could tell he was probably going to try and take my line away. 

“I just drove in as hard as I felt like I could. My car cut really well and I was able to get to his right side, and I don’t know if the camera caught it, but I was sideways and then got it kind of back under control. 

“Then I had the run back to his right side off of four and was just too afraid to get too far out in front because a lot of times when you get someone inside close you get tight and into the wall. 

“So I got off of four good and I thought, ‘man, I have got to kill his run quick’, so I just hung a left; doored him and just tried to stall his momentum. 

Kyle Larson celebrate a famous win in Kansas. Image: Supplied

“He had it slowly coming back to me at the line, so just thankful that it was enough and those guys behind us didn’t get a huge run and get to our outside.

Just incredible and I need to see the replay.  I don’t know what it all looked like, but it was pretty damn cool from my seat.”

Christopher Bell started on pole three hours later than scheduled in Kansas.

But an early move saw Ross Chastain dominate the majority of the opening stage, but he could not stop Denny Hamlin from flying past to Stage 1 honours.

After the opening 81-lap segment was all green, the rapid pace continued in Stage 2 where Larson checked out.

But the #5’s momentum as cut short from a problem changing the left front tyre, which saw the leader shuffle back to eighth.
As a result, Buescher was able to take control and win Stage 2.

Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch trade paint in what was the closest NASCAR finish ever in the Dodge Dealers 400, Darlington in 2003.
Image: Motorsport Images

At one point the racing was so fierce it was five wide in front of the main grandstand with Ty Gibbs, Bell, Buescher, Chastain and Martin Truex Jr side by side.

But it was in the final stage where things got tense with a string of cautions.

Buescher was sent from first to last due to his RFK Racing pit crew jumping the wall too early.

Grand Marshall Jimmie Johnson was involved in the first major wreck with Corey LeJoie and Austin Hill, while 10 laps later a bump from Hamlin sent Austin Cindric into a 360-degree spin where he bounced in the the wall and Bubba Wallace and Michael McDowell.

Joey Logano was also caught but escaped the incident but bad luck struck on Lap 198 when got into Chase Briscoe, spun and got a flat.

This saw Hamlin take control of the race and he led all the way until six laps from the finish Kyle Busch spun from the top five.

It setup a stunning Overtime finish where Larson and Buescher made history.

Not far behind him third was Chase Elliott as Truex Jr and Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Next up is historic Darlington Raceway where many cars will be racing in some special retro liveries.

Photo by Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / LAT Images

AdventHealth 400 NASCAR Cup Series Kansas results

Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

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