
Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 The Home Depot/Husky Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on April 21, 2013
Photo – Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
Another dominant performance by a driver left that driver in victory lane at the end of the day. In the last few races it has been guys like Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch, but today it was Matt Kenseth. Kenseth dominated the race and he held of Kasey Kahne for the victory. At Las Vegas earlier this season, Kenseth won the race by holding off Kahne and that’s what he did again today.
Kenseth started on top and ended on top. He won the pole and started the race by leading for a long period. While he was leading, his teammates were having some difficulties. Kyle Busch brought out the first caution when he spun off turn two and the fourth caution of the day came out by Elliott Sadler ,who was running for JGR today, when he spun in turn four and backed his car into the outside wall. More JGR trouble occurred when Busch spun again, but this time in turn four and when he slid down the track, Joey Logano plowed into his front end. A huge impact destroyed the noses of the two cars and the day for both Busch and Logano was finished.
Two of the four JGR cars were involved in wrecks, while Kenseth continued to lead and with Vickers’ trouble coming later in the race. Under the caution that collected Busch and Logano, Martin Truex Jr. stayed out to take the lead. When Truex Jr. had to pit, Jimmie Johnson went to the lead for the first time of the afternoon.
Caution number six of the day came out and included none other than a JGR car. This time it was Brian Vickers who slid up the track in turn two and then hit the wall on the backstretch. He then spun down the backstretch apron and saved his car from further damage.
The largest incident of the day occurred with 86 laps to go when Sam Hornish Jr., Marcos Ambrose, and Casey Mears were involved in a wreck on the backstretch. Ambrose spun off turn two and Hornish Jr. slid into him, while David Gilliland hit Mears from behind causing Mears to join the other two drivers who were spinning down the backstretch. Hornish Jr. would make further contact with the inside wall and then Mears slid into him causing even more damage for the two drivers. Other drivers suffering damage in the wreck include Danica Patrick and Timmy Hill.
Once that mess was cleaned up, Matt Kenseth began his quest back to the front. He attempted to pass Roush Fenway teammates Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the lead with 77 laps to go, but Stenhouse Jr. zoomed ahead to the lead. When Stenhouse Jr. had to pit with 56 laps to go, Kenseth passed him to assume the lead and that would be the last lead exchange during the race.
Kasey Kahne chased Kenseth down in the last ten laps, but Kenseth was able to stay in front of Kahne and just like at Las Vegas, Kenseth held of Kahne for the win. This was Kenseth’s second victory of the season and it was his second straight win at Kansas. Kenseth gives credit for his success so far this season to his new team in JGR and in victory lane he said that it’s a “Dream come true to drive this stuff.” Today’s race solidified that fact that Kenseth’s acqaintance with his new team is solid and that their goal is to win and not settle for anything less.
Results via ESPN.com
POS | DRIVER | CAR | MANUFACTURER |
LAPS |
MONEY |
START |
LED |
PTS |
BONUS |
PENALTY |
1 | Matt Kenseth | 20 | Toyota |
267 |
1 |
163 |
48 |
5 |
0 |
|
2 | Kasey Kahne | 5 | Chevrolet |
267 |
27 |
0 |
42 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 | Jimmie Johnson | 48 | Chevrolet |
267 |
21 |
9 |
42 |
1 |
0 |
|
4 | Martin Truex Jr. | 56 | Toyota |
267 |
7 |
46 |
41 |
1 |
0 |
|
5 | Clint Bowyer | 15 | Toyota |
267 |
10 |
0 |
39 |
0 |
0 |
|
6 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | Ford |
267 |
33 |
0 |
38 |
0 |
0 |
|
7 | Jamie McMurray | 1 | Chevrolet |
267 |
14 |
0 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
|
8 | Aric Almirola | 43 | Ford |
267 |
6 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
0 |
|
9 | Mark Martin | 55 | Toyota |
267 |
8 |
0 |
35 |
0 |
0 |
|
10 | Paul Menard | 27 | Chevrolet |
267 |
12 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
|
11 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 17 | Ford |
267 |
3 |
26 |
34 |
1 |
0 |
|
12 | Kevin Harvick | 29 | Chevrolet |
267 |
17 |
0 |
32 |
0 |
0 |
|
13 | Jeff Gordon | 24 | Chevrolet |
267 |
43 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
0 |
|
14 | Ryan Newman | 39 | Chevrolet |
267 |
9 |
2 |
31 |
1 |
0 |
|
15 | Kurt Busch | 78 | Chevrolet |
267 |
13 |
0 |
29 |
0 |
0 |
|
16 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 88 | Chevrolet |
267 |
23 |
1 |
29 |
1 |
0 |
|
17 | Carl Edwards | 99 | Ford |
267 |
2 |
19 |
28 |
1 |
0 |
|
18 | Jeff Burton | 31 | Chevrolet |
267 |
20 |
0 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
|
19 | Greg Biffle | 16 | Ford |
267 |
11 |
0 |
25 |
0 |
0 |
|
20 | Marcos Ambrose | 9 | Ford |
267 |
15 |
0 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
|
21 | Tony Stewart | 14 | Chevrolet |
266 |
18 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
|
22 | Regan Smith | 51 | Chevrolet |
266 |
41 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
23 | David Gilliland | 38 | Ford |
266 |
28 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
0 |
|
24 | Bobby Labonte | 47 | Toyota |
266 |
34 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
|
25 | Danica Patrick | 10 | Chevrolet |
265 |
25 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
|
26 | Josh Wise | 35 | Ford |
265 |
36 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
27 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 42 | Chevrolet |
264 |
19 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
|
28 | David Reutimann | 83 | Toyota |
263 |
31 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
|
29 | Landon Cassill | 33 | Chevrolet |
263 |
39 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
|
30 | David Ragan | 34 | Ford |
262 |
26 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
31 | Brian Vickers | 11 | Toyota |
257 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
32 | David Stremme | 30 | Toyota |
256 |
38 |
1 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
|
33 | Timmy Hill | 32 | Ford |
242 |
37 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
|
34 | Casey Mears | 13 | Ford |
216 |
30 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
35 | J.J. Yeley | 36 | Chevrolet |
210 |
40 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
|
36 | Travis Kvapil | 93 | Toyota |
209 |
32 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
37 | Sam Hornish Jr. | 12 | Ford |
181 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
38 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Toyota |
102 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
39 | Joey Logano | 22 | Ford |
102 |
22 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
40 | Elliott Sadler | 81 | Toyota |
85 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
41 | Mike Bliss | 19 | Chevrolet |
65 |
35 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
42 | Michael McDowell | 98 | Ford |
43 |
29 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
43 | Dave Blaney | 7 | Chevrolet |
36 |
42 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |