Kurt Busch, the driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, leads the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 14, 2018, in Talladega, Alabama. Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Kurt Busch was one corner and a straightaway from his second victory of the season and an automatic ticket into the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
But Busch’s No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford ran out of gas in turn four on the final lap of the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch steered to the bottom of the track and watched helplessly as teammate Aric Almirola charged past him and claimed the overtime win.
Busch started from the pole led a race-high 108 of 193 laps, as Stewart-Haas dominated the event in unprecedented fashion, grabbing the top-four positions in qualifying and finishing one-two-three-four in both stages before Almirola took the checkered flag with teammate Clint Bowyer behind him.
“It was a very different Talladega for me,” said Busch, who rolled across the finish line in 14th place. “I really enjoyed leading the race, working with my teammates. I’m really happy a Stewart-Haas car won, but the four of us, I’ve never seen so much synergy.
“We knew we were going to have to race when we got to Kansas (next Sunday). It would have been nice to have the win. We’re here to win.”
Almirola got the ticket into the Round of 8 with the victory, but Busch leaves Talladega 30 points above the cut line, a relatively comfortable margin.
“That’s good stuff,” Busch said. “We had 21 (points) coming into this, and if you can bank nine and get the heck out of Talladega, that sounds good.”