LONG POND, Pa. – Matt Kenseth stretched his fuel and zipped past the fading leaders in the final thrilling laps Sunday to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway.
The 400-mile race came down to fuel and which cars had it – and which ones didn’t. Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. were all inside the top five in the final five laps when they ran out of fuel.
Busch failed in his bid to become the ninth driver since 1972 and the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four consecutive Cup races.
Kenseth won for the first time at Pocono. With Busch’s recent dominance, Kenseth made it five wins in the last six races for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Brad Keselowski was second followed by Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle.
Logano was 11th, Truex was 20th and Busch 21st. Busch remained outside the top 30 in points, the second marker he needs to hit to qualify for the Chase.
“I was saving fuel just to cushion it,” Logano said. “I thought I was going to be good and then I started running out and knew we weren’t going to make it. We were so close. You are counting down the laps in your head thinking you are going to make it but just didn’t do it. “
Busch had won three consecutive Cup races and four of five, swept the Xfinity and Cup races last weekend at Indianapolis and won the Truck Series event Saturday at Pocono.
“I wish I had saved a little more,” Busch said. “I wish I had known (Logano) was that far from making it. It’s a shame we couldn’t get it done.”
With a win, Busch would have had the points needed to at least crack the top 30, though he’d have to stay there for the final five races before the 16-driver field is set for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
“We got greedy,” Busch said. “But that’s the position we’re in.”
Kenseth had the only position that mattered, winning for the second time this season and for the first time ever at Pocono.
“I never thought I’d win at Pocono,” he said.
Kenseth won the fuel gamble and survived a race that resembled a demolition derby: Cars, crews, walls, equipment, all took beatings over 400 miles.
The cautions slowed – or stopped – the race to such a crawl that it took an hour to complete the first 30 laps on the 2½-mile track.
Gordon’s farewell to Pocono has him the track’s career leader in wins with six and laps led. He had his 32nd top-10 finish in 46 races at the track.
He’s still looking for the elusive win that will clinch a Chase berth instead of hoping he can make the field on points.
“We’re not in a safe position,” Gordon said.
