KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyler Reddick became just the fourth driver to win five of the first nine NASCAR Cup Series races in a season, and the first since Dale Earnhardt nearly four decades ago, when he passed Kyle Larson on the final lap of overtime at Kansas Speedway on Sunday.
Chase Briscoe was third and Denny Hamlin, who co-owns Reddick's car with Michael Jordan, finished fourth after having led when the first caution for an accident flew for Cody
Ware's spin as the leaders were about to take the white flag for one lap to go.
“Just really blessed with the late caution,” Reddick said later. “How about that. Was that nuts or what? I couldn't believe it.”
The race had been caution-free except for stage breaks until Ware's spin in the final laps.
All of the leaders pitted, and Hamlin beat Reddick back onto the track. He chose the inside for the restart with Reddick on his outside, and Larson — trying to snap his 32-race drought and win the spring Kansas race for the third straight time — right behind him.
Larson went to the lead on the restart, diving low and pulling away, and chaos began to ensue behind them.
Christopher Bell bounced off Reddick and Hamlin during a chaotic final two laps, and it looked like Larson might finally find his way back to victory lane. Instead, Reddick mounted a big charge down the back stretch, and the two were side by side as they came out of the final corner, before the No. 45 took the checkered flag as Jordan pumped his fist from the pits in celebration.
“This kid is on fire. I don't know what to say. I don't think I can cool him down,” Jordan said. “When you win it's always fun, and right now it's fun for everybody at 23XI. Me being here and being able to see all the wins, I am so happy for the team.”
Reddick's win from the pole made him the first to win five of the first nine races since Earnhardt in the 1987 season.
Larson, the defending race winner, said he thought he “could cruise right there to the checkered,” only to finish on the podium for the third time without a win this season. Briscoe and Hamlin were followed across by another 23XI driver, Bubba Wallace, in fifth.
Toyota also became the first manufacturer since Chevrolet in 2007 to win seven of the first nine races in a season.
Hamlin won the caution-free opening stage, giving him three consecutive stage wins at Kansas going back to last fall and eight for his career. Larson snapped the streak with his third stage win of the season as Hamlin chased him across the start-finish line.
Ryan Blaney was accelerating out of his pit box during the first stage when he got into the rear of AJ Allmendinger, who was trying to pit, sending him into a half-spin into his box. It took Allmendinger a while to get straightened out, putting him several laps down.
“Our race is done,” Allmendinger told his team over the radio.
The Cup Series heads next week to Talladega, where Austin Cindric edged Ryan Preece by 0.022 seconds for his third career win. In the post-race inspection, both Preece and Joey Logano were found to have infractions and were disqualified.
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