Kyle Busch Catches and Holds off Chase Elliott for Dover Win

Kyle Busch Waves the Checkerd Flag after winning the Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway

Photo Credit Dean Patton/RIS

DOVER, DE – RIS – Kyle Busch ran down leader Chase Elliot and passed him with less than two laps to go and win the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.  It was his second win in the three-race first elimination series after winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last week. 

Elliott led a race-high 138 laps but couldn't hold off Busch, who closed a four-second gap in the in the latter stages of the third stage of the race to prevent Elliott from scoring his first career Cup victory.

"That was hard fought; that was everything I had," Busch said as he climbed out of his car to celebrate on the start finish line. "I got up there, got up to the top and got rim-riding and got the momentum and that carried me past the 24 (Elliott).

"We put on a heck of a show at Dover. I know Chase has been hungry and has been trying to get his first win for a long time. I can't say enough about Chase. He's a heck of a competitor."

Elliott was disappointed in the final result and being a runner-up.

“I’m just so disappointed in myself. I gave it away," Elliott said. "I appreciate my team. They kept us in the ballgame, and I didn’t.”

Four drivers were eliminated as the first round came to a close: Kurt Busch, who opened the season with a win at the Daytona 500; Kasey Kahne, who has seven races left before departing Hendrick Motorsports; and Richard Childress Racing drivers Ryan Newman and Austin Dillon.

Twelve drivers advanced to the second round that begins next weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Martin Truex Jr. will take an 18-point lead over Kyle Busch into the second round, followed Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson. Also advancing (in order): Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney, Elliott, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray.

Many factors led to the elimination, but non greater than the case of Stenhouse.  On Lap 87, Jeffrey Earnhardt tried to enter the pits with too much speed.  His car spun around and took out the protective water-filled barrels at the end of pit road.  Many drivers were making green-flag pit stops and left some of the better cars at a disadvantage.  NASCAR red-flagged the event for repairs to the barrels.

In the meantime, Stenhouse stayed out an did not pit, allowing the No.17 driver to finish fourth in the segment and gain valuable playoff points.  Those points saved him from a very poor performance.  Stenhouse made the cut by two points.  The top 10 at the end of the stage: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Jr., Stenhouse, Danica Patrick, Kyle Larson, Elliott, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan, and Denny Hamlin.

 Larson cruised to a win in the second stage, leading 96 laps and finishing in front of Truex. Completing the top 10 were Elliott, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Keselowski, McMurray and Clint Bowyer. Through two stages, Larson had led 131 laps, more than twice as many as any other driver in the stage.

The drivers now head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the first race of the second elimination round on Sunday, October 8th.

Bullet Points on Busch's Win:

Kyle Busch's win was 42nd in 455 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup races

It was his 4th victory and 18th Top 10 in 2017

It was his 3rd Victory and 16th top ten finish at Dover in 26 races at  the Monster Mile

Chase Elliott (2nd) posted his 4th top ten in four races in the MECS at Dover and his 16th top ten in 2017

Unofficial Race Results for the 48Th Annual Apache Warrior 400 Presented By Lucas Oil - Sunday, October 1, 2017 - Dover International Speedway

Fin, Str, Car, Driver, Team, Laps, Stage 1 Pos, Stage 2 Pos, Pts, Status, Tms, Laps, Playoff Pts
1) 2, 18, Kyle Busch (P), M&M's Caramel Toyota, 400, 2, 4, 56, Running, 4, 30, 5
2) 12, 24, Chase Elliott (P), NAPA Chevrolet, 400, 7, 3, 47, Running, 3, 138, 
3) 17, 48, Jimmie Johnson (P), Lowe's Chevrolet, 400, , 5, 40, Running, 1, 5, 
4) 1, 78, Martin Truex Jr. (P), Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, 400, 3, 2, 50, Running, 3, 51, 
5) 3, 42, Kyle Larson (P), Credit One Bank Chevrolet, 400, 6, 1, 47, Running, 3, 137, 1
6) 19, 14, Clint Bowyer, Haas Automation Ford, 400, , 10, 32, Running, , , 
7) 7, 88, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Nationwide Chevrolet, 400, , 7, 34, Running, , , 
8) 5, 19, Daniel Suarez #, Comcast/ARRIS Toyota, 400, , , 29, Running, , , 
9) 26, 1, Jamie McMurray (P), GearWrench Chevrolet, 400, , 9, 30, Running, , , 
10) 16, 2, Brad Keselowski (P), Miller Lite Ford, 400, 1, 8, 40, Running, 2, 39, 1
11) 4, 20, Matt Kenseth (P), DeWalt/Flexvolt Toyota, 400, , , 26, Running, , , 
12) 10, 77, Erik Jones #, SiriusXM Toyota, 400, , , 25, Running, , , 
13) 8, 31, Ryan Newman (P), Waste Masters Chevrolet, 399, , , 24, Running, , , 
14) 21, 5, Kasey Kahne (P), Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, 399, , , 23, Running, , , 
15) 18, 22, Joey Logano, Shell Pennzoil Ford, 399, , , 22, Running, , , 
16) 23, 3, Austin Dillon (P), AAA Chevrolet, 399, , , 21, Running, , , 
17) 9, 4, Kevin Harvick (P), Busch Beer Ford, 399, 8, , 23, Running, , , 
18) 24, 10, Danica Patrick, Warriors in Pink Ford, 399, 5, , 25, Running, , , 
19) 15, 17, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P), Fastenal Ford, 399, 4, , 25, Running, , , 
20) 13, 41, Kurt Busch (P), Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, 398, , , 17, Running, , , 
21) 28, 38, David Ragan, TheHouse.com Ford, 397, 9, , 18, Running, , , 
22) 29, 13, Ty Dillon #, GEICO Chevrolet, 397, , , 15, Running, , , 
23) 11, 21, Ryan Blaney (P), Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, 397, , , 14, Running, , , 
24) 20, 6, Trevor Bayne, Ford EcoBoost Ford, 396, , , 13, Running, , , 
25) 14, 43, Aric Almirola, Smithfield Ford, 396, , , 12, Running, , , 
26) 25, 27, Paul Menard, Richmond/Menards Chevrolet, 396, , , 11, Running, , , 
27) 30, 95, Michael McDowell, FDNY Foundation Chevrolet, 396, , , 10, Running, , , 
28) 27, 47, AJ Allmendinger, Kroger ClickList Chevrolet, 395, , , 9, Running, , , 
29) 31, 34, Landon Cassill, MDS Ford, 394, , , 8, Running, , , 
30) 22, 37, Chris Buescher, Kingsford Chevrolet, 394, , , 7, Running, , , 
31) 40, 32, Matt DiBenedetto, Keen Parts Ford, 393, , , 6, Running, , , 
32) 33, 72, Cole Whitt, TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet, 392, , , 5, Running, , , 
33) 34, 83, * Brett Moffitt(i), HIKvision Toyota, 391, , , 0, Running, , , 
34) 37, 23, Corey LaJoie #, Fresh Beards Toyota, 389, , , 3, Running, , , 
35) 6, 11, Denny Hamlin (P), FedEx Freight Toyota, 374, 10, 6, 8, Axle, , , 
36) 36, 51, * BJ McLeod(i), Donnie Neuenberger Foundation Chevrolet, 372, , , 0, Running, , , 
37) 38, 33, Jeffrey Earnhardt, hulu Chevrolet, 368, , , 1, Running, , , 
38) 32, 15, Ross Chastain(i), Use Your Melon, Drive Sober DE Chevrolet, 348, , , 0, Running, , , 
39) 39, 55, * Reed Sorenson, Sundance Vacations Toyota, 162, , , 1, Engine, , , 
40) 35, 66, * Timmy Hill(i), O.C.R Gaz Bar Chevrolet, 39, , , 0, Electrical, , , 
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (P) Playoff driver, (*) non charter team, (#) Rookie

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 05 Mins, 48 Secs.
Average Speed: 129.171 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.357 Seconds
Race Comments: Kyle Busch won the Apache Warrior 400 presented by Lucas Oil at Dover International Speedway, his 42nd Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. Prior to the green flag, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reason indicated: No. 51 (unapproved adjustments). 
Failed to Qualify: N/A
Caution Flags: 4 for 24 laps: Laps: 88-92 (No. 33 Incident Turn 4 [Red Flag: 15:09] [78]); 122-127 (Stage 1 Conclusion [22]); 168-173 (Fluid On Track From No. 55 [6]); 242-248 (Stage 2 Conclusion [38]).
Lead Changes: 15 among 6 drivers: M. Truex Jr. (P) 1-25; K. Larson (P) 26-60; M. Truex Jr. (P) 61-82; C. Elliott (P) 83; Kyle Busch (P) 84-89; B. Keselowski (P) 90-122; Kyle Busch (P) 123-140; K. Larson (P) 141-169; M. Truex Jr. (P) 170-173; K. Larson (P) 174-246; C. Elliott (P) 247-324; Kyle Busch (P) 325-328; J. Johnson (P) 329-333; B. Keselowski (P) 334-339; C. Elliott (P) 340-398; Kyle Busch (P) 399-400.
American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Martin Truex Jr, No. 78 
Coors Light Pole Award: Martin Truex Jr, No. 78 160.664 mph
Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Kevin Harvick, No. 4 3 positions
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Toyota Racing Development (TRD), No. 18 
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Kyle Busch, No. 18 
Moog Go the Extra Mile: Jamie McMurray, No. 1 -0.119 secs
Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap: Kyle Busch, No. 18 
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Daniel Suarez, No. 19

Ron Fleshman with John Davison and Dean Patton

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

Read More on Cup / XFINITY / Truck news
Volume 2017, Issue 9, Posted 8:04 PM, 10.01.2017