Busch’s DQ makes Cindric a winner
FORT WORTH, Texas — Kyle Busch celebrated an apparent 10th NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway, then had it taken away.
Busch’s No. 54 Joe Gibbs Toyota failed postrace inspection Saturday after he came in ahead of Austin Cindric, who was declared the winner for his third victory in a row; he took both Xfinity races at Kentucky.
NASCAR said Busch’s car was disqualified for failing heights, with the left rear measuring too low.
It would have been the 98th win for Busch in the series. Instead, Cindric got his fifth in 83 starts despite crossing the finish line 0.949 of a second behind Busch. That made a 1-2 Ford finish, with Cindric ahead of series points leader Chase Briscoe.
Cindric, 21, son of Team Penske president Tim Cindric, said he had already changed back into street clothes in his hauler when he noticed everybody still around the No. 54 car. He said it’s great to get a win no matter how it happens.
“I felt like we had a shot to do that today. And maybe didn’t execute as well as you should have, but that’s what kept us out,” Cindric said. “But fast race cars and being in position, that’s where it counts.”
Busch had to come back through the field three times in the race, including an early speeding penalty on pit road. He built a 3.3 second-lead before a final caution flag when Joe Graf Jr. made contact with the wall. Busch led only15 of the 201laps.
Justin Allgaier had regained the lead from Cindric when both pitted on Lap159, but was penalized for a blend-line penalty when getting back on the track. After doing his pass-through penalty 10 laps later, he dropped two laps off the pace before recovering for third place.
“I’d like an explanation, because that’s been the same way we’ve done it now for as long as I’ve been in NASCAR,” Allgaier said.
Cindric led three times for 44 laps. Allgaier, who won the first two stages, was in front four times for 98 laps.
There were no spectators allowed for the Xfinity race or the Truck Series race Saturday night when Busch was racing again. Thousands of fans will be in the stands for the Cup race today.
Noah Gragson, who entered the race second in points, crashed in Turn 3 on lap 117 and finished 30th. That dropped him to third in points.