The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2. Kahne wins Brickyard 400
Overtime wreck helps driver get first win since ’14.
Kasey Kahne held on through big wrecks — Martin Truex Jr. (above) wasn’t so lucky — and an almost two-hour rain delay to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ending a winless streak of 102 races.
Kasey Kahne edged in front of Brad Keselowski as drivers wrecked behind them and won the Brickyard 400 Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Kahne, in a Chevrolet, won with the caution flag out for his first NASCAR Cup victory since August 2014 at Atlanta.
Denny Hamlin, Paul Menard and Ty Dillon were involved in the last wreck on the backstretch. The race had already gone to a second overtime because of wrecks, and it had 14 cautions in all.
The race took more than six hours to complete, finally finishing in fading light after 167 laps.
The race was delayed after 12 laps for 1 hour and 47 minutes because of storms.
Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. — driving the two fastest cars — went out in a crash with 49 laps to go.
That was only a prelude to a final 20 laps that included five crashes, two of which brought out red flags.
Busch looked as if he would make history as the first driver to win three consecutive Brickyards when he led the first 71 laps — and 87 overall. But when Truex’s car slid up the track, both cars hit the wall.
That opened the door for Kahne, who had struggled all season. And as the crashes happened behind, Kahne overcame muscle cramps to hold on for his 18th career victory.
Hendrick’s four-pack: Hendrick Motorsports chief Rick Hendrick, trying to douse speculation about a possible downsizing in 2018, said “the plan is to run four cars next year” as he has been.
Who the fourth driver will be is unclear.
On Thursday, Hendrick chose Alex Bowman, 24, as retiring Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement.
That gives Hendrick two promising young drivers, Bowman and 21-year-old Chase Elliott, alongside seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.
But with sponsorship deals running out and Kahne underperforming in the fourth car until Sunday, speculation about Hendrick’s plans has been the subject of chatter.
Hendrick did not address Kahne’s future with the team when he spoke before the race.
He did say Bowman, who doesn’t have a ride this season, may get into a Hendrick car in the Xfinity Series this season.
“We started talking about that,” Bowman said. “We have to kind of wait and see. I’d love to get back in a car.”
One driver who won’t move up next year is 19-yearold William Byron. “We’re not ready to cross that bridge yet,” Hendrick said. Byron’s victory in Saturday’s Xfinity race at Indianapolis was his third in the past five races.
Hendrick also clarified the terms of Nationwide’s new sponsorship deal. He said Earnhardt’s longtime sponsor signed a three-year contract with the team, though only the first year is to sponsor Bowman.
Earnhardt said he thinks it would be wise to stick with Bowman beyond 2018 because he believes Elliott and Bowman can become cornerstone pieces in the Cup Series’ youth movement.
NHRA: Robert Hight beat Tommy Johnson Jr. in the Mile High Nationals at Morrison, Colo., to extend his Funny Car victory streak to 13 seasons. Hight topped Johnson with a 3.995-second pass at 317.57 mph in a Chevrolet Camaro SS for his 38th career victory.
Antron Brown won in Top Fuel and Drew Skillman in Pro Stock.