Busch wins Monster Energy Cup playoff race at Richmond

RICHMOND, VA. » Kyle Busch passed Brad Keselowski with 38 laps to go and held off hard-charging Kevin Harvick to win the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night.

Busch won for the 50th time in his career, the sixth time on the 0.75-mile oval and for the first time here in the fall.

Harvick closed a gap of more than 1.5 seconds over the final few laps, but was not able to deprive Busch of tying him with a seasonbest seven wins this season.

Martin Truex Jr., who swept the first two stages before a penalty forced him to play catch up, rallied for third, followed by Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola. It was the first time all season that the three drivers who have dominated all season claimed the top three spots in a race.

Busch and rival Brad Keselowski, seeking his fourth consecutive victory in the series, battled for the lead for much of the last 100-plus laps. Keselowski grabbed to top spot on lap 343, but Busch took it back 20 laps later before Keselowski faded and Harvick picked up the chase.

The race unfolded much like the spring race in April when Joey Logano swept the first two stages, each run without an on-track caution.

This time, it was Truex who completed the sweep, but then his team burned him on pit road. During the caution after the second stage, Truex’s team was penalized for an uncontrolled tire, dropping him to 19th place. After leading 159 laps, he had to play catch up.