Kyle Busch Wins 87th Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Race

The NASCAR Xfinity Series headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway today after a demolition derby last week at Daytona. 40 laps made up stage one, 80 laps stage two and 83 laps to make up stage three. This equaled to 163 laps total.

Kyle Busch and William Byron set the front row in qualifying, Busch earning his first pole of 2017 in the Xfinity Series.

Busch and Byron led the field to start the race. Busch easily got out in front as Byron spun his tires on the start. It didn’t take long for a caution to come out though as Ty Dillon’s car cut down a left rear tire in turn one. Dillon almost saved it, but Blake Koch plowed right into Dillon. This ended Koch’s day.

Busch and Brad Keselowski restart the race on lap 6. Busch pulled ahead again with a strong car but Keselowski stayed close behind. Keselowski with a stronger car then Busch took the lead on lap 8 down the backstretch. The race was smooth sailing for Keselowski who led the rest of the way in stage one.

Keselowski and Busch led the field to the restart on lap 47. Keselowski got the advantage on the restart as Busch spun the tries on the high side. Busch rebounded however, as both him and Keselowski battled side by side for the lead on lap 53. With both of the leaders battling side by side, this allowed Kevin Harvick to creep into the picture on lap 56. On lap 57, Harvick passed Busch for second one lap later and on lap 61 Harvick took the lead from Keselowski off turn two.

From that point on, Harvick stayed in the lead until the caution came out to end stage two.

Harvick and Keselowski led the field back to the restart on lap 88. Harvick remained in the lead, but Keselowski stayed close behind. The race was clean and green until 60 laps to go came when Denny Hamlin made an unscheduled pit stop. Then things got worse for Hamlin as he cut down a left rear tire to bring out the fourth caution with 47 laps to go.

Harvick and Kyle Busch restarted the race with 41 laps to go. Busch again spun his tires on the restart and this allowed Kyle Larson to take the second position. Larson then took the lead from Harvick with 39 laps to go. Harvick began to have problems as he started to slip back with 37 laps to go. Busch went around for him second. Harvick’s car started to get tight and this caused him to lose track position.

A caution however came with 22 laps to go as Clint King laid fluid down the track. This set up a restart with 17 laps to go. Busch and Larson were the race leaders at the time. Larson got a bad start and this allowed Busch to remain in the lead. Keselowski took advantage of Larson’s bad restart and got the second position late in the race. Larson tried to rebound as he passed Elliott Sadler for third with 12 laps to go.

Brad Keselowski tried to run down Kyle Busch for a late race pass with seven laps to go. Busch however fended off Keselowski’s late race run for his 87^th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win. 

There were 5 cautions for 26 laps. 

There were 4 leaders among 6 lead changes. 

Busch led twice for 26 laps.  

The next scheduled NASCAR Xfinity Series race is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11th, 2017.