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Kyle Busch Outlasts Field and Fuel to Win Day 2 at Pocono

There were 115 miles to the Pocono finish, Kyle Busch had a fried clutch, only one gear and had to rush his car chief out of the car. But he had a full tank of gas, so he hit it.

 

Busch came through in the clutch — even when he raced without one — and busted Hendrick Motorsports’ winning streak and denied the organization a shot at NASCAR history when he raced to his second victory of the season Sunday.

 

Busch stretched his fuel in his broken Toyota and outlasted late leaders William Byron and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin as they saw their shot at the checkered flag disappear over the final few laps when they ran out of gas.

 

Busch was on the brink of snapping Hendrick’s winning streak with a runner-up finish to Alex Bowman in Saturday’s Pocono twinbill opener. He couldn’t get the help he needed Saturday with the right push. But he got the critical pit road assist Sunday and then drove the final 46 laps on the 2 1/2-mile oval knowing another stop in the pits would end his race.

 

Busch raced without a care early and sang a few bars of “Fly Like An Eagle” over the radio. His 59th career Cup victory will go down as one of Busch’s greatest hits. NASCAR’s career wins leader in all series has 100 in Xfinity and 61 in Trucks.

 

Sorry Steve Miller, Busch said his karaoke song of choice is “The Real Slim Shady,” a fitting choice for the M&M’s driver.

 

Kyle Larson, whose blown tire on the last lap cost him a win Saturday, was second for Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick had won six straight Cup races, capped by Bowman’s third win over his last 10 races.

 

Hendrick was trying to become the first team since NASCAR’s modern era began in 1972 to win seven straight races.

 

Bowman started the streak in May at Dover and Chase Elliott followed the next week at Texas. Larson then ripped off three straight points victories at Charlotte, Sonoma and last week at Nashville — and squeezed in the $1 million All-Star race for four wins, total — all while Hendrick Motorsports became the winningest organization in NASCAR history.

 

Brad Keselowski was third, Kevin Harvick fourth and Bubba Wallace was fifth in his best finish of the season for Michael Jordan’s 23IX team.

 

Hamlin faded to 14th.

 

NASCAR heads to Road America in rural Wisconsin, one of the new road course events on the 2021 schedule.

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