Kenseth Wins Delayed Quaker State 400

Matt Kenseth’s crew chief, Jason Ratcliff gambled late in the Quaker State 400 at the Kentucky Speedway and took no tires and only fuel when the caution came out on lap 240 of 267. Jimmie Johnson, the dominant car of the day, had taken two tires and was lined up behind Kenseth. After the restart on lap 247 Johnson uncharacteristically spun out in front of the entire field bringing out the caution for the last time.

When the field went back to green Kenseth held off a hard charging Jamie McMurray who finished second. Clint Bowyer finished third, Joey Logano fourth and Kyle Busch fifth. Brother Kurt Busch finished sixth.

The fireworks started early when Kurt Busch made a dive bomb move under last year’s winner, Brad Keselowski, slid up the track and sent Keselowski up the track and in front of traffic. Keselowski’s car pin-balled across the track and into multiple cars bringing out the red flag for crews to clean up the mess. Greg Biffle was collected as was Dave Blaney and others. Keselowski said, “I know he didn’t intentionally wreck me, but it’s just one of those things. A chain of events with the way the cars drive, and the track has that really bad bump down there, and we all know it. There’s no reason to go down there, but he still did.”  With the wreck happening only 47 laps into the race he said, “We were trying to get patient, because it looks like we’ll get the whole race in before rain, and there’s no reason to drive like an animal. Apparently, I’m the only one that got that memo.”\

Kenseth said about the gamble and his part in that gamble, “I didn’t roll the dice, Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) did.  I thought he was slightly crazy when that happened.  First of all, I just have to thank the Lord for putting me here… this is such a great team and great opportunity for me.  It’s just been an unbelievable season and year of my life honestly.   Jason did a great job — I didn’t think there was any way that we were going to hold on for that win.  He made the right call at the right time and those guys got it done.”

Ratcliff said, “I kind of knew that if we could get Matt (Kenseth) position that he would make a good fight out of it and he obviously did.  We got a couple good restarts there.”