A Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway that was light on the caution count for 90 percent of its running was altered by cars spinning and/or hitting a wall in the closing laps.
In the first 180 laps, the caution flew only three times. It flew twice for the stage breaks and once on the third lap for Brad Keselowski spinning out on the frontstretch. Other than that, it was mostly clean.
With 20 laps to go, however, Gray Gaulding suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the outside wall in Turn 1, bringing out the fourth caution of the race.
On the ensuing restart, Martin Truex Jr. made contact with Matt Kenseth and sent him spinning down the track, where he slammed the inside wall driver-side.
With nine to go, Corey LaJoie spun out in Turn 2 and brought out the race’s sixth caution.
With three to go, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun out in Turn 2, setting up the overtime finish.
It’s the fourth straight race this season to have the final caution fly with 16 or fewer laps to go. The final caution flew with 16 to go at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Austin Dillon’s car stalled on the apron in Turn 2, 16 to go at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when Danica Patrick’s engine expired on the frontstretch and six to go at Phoenix International Raceway when Joey Logano suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the wall in Turn 1.
