An early wreck was not enough to prevent Kyle Busch from winning another race.
Busch was involved in a multi-car wreck to start the race, but he worked his way through the field and took the lead for the first time on Lap 384.
The team snookered the field by choosing not to pit during the final caution of the Food City 500 and held off his older brother, Kurt Busch, for the final 14 circuits to earn his eighth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“It’s pretty awesome to be able to snooker those guys, get our win today here at Bristol. Love this place. It was fun to battle out with the brother there at the end,” Busch said.
“We’re crazy,” Busch said. “We’ll do anything to get a win.”
Busch led 71 laps, including the final 19 of 500 for his third win of the season and the 54th of his career.
“It ain’t 12, that’s for sure (referring to Darrell Waltrip).” So, I got more to go, Busch said.
Kurt Busch could taste victory but saw his chances evaporate when he tagged the wall with three laps to go in hot pursuit of Kyle’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
“I know we didn’t quite get side‑by‑side racing it out. I saw him working the top. I’m like, ‘I better go.’ I got up there, was able to make some ground,” Kyle Busch said.
Brad Keselowski was black-flagged for lining up improperly on the final restart and wound up 18th.
Of the eight races run this season, all eight have been won by drivers from either Joe Gibbs Racing or Team Penske.
Kurt Busch admitted that he was going to give his younger brother more than just a tap.
“I really wanted to beat him,” Busch said. “I was going to wreck him. He already won (this year). I figure he could give a little love to his brother. I wanted that one bad.
“I’m happy that we were in position to do it. This group of guys, we’re not quite ready to win yet, but that was close.”
Joey Logano finished third, Ryan Blaney came home fourth, and last week’s winner Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.
Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Newman, and Jimmie Johnson completed the top 10.
Ty Dillon edged Clint Bowyer in a photo finish to take the first stage, while Logano won the second stage.
Monster Energy Cup Series Race Number 8
Race Results for the 59th Annual Food City 500 – Sunday, April 7, 2019
Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, TN – 0.533 – Mile Concrete
Total Race Length – 500 Laps – 266.5 Miles
| Fin | Str | No | Driver | Team | Laps | S1Pos | S2Pos | Pts | Status |
| 1 | 17 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Skittles Toyota | 500 | 6 | 5 | 51 | Running |
| 2 | 27 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Monster Energy Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | 6 | 40 | Running |
| 3 | 7 | 22 | Joey Logano | Autotrader Ford | 500 | 4 | 1 | 51 | Running |
| 4 | 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | PPG Ford | 500 | 7 | 2 | 46 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | FedEx Freight Toyota | 500 | 0 | 0 | 32 | Running |
| 6 | 9 | 21 | Paul Menard | Menards/Sylvania Ford | 500 | 8 | 0 | 34 | Running |
| 7 | 8 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Haas Automation Ford | 500 | 2 | 8 | 42 | Running |
| 8 | 20 | 41 | Daniel Suarez | Haas Automation Ford | 500 | 0 | 10 | 30 | Running |
| 9 | 11 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Wyndham Rewards Ford | 500 | 0 | 3 | 36 | Running |
| 10 | 10 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Ally Chevrolet | 500 | 5 | 0 | 33 | Running |
| 11 | 1 | 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 500 | 10 | 0 | 27 | Running |
| 12 | 21 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | LFR Pro League Toyota | 500 | 0 | 0 | 25 | Running |
| 13 | 13 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford | 500 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Running |
| 14 | 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Symbicort Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | 9 | 25 | Running |
| 15 | 24 | 13 | Ty Dillon | GEICO Chevrolet | 500 | 1 | 0 | 32 | Running |
| 16 | 2 | 24 | William Byron | Axalta Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | 0 | 21 | Running |
| 17 | 23 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Auto Owners Insurance Toyota | 499 | 9 | 0 | 22 | Running |
| 18 | 12 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Discount Tire Ford | 499 | 3 | 4 | 34 | Running |
| 19 | 16 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Credit One Bank Chevrolet | 499 | 0 | 0 | 18 | Running |
| 20 | 28 | 43 | Bubba Wallace | Blue-Emu Chevrolet | 499 | 0 | 0 | 17 | Running |
| 21 | 22 | 38 | David Ragan | MDS Transport Ford | 498 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Running |
| 22 | 25 | 37 | Chris Buescher | Bush’s Beans Chevrolet | 498 | 0 | 7 | 19 | Running |
| 23 | 14 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Nationwide Chevrolet | 497 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Running |
| 24 | 4 | 20 | Erik Jones | CRAFTSMAN Racing for a Miracle Toyota | 497 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Running |
| 25 | 30 | 47 | Ryan Preece # | Kroger Chevrolet | 496 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Running |
| 26 | 31 | 0 | Landon Cassill | StarCom Fiber Chevrolet | 495 | 0 | 0 | 11 | Running |
| 27 | 29 | 36 | Matt Tifft # | Surface Sunscreen/Tunity Ford | 494 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Running |
| 28 | 18 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Love’s Travel Stops Ford | 493 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Running |
| 29 | 37 | 15 | Ross Chastain(i) | Rim Riderz Chevrolet | 491 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Running |
| 30 | 26 | 8 | Daniel Hemric # | Caterpillar/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet | 490 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Running |
| 31 | 34 | 52 | Bayley Currey # | Belmont Classic Cars Chevrolet | 488 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Running |
| 32 | 36 | 77 | Quin Houff | FALCI Adaptve Motorsports Chevrolet | 476 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Running |
| 33 | 19 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | SunnyD Ford | 395 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Running |
| 34 | 32 | 32 | Corey LaJoie | DUDE Wipes Ford | 308 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Accident |
| 35 | 35 | 66 | * Timmy Hill(i) | Toyota | 239 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Suspension |
| 36 | 33 | 51 | Gray Gaulding(i) | Jacob Companies Ford | 142 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Engine |
| 37 | 6 | 10 | Aric Almirola | SHAZAM!/Smithfield Ford | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Accident |
