Matt Kenseth won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor speedway for his first win of the season and first win with his new team at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).

This was Kenseth’s 25th victory career Sprint Cup victory and it was on his 41st birthday.  He joins Cale Yarborough and Kyle Busch who have also won a race on their birthday.

This was Kenseth’s third victory and seventh top-10 finish in 14 races at Las Vegas.

“This is awesome,” Kenseth said in victory lane. “I just want to start by thanking the Lord for giving us this opportunity. I just knew it. I knew with working with Jason Ratcliff that we could do this.”

Kasey Kahne finished second, Brad Keselowski third, Kyle Busch fourth and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

“Never ever give up. Never give up. This team doesn’t and we didn’t today. You get a good run like we did and that is a product of that effort. I thought we had some really good speed there at the end. I almost want another yellow to race the 5 and the 20. Matt (Kenseth) did a great job executing the restarts really well. We were so close.” Keselowski said.

Keselowski started on the pole due to the cancellation of qualifying because for rain. Keselowski led the first lap with Bowyer right behind the blue deuce. Bowyer tried to get the lead but he got loose in turn 4 and fell back to fourth place and continued to fall lap after lap.  Bowyer dropped 24 spots before coming to pit road because of severe loose conditions.

Kahne, who had the dominate car of the day, took over the race lead on lap 11 from Keselowski in turns 1 and 2.

Biffle also came in on lap 40 because he told his team his car was too loose.

Green flag pit stops occurred on lap 45 with Kahne and Martin Truex Jr. coming in. Kahne came in for some four tires and fuel and some adjustments and was on his way. Keselowski got an air pressure adjustment while Jeff Gordon got a chassis adjustment. Busch came in and got his pit stop but was too fast entering and has to come in for a pass through penalty

The first caution waved on lap 66 for debris on the backstretch. Ryan Newman got the free pas and there will be 19 cars on the lead lap. Everybody came in and got two tires and fuel except for the No.1 of Jamie McMurray who got fuel only and came out 6th.

Green flag waved on lap 70 with Kahne leading them into turn 1. Kahne easily cared the No.2 and Johnson over took the blue deuce and got 2nd. Johnson then took the lead on lap 75 in turn 4.

The second round of green flag stops began with Keselowski coming in saying he thought a tire was flat.  Earnhardt Jr, Trevor Bayne and other came in and got there stops completed and were on their way. Hamlin got a speeding penalty for too fast entering. Johnson kept the lead until lap 137 when Kahne took the top spot over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.

The second caution waved for the second time with 108 laps to go when the No.9 of Marcos Ambrose was trying to get on pit road but spun it out instead. All of the leaders came into pit and 5-time Johnson came out first with four tires as everybody took four good years. Hamlin got the free pass to put 15 cars on the lead lap.

They went back to green with 102 laps to go and Rowdy Busch went three wide to take the lead into turn 1. He passed Kahne and Johnson and took the lead in his hometown track.

Caution is out for a spin by Bobby Labonte on lap 195. The leaders came in and everybody got two tires and fuel. Kahne came in first and went out first.

The green flag was waved with 68 laps to go and Kahne and Busch were battling for the lead in turns 1 and 2 and Busch over took him on the backstretch. Kahne then took the lead back from Busch and pulled away.

Fourth Caution waved with 43 laps to go when the No.93 of Travis Kvapil blew up on the exit of turn 4 and spewed fluid everywhere around the track. the No.10 of Danica Patrick was right behind him and she got tons of oil on her windshield as she came in and got a tear off and four tires with fuel. Leaders also came in for, what could be there final stop, and most of them got 2 tires and fuel. Truex Jr. could not get his car started and stalled it and lost multiple spots. Kahne was trying to get out but got boxed in by Stewart and also lost some spots. Keselowski and Kenseth did not take tires and they will restart in the lead.

They restarted with 35 laps to go and the restart was a train wreck. It looked like Edwards did not go and bottled up Kahne, Paul Menard and others. Kenseth took the lead with Keselowski right behind him. Caution waved just a few laps later when the No.39 of Ryan Newman missed a shift and blew his engine.

They restarted the race with 26 laps to go and Kenseth shot up like a rocket and took the top spot over Keselowski. Kahne passed Johnson and Keselowski for the second position and was in search for the No.20. Kahne gained a tenth every couple laps and with 14 to go, he caught Kenseth. He finally got to the bumper of Kenseth with eight to go but just could not make the pass.

The race had 22 lead changes among eight drivers and five caution flags for 25 laps.

Johnson leads the series point standings by five points over Keselowski.

Matt Kenseth would give himself a 41st birthday present by winning the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It marks his first win with Joe Gibbs Racing and his 25th career victory.

Lap 1 Brad Keselowski leads

Lap 4 Clint Bowyer goes for the lead, but gets major loose

Lap 12 Kasey Kahne grabs the lead

Lap 18 Clint Bowyer makes an unscheduled pit stop

Lap 26 Kahne leads Keselowski Ky Busch Johnson Harvick Truex Stenhouse Earnhardt Hamlin Kenseth

Lap 36 Kahne Keselowski Ky Busch Johnson Harvick Truex Earnhardt Kenesth Edwards Stenhouse

Lap 38 Greg Biffle comes down pit road.

Lap 44 Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Danica Patrick and Martin Truex Jr. come down pit road with others. Kyle Busch to the lead

Lap 45 Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Trevor Bayne, Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Paul Menard, Tony Stewart to the pits.

Lap 46 Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson pit. Jamie McMurray to the lead.

Lap 47 Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick pit. Jamie McMurray to the lead while Kyle Busch receives a penalty for being too fast entering section one of pit road.

Lap 48 Jamie McMurray pits. J.J. Yeley and Joey Logano gets a penalty for too fast exiting pit road. Kasey Kahne goes back to the lead.

Lap 51 Kahne Keselowski Harvick Johnson

Lap 59 Kahne leads Keselowski Harvick Johnson Earnhardt Truex Kenseth Edwards Hamlin Stenhouse

Lap 66 Stenhouse passes Hamlin. Caution for debris. Ryan Newman gets the lucky dog. Pit stops. Some take two, some take four, McMurray fuel only. Kahne leads Keselowski Harvick Johnson Earnhardt McMurray Edwards Truex Kenseth and Hamlin off pit road. Greg Biffle gets penalized for an uncontrolled tire. Some people take the wave around to get back on the lead lap/only one lap down

Restart lap 70 Kahne leads ahead of Johnson and Keselowski

Lap 71 Kahne leads Johnson and Keselowski

Lap 74 Kahne lead Johnson Keselowski Harvick Truex Earnhardt Hamlin Edwards Kenseth Martin

Lap 75 Kahne and Johnson side-by-side for the lead. Johnson takes the lead off of turn four.

Lap 77 Johnson leads Kahne Keselowski Harvick Truex Earnhardt Hamlin Edwards Kenseth and Martin. Cassill to the garage with engine trouble.

Lap 80 Johnson leads Kahne Keselowski Harvick Truex Eanhardt Hamlin Edwards Kenseth Ky Busch

Lap 88 Ky Busch passes Kenseth for ninth

lap 105 Hamlin passes Earnhardt for sixth

lap 107 Edwards passes Earnhardt for seventh

lap 109 Johnson leads Kahne Keselowski Harvick Truex Hamlin Edwards Earnhardt Ky Busch Kenseth

lap 112 Keselowski pits with a flat tire. Earnhardt Jr. has also pitted, among others

lap 116 Harvick, Montoya, Kahne, Hamlin, Dillon, Ku Busch, Martin, Truex and Menard pit.

Lap 117 Almirola and Bayne pit

Lap 118 Kenseth, Gordon, Johnson, Ky Busch and Stewart pit. Hamlin was too fast entering section one of pit road.

Lap 119 Stenhouse Jr. and Patrick pit. Johnson back to the lead. Danica Patrick gets a penalty for a tire being outside her pit.

Lap 126 Johnson leads Kahne Keselowski Truex Earnhardt Harvick Kenseth Ky Busch Edwards Martin

Lap 138 Johnson leads Kahne Keselowski Truex Earnhardt Ky Busch……Kahne drives around Johnson for the lead

Lap 139 Kahne leads Johnson Keselowski Truex Earnhardt Ky Busch

Lap 140 Ky Busch passes Earnhardt for fifth

Lap 145 Kahne leads Johnson Keselowski Ky Busch Truex Kenseth Earnhardt Edwards Martin Harvick

Lap 148 Joey Logano makes a green flag pit stop.

Lap 152 Kenseth passes Truex for fifth

Lap 159 Kahne leads Johnson Keselowski Ky Busch Kenseth Earnhardt Truex Edwards Martin Stenhouse

Caution lap 160 Ambrose gets sideways trying to come on pit road. Denny Hamlin gets the lucky dog. Leaders make their way down pit road. Johnson leads Kahne Ky Busch Kenseth Earnhardt Edwards Truex Martin Menard and McMurray off pit road. Keselowski came in third, had left side troubles.

Restart 102 to go Kahne doesn’t get up to speed, Ky Busch makes it three-wide with Johnson and Kahne. Ky Busch to the lead ahead of Johnson and Kahne

99 to go Ky Busch leads Johnson Kahne Earnhardt Kenseth Edwards Truex Martin Menard Almirola

98 to go Stenhouse gets into the wall

96 to go Keselowski and Harvick pass Almirola

95 to go Harvick passes Keselowski for 10^th

92 to go Ky Busch leads Kahne Johnson Earnhardt Kenseth Edwards Truex Martin Menard Harvick

Lap 181 Kasey Kahne passes Ky Busch to take back the lead

81 to go Kahne leads Ky Busch Johnson Kenseth Edwards Earnhardt Truex Harvick Martin Keselowski

79 to go Keselowski passes Martin for ninth

73 to go Caution big spin by Bobby Labonte. Tony Stewart got a lucky dog. Most took two tires. Kahne leads Ky Busch Johnson Kenseth Edwards Earnhardt Harvick McMurray Truex Keselowski. Hamlin stayed out, takes over the lead. Keselowski is the first in line with four tires.

Restart 68 to go Kahne grabs the lead off of two ahead of Ky Busch and Hamlin.

67 to go Ky Busch grabs the lead at the line ahead of Kahne and Kenseth

62 to go Ky Busch leads Kahne Johnson Kenseth Hamlin Earnhardt Edwards Harvick Truex McMurray

56 to go Kahne grabs the lead back from Ky Busch

54 to go Kahne leads Ky Busch Johnson Kenseth Hamlin Earnhardt Harvick Edwards Truex Keselowski

49 to go Hamlin pits for two tires

42 to go Caution Travis Kvapil blows up majorly. Joey Logano gets the lucky dog. Leaders pit. Kenseth leads Keselowski Johnson Edwards Earnhardt Kahne Ky Busch Menard Truex and Almirola. Some took two, some took four, some took no tires.

Restart 37 to go leaders don’t get going….Kenseth has the lead down the backstretch ahead of Keselowski and Johnson.

33 to go Kenseth leads Keselowski Johnson Earnhardt Kahne Ky Busch Edwards Truex Martin and Menard……Kahne passes Earnhardt.

Caution 32 to go Ryan Newman goes up in smoke.  Leaders stay out, Hamlin pits.

30 laps to go Kenseth Keselowski Johnson Kahne Dale Jr KyBusch Edwards Truex Martin Menard Almirola Stewart Harvick McMurray Stenhouse

Restart 26 to go Keselowski and Kenseth side-by-side into turn one…..Kenseth to the lead off of turn two…….Kahne passes Keselowski for second into turn three

25 to go Kenseth leads Kahne ahead of Ky Busch and Keselowski.

24 to go Kenseth leads Kahne Ky Busch Keselowski Johnson Truex Earnhardt Edwards Menard Stewart

16 to go Edwards passes Earnhardt for seventh; Harvick passes Stewart for 10^th

8 to go Keselowski passes Ky Busch for third

6 to go Harvick passes Menard for ninth

4 to go Kenseth still leads, Kahne in toe

Happy Birthday Kenseth!! Kahne. Keselowski. Ky Busch. Edwards. Johnson. Earnhardt. Truex. Harvick.