NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs: Kyle Busch wins again, twelve stay in a game

Kyle Busch wins the second race in a row in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by winning the Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway. Busch confirmed his place in the Round of 12 as the race at the Monster Mile was the third and last in the Round of 16. It’s Busch’s fourth win at Dover and 42nd in his career.

Busch stole the victory from Chase Elliott in the penultimate lap. Forty laps before that, Busch was more than four seconds behind Elliott but he managed to cut down a gap for the late move in the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry around the outside of Elliott’s #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS. In total, Busch was leading for 30 (of 400) laps while Elliott was in the lead for 38 laps.

The 11-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson finished third, ahead of series leader and pole winner Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Larson completed the top 5, ahead of trio non-playoff drivers — Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Daniel Suarez.

2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs grid

The four drivers lowest in the standings are eliminated from the postseason and the ability to compete for a championship. Those drivers are Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. The following drivers advanced to the Round of 12:

1. Martin Truex Jr.: 3,059 points
2. Kyle Busch: 3,041 points
3. Kyle Larson: 3,034 points
4. Brad Keselowski: 3,020 points
5. Jimmie Johnson: 3,017 points
6. Kevin Harvick: 3,015 points
7. Denny Hamlin: 3,013 points
8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 3,010 points
9. Ryan Blaney: 3,008 points
10. Chase Elliott: 3,006 points
11. Matt Kenseth: 3,005 points
12. Jamie McMurray: 3,003 points