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Matt Kenseth wins Sylvania 300: 5 takeaways

ByCharles Rahrig V|
Sep 27, 2015; Loudon, NH, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (20) leads Kyle Busch (18) during the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2015; Loudon, NH, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (20) leads Kyle Busch (18) during the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Kenseth moves onto the next round with a win at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire.

Kevin Harvick looked like he was going to avoid elimination at the Sylvania 300 by picking up a huge win. That dream and potentially his championship run came to an end as he had to come to pit road with just two laps left in the race on Sunday.

Instead it was Matt Kenseth who took advantage to win his fifth race of the season and earn a spot in the second round of the chase. Kenseth who has been dominant the last few weeks, battled with Harvick all day for the win and it looked like he was going to hold up on his promise of beating Joe Gibbs Racing.

It wasn’t all great for Joe Gibbs Racing. While three of their drivers performed well, Kyle Busch has backed himself to the edge of being eliminated. After hitting the wall, Busch is now in danger of being eliminated from the chase next week.

With Matt Kenseth’s big win, here are five takeaways from the Sylvania 300.

1. Joe Gibbs Racing continues to dominate the chase

For the second week in a row, Joe Gibbs Racing has had a driver move onto the second round of the chase. Today, it was Matt Kenseth who won at New Hampshire to move onto the second round. With two drivers moving on, Joe Gibbs Racing’s championship season looks alive and well.

Kyle Busch could be in jeopardy of being eliminated unless he wins next week at Dover. However, anything could happen and if Busch could win at Dover, all four of Joe Gibbs’ drivers could be moving on.

2. Kyle Busch‘s championship hopes could be over

Under the new chase format, there is no margin for error. Kyle Busch’s incredible season might soon be over after hitting the wall at the Sylvania 300. Thanks in part to hitting the wall, Busch had to go back to the garage and missed many laps.

Because of that, Busch drops near the bottom of the championship standings, and unless he wins at Dover next week, it is likely he will be in the first round of cuts. After everything Busch has accomplished this season, it could all just be a memory very soon.

He came back from a gruesome leg injury. He won four races to get into the chase and a chance to compete for a championship. Dover will be his last chance to move on. Does Kyle Busch have one last great story in him this season?

3. Danica Patrick‘s car got destroyed

In what was one of the most stomach-turning wrecks of the season, Danica Patrick and David Ragan collided in a wreck that had many people covering their eyes. After Patrick had hit the wall, her car rebounded back into oncoming traffic as drivers blew by at full speeds.

Paint chips went flying and both cars were completely obliterated. NASCAR would bring out the red flag and the race would come to a halt as the track was cleaned up.

4. Alex Bowman entered a no spin zone

At 22 years old, Alex Bowman is one of the younger drivers in NASCAR. At this point in the young driver’s career it’s all about gaining experience on each track and building on it. Well at New Hampshire, his race was done early after hit the wall.

As he rolled back to the garage, an unusual moment occurred as his tire didn’t spin. With three wheels, he managed to slide off the track somehow. It may have not been a good day at the track, but getting off the track on three wills is an incredible feat.

5. Eliminations are coming

After Dover next week, four drivers are going to be eliminated. That means Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray are on the bubble of having their championship runs end.

As has been shown in the first two races, anything can happen and even the best drivers can wreck and have their backs pushed against the wall. There are going to be good drivers eliminated next week when the chase goes from 16 drivers to 12.

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