The Big 3 didn’t dominate the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire as they often do, but they once again authored the final chapter of the race.
There were other storylines besides the Big 3 early in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Rain delayed the start of the race by more than three hours, and other drivers besides Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. had their moments.
In the end, though, the finish came down to the three drivers who have dominated so much of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. With Truex running a few seconds back in third place, Harvick managed to run down and pass Kyle Busch when it mattered most, going on to claim his series-leading sixth victory of the year.
It was a tense final 10 laps with Harvick poised right on the back bumper of Kyle Busch, who knows a thing or two about nudging other drivers out of the way. With seven to go, Harvick finally moved his foe out of the way, not hard enough to wreck him but with plenty of force to require the 18 to have to work hard to avoid spinning out.
Despite all of Harvick’s previous accolades, he had never won six races in a single Cup Series season prior to 2018. Now he’s got that mark with nearly half the campaign still to go, including the playoffs. Perhaps most importantly when it comes to the postseason, Harvick took the lead in playoff points which previously belonged to Kyle Busch.
Early on, it appeared the Big 3 may not be fighting it out for this particular win. Fans erupted when Chase Elliott took the lead under green in Stage 2 and won his first stage of the season. Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Aric Alimrola also shined in the final stage, but gave up the lead in the pits and was never in position to get it back.
Naturally, the post-race interviews turned quickly to whether the contact between the two top drivers could stir something up down the road. Both indicated they would not be surprised if it did.
“You do, but you worry about that stuff later,” Harvick said to the NBC Sports crew after claiming the checkered flag.
“How you race is how you get raced,” Kyle Busch said when asked if the contact was necessary for the 4 to win. “So it’s fine.”
Truex eventually ended up fourth after getting passed by Almirola, but that didn’t change the fact that once again, the Big 3 were up front when it mattered most. Until something happens to shake up the status quo, it’s likely to remain in place deep into the playoffs and maybe even all the way to Homestead.
Next: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 highlights, stage results
2018 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 finishing order from New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Kevin Harvick
- Kyle Busch
- Aric Almirola
- Martin Truex Jr. (Stage 1 winner)
- Chase Elliott (Stage 2 winner)
- Ryan Newman
- Ryan Blaney
- Kurt Busch
- Joey Logano
- Jimmie Johnson
- Alex Bowman
- Kyle Larson
- Denny Hamlin
- William Byron
- Matt Kenseth
- Erik Jones
- Paul Menard
- Jamie McMurray
- Kasey Kahne
- Chris Buescher
- Austin Dillon
- Daniel Suarez
- Ty Dillon
- Bubba Wallace
- Ross Chastain
- Michael McDowell
- Corey LaJoie
- Matt DiBenedetto
- David Ragan
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Kyle Weatherman
- Brad Keselowski
- Blake Jones
- BJ McLeod
- Clint Bowyer
- AJ Allmendinger
- Landon Cassill