When the NASCAR Cup Series came to Kansas Speedway last spring, it put on a finish that no one would soon forget.
Kyle Busch went for a spin with seven laps to go, negating Chris Buescher’s lead and shaping up for a batch of pit stops before NASCAR overtime. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who ran second at the time of the yellow, won the race off pit road and selected the bottom lane for the restart, lining up next to Buescher. But Hamlin didn’t get a good restart, allowing Kyle Larson to split him on the inside entering Turn 1, leaving Buescher and the Hendrick Motorsports driver to duke it out for the win.
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Buescher led the white flag lap and held it through Turn 2, but Larson ran a higher groove that corner and had a run down the backstretch. Larson entered Turn 3 with clear momentum and Buescher slid up the track, evening the two out by the exit of Turn 4 and allowing Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. to enter the picture.
Darting toward the flag stand, Larson and Buescher slammed doors twice and crossed the start/finish line nearly even.
FOX Sports initially called Buescher the winner, leaving his RFK Racing team to celebrate. NASCAR officials immediately reviewed the footage, and before Buescher could start his burnout, Larson was declared the winner by 0.001 seconds — the closest finish in history.
Besides it becoming one of the most iconic finishes of all time, Larson’s defeat of Buescher also created massive ramifications for the rest of the 2024 season. Buescher failed to make the playoffs, meaning had the roles been reversed at Kansas, he would’ve qualified for the 16-driver fight for the championship and later advanced to the Round of 12 as he won at Watkins Glen International in September.
As the Cup Series returns to Kansas this weekend a year later, relive the historic finish from every angle.
Final lap and race recap
Larson reflects on historic victory
Buescher heartbroken after losing by 0.001 seconds
Crew chief Cliff Daniels breaks it down from his perspective
Larson’s spotter, Tyler Monn, analyzes the finish
Ride along with Larson, Buescher, Truex and Hamlin
How a photo finish is decided
Closest finishes in Cup Series history
Full race replay
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