Whereas the Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe battled it out for a race win, one other automobile was charging quick within the closing laps.
After pitting for 4 fresh-tires, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. restarted thirteenth for the four-lap sprint to the checkered flag.Â
Stenhouse shortly made his means as much as sixth, however ended up boxed in behind the side-by-side battle of Shane van Gisbergen and Chase Elliott. Solely after a last-lap slip-up from them did he lastly handle to clear each vehicles, and at that time, he was out of time to chase down the main trio.
Even nonetheless, he crossed the road in fourth for his greatest end since inserting second within the season-opening Daytona 500. For Stenhouse, this was additionally his greatest end at a non-drafting monitor since inserting second at Dover over 4 years in the past.
One for the underdogs and honoring KB
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet; Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs
Whereas it was a shock to see the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet that near the entrance in a non-superspeedway race, that paint scheme was a really acquainted presence on the entrance of previous Nashville races.
In a deliberate tribute to the fallen NASCAR legend, Stenhouse’s NOS Power automobile ran a paint scheme similar to the one Kyle Busch utilized in a number of of his NASCAR O’Reilly wins up to now. For a second, it seemed like Rowdy’s NOS-powered No. 18 ripping via the pack on the finish of the race.
However this end can also be enormous for Hyak, one of many few single-car groups nonetheless competing full-time on the Cup stage. They do not have many workers or assets, and but, they have been the highest Chevrolet staff on Sunday night time. They beat out multi-car bowtie groups Hendrick, Spire, Trackhouse, RCR, and Kaulig in doing so.
“Mike Kelly (crew chief)Â and our guys within the warfare room made an ideal name to be on offense there with our 4 contemporary Goodyears,” mentioned Stenhouse after the race. “It was actually cool to get this Kyle Busch NOS Power Drink Chevrolet tribute automobile within the prime 5. You do not need to come right here with that scheme and run dangerous.
“Began the day without work slightly not the place we needed to be, fought again, received some stage factors, discovered ourselves within the prime 15. It was enjoyable to be on offense and be within the top-finishing Chevrolet. Actually good momentum for our staff from final week to this week at a monitor the place we struggled slightly bit …Â There’s 28 of our workers that have been most likely actually pumped up about this win, and it is good to proceed this momentum that we received.”
The highest 5 end moved Stenhouse up three positions within the factors, making him this week’s greatest mover within the championship standings.
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