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SPORTS Monday 8 May 2017

Stenhouse scores 1st career

Cup victory with last-lap pass

JENNA FRYER win,” she said. “I’m just so, because Landon Cassill
AP Auto Racing Writer so proud of him. He works couldn’t get his disabled
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — his butt off. He works harder car off the track, and that
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. used a than any driver I know. He allowed Earnhardt to get
strong Ford engine to blow works tirelessly.” back on the lead lap. He
past Kyle Busch in overtime Stenhouse started from was 23rd with seven laps
at Talladega Superspeed- the pole and praised the to go when the race re-
way on Sunday for his first power from his Doug Yates- sumed.
NASCAR Cup victory. built engine for the speed. But no one had enough to
It was the first victory for Then he used that speed to catch leader Busch as the
Roush Fenway Racing since snatch the race away with field was setting itself up for
Carl Edwards at Sonoma a last-lap pass of Busch. a frantic dash to the finish.
in 2014. Stenhouse, who The first two stages of the Then Ryan Newman spun
has led a resurgent Roush race were calm, and it with three laps remaining
team, won in his 158th Cup was the final stretch to the to send the race into over-
start. The victory makes him checkered flag that got time.
eligible for the All-Star race heated. Busch was listed as the
later this month, and likely The race was stopped for leader, followed by Sten-
a slot in NASCAR’s playoffs. nearly 27 minutes because house, Jimmie Johnson,
He was greeted in vic- of an accident that saw AJ Kasey Kahne and Jamie
tory lane first by car owner Allmendinger’s car flipped McMurray. Stenhouse got Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17) celebrates after winning the Camp-
Jack Roush, then girlfriend on its roof with 19 laps re- a push from McMurray ing World 500 auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday,
Danica Patrick, who was in maining. around Busch and made it May 7, 2017, in Talladega, Ala.
street clothes because she The damage was just as stick for the win. Associated Press
wrecked out of the race bad for Chase Elliott, who “I don’t really know where
earlier. got turned by Allmending- it all happened or trans- rounded out the top 10. McMurray.
“We’ve been terrible for a er into the wall. Elliott was pired or how many to go it Stenhouse started from the UP NEXT:
long time, but we’ve been then hit by Joey Logano, was, but (Stenhouse) got a pole and led 13 laps — the A Saturday night stop at
getting better and bet- and that contact caused run from behind off of Turn first time he’d led laps all Kansas Speedway. Kyle
ter every race,” said Sten- Elliott’s car to lift onto Lo- 2, and I don’t know what season. Busch earned the victory
house, who took time to gano’s hood. his help was or anything like STAGE 2 WINNER: last year — his third of the
note he “parked it” in vic- Much of the delay in racing that, but he actually ran Denny Hamlin gave Toyota season — during a streak
tory lane for his late friend, was so workers could turn into the back of me, and its first taste of the front of in which Joe Gibbs Racing
Bryan Clauson. Allmendinger’s car back then you’d think that that the field as he won the sec- won eight of the first 13 rac-
“It’s good to have Jack on to its wheels so Allmend- momentum would propel ond stage. It was Hamlin’s es of the season. Through
Roush back in victory lane. inger could exit. me forward some, and he first stage win of the sea- 10 races this year, only
It’s been a long time since NASCAR listed 18 cars as just turned left and he went son. Truex of sister team Furni-
I’ve pulled into a victory sustaining damage in the right by me,” Busch said. “ He was followed by Kev- ture Row Racing has a vic-
lane. I had to ask Brad Kes- accident. That was pretty impressive, I in Harvick, Blaney, Truex, tory in the Gibbs’ column.
elowski how to start a race When the red flag was guess, or I was just that slow Johnson, Kyle Larson, Kurt Truex won at Las Vegas in
from the pole because it’s lifted, many of those cars and in his way.” Busch, Kahne, Jones and March.q
been so long.” darted to pit road for fran- McMurray finished second
Patrick had been pack- tic repairs under NASCAR’s in a Chevrolet and was fol-
ing in the couples’ mo- new five-minute rule. If a lowed by Busch in a Toyota,
torhome, watching the team can’t fix its damage then Aric Almirola, another
race on television. She on pit road in five minutes, Ford driver and winner of
soon found herself sitting the car is ruled out of the the Xfinity Series race Sat-
on the floor, cheering wild- race. urday.
ly over the final laps. When The race restarted with 15 STAGE 1 WINNER:
she reached his car, she laps remaining and Busch Keselowski won the first
leaned in for an admitted as the leader. Any shot stage in what seemed to
“big ‘ol kiss.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. had at be a Ford rout. He beat fel-
“While I never want to winning evaporated mo- low Ford driver Stenhouse
crash out of a race ever, ments later when he was to win the segment.
at least I was there for the forced to pit with a loose Busch, Martin Truex Jr.,
moment when he pulled in wheel. Trevor Bayne, Joey Loga-
and that’s the bright side. There was a caution called no, Paul Menard, Patrick,
And I got to watch him with 10 laps remaining Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones