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Kurt Busch started fifth in the Dixie Vodka 500 at Homestead Sunday and had a fairly consistent run in the first two stages of the NASCAR race, racing his way into the top 10 and top five.
That all changed, however, when Kurt Busch started to feel a vibration in his car with 60 laps to go.
Near the end of the race, the vibration, which was due to a loose left-front wheel, only worsened, forcing Kurt Busch to pit under green while running fourth with 37 laps remaining.
As a result, Kurt Busch lost a lap and key positions in the running order. But with fresher tires he found his way back into the top 10, however, and finished eighth.
"I’m not going to second guess having to pit," Kurt Busch said after the race. "We had a vibration and a loose wheel and we had to pit. We unlapped ourselves and drove all the way back to eighth. It just took our chance of winning away or being up front for a final restart."
Kurt Busch pleased with late recovery
The 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion had positives to take from the race but mentioned the need to find short-run speed, especially during the night time when the tracks tend to be faster.
“But what a really good long-run speed car, the Monster Energy Chevy was really fast with the sun out and on long runs, so that’s good. We just need to find our short-run speed and when the track picks up pace at night," Kurt Busch said.
This is the second top-10 finish for Kurt Busch this season and it gives him a two-spot jump (from eighth to sixth) in the points standings with 104 points.
Denny Hamlin currently leads the standings with 139 points. He finished 11th at Homestead.
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Who won the NASCAR race at Homestead?
William Byron won the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to become the third new winner in as many races this season.
Driving the iconic No. 24 for Hendrick Motorsports, Byron registered his second NASCAR Cup Series race win, and first with the new crew chief Rudy Fugle.
Watch: NASCAR tire carrier avoids injury during pit-stop scare
The NASCAR driver won Stage 2 in a last-lap shootout and carried on the confidence and form into Stage 3 to take the checkered flag.
Tyler Reddick finished second, followed by Martin Truex Jr. in third. Kyle Larson finished fourth, and Kevin Harvick rounded off the top five.
The NASCAR season now moves to yet another 1.5-mile track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 on March 8 at 3.30 p.m. EST.
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