Denny Hamlin crosses the finish line at Kansas Speedway.
During the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, history was made. The Hendrick Motorsports driver narrowly defeated the RFK Racing competitor by just 0.001 seconds in a fiercely competitive final lap. This was the closest finish in NASCAR history and is unlikely to be matched again unless there is a tie.
However, the finish was not without controversy. Initially, it was believed that Chris Buescher had won the race and the No. 17 team began to celebrate. However, upon review, it was determined that Kyle Larson was actually the winner. RFK Racing protested the result, citing the poor condition of the finish line, which was not even straight. NASCAR resolved the confusion by revealing that the winner was determined using a special camera installed at the finish line.
During his podcast, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver expressed his opinion on the crooked line. He criticized the fact that the line was not painted straight and believed it was a poor representation of the sport. He compared it to a line drawn by a child and argued that it should have received more attention.
The JGR driver was in contention for the win in the race alongside his teammate during the final laps in Kansas. However, the race was extended due to a yellow flag, leading to a restart in overtime. Kyle Larson made a strategic move, taking the lower lane and squeezing Hamlin in the middle to challenge Buescher. This maneuver resulted in Hamlin finishing fifth.
Although the crooked finish line may have made the end of the race unusual, it doesn’t change the fact that this race will go down in history. The drama surrounding the finish line will likely fade as Larson’s victory becomes iconic, overshadowing the controversy.
