NASCAR at Las Vegas results: Kurt Busch sneaks into next round with caution-aided win

Dan Bernstein

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NASCAR at Las Vegas results: Kurt Busch sneaks into next round with caution-aided win image

Kurt Busch used an unexpected stroke of luck Sunday at Las Vegas to claim the first race of NASCAR's playoff Round of 12.

Late in the final stage, the front of the pack was burned by a caution amid green-flag pit stops, with only Kurt Busch still out on the track among playoff contenders. He took advantage of being placed up a lap to win in his hometown for the first time in his career.

The victory gives Kurt Busch automatic advancement to the next round.

Emotions ran high during the South Point 400, as Joey Logano's role in preventing a Kyle Busch win last weekend caused controversy that leaked into Sunday's contest. Logano blocked Chase Elliott in Stage 1 and again butted cars with Kyle Busch.

Kyle Busch finished sixth, while Logano and Elliott failed to crack the top 10.

Sporting News tracked live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from Sunday's NASCAR race at Las Vegas. Follow below for complete results from the South Point 400.

South Point 400 finishing order among playoff drivers

Pos. Driver
1 Kurt Busch
3 Denny Hamlin
4 Martin Truex Jr.
5 Alex Bowman
6 Kyle Busch
10 Kevin Harvick
12 Clint Bowyer
13 Brad Keselowski
14 Joey Logano
17 Aric Almirola
22 Chase Elliott
32 Austin Dillon

Playoff picture after NASCAR at Las Vegas

Pos. Driver Distance from cut line
4 Brad Keselowski +16
5 Martin Truex Jr. +15
6 Joey Logano +11
7 Chase Elliott +10
8 Alex Bowman +9
CUT-OFF CUT-OFF CUT-OFF
9 Kyle Busch -9
10 Clint Bowyer -20
11 Aric Almirola -27
12 Austin Dillon -32

NASCAR at Las Vegas results, highlights from South Point 400

10:23 p.m.: KURT BUSCH WINS AT VEGAS.

10:18 p.m.: There's going to be overtime.

10:12 p.m.: Caution for Byron.

10:11 p.m.: Hamlin moves up to fifth place.

10:10 p.m.: Kurt Busch is worried one of his tires is giving out but wants to go for it with 10 laps left.

10:09 p.m.: Green flag with 12 laps remaining.

10:01 p.m.: Caution for a crash. Stenhouse involved. Logano will get the free pass on the restart.

9:57 p.m.: Back to green with 25 laps left.

9:49 p.m.: Caution during green-flag stops has flipped this race.

9:41 p.m.: With 40 laps to go, Hamlin is in first place with Bowman behind him by less than a second. Martin Truex Jr. is in third place.

9:37 p.m.: Things aren't looking great for Austin Dillon, the surprise performer of the prior playoff round.

9:32 p.m.: How about this for a dicey restart?

9:22 p.m.: Austin Dillon is dinged with an untimely penalty.

9:16 p.m.: Caution for debris.

9:10 p.m.: Bowman's lead was brief. Hamlin passes him.

9:06 p.m.: Alex Bowman is in the lead.

8:54 p.m.: Chase Elliott wins Stage 2.

8:50 p.m.: 10 more laps in Stage 2.

8:31 p.m.: Green-flag pit stops are starting.

8:27 p.m.: Elliott is back in first place.

8:25 p.m.: The unplanned pit stop really hurts Logano's position. He falls a lap behind.

8:19 p.m.: Logano is the biggest pest in the sport. This contact messes up Kyle Busch's crush panel and saps Busch's speed. Logano has to pit for a minor tire problem.

8:05 p.m.: Hamlin wins Stage 1. 

8:00 p.m.: Hamlin still leads with 10 laps remaining in Stage 1.

7:45 p.m.: We told you there would be drama.

7:42 p.m.: At that restart, Elliott appears to have been obstructed by Logano.

7:39 p.m.: Denny Hamlin now takes over first place.

7:37 p.m.: Kyle Busch moves in front after a competition caution.

7:21 p.m. Chase Elliott, who started third, has grabbed an early lead.

7:18 p.m.: Green flag!

7:08 p.m.: Engines are fired.

7:04 p.m.: Anthem is complete at Las Vegas.

NASCAR race start time today

The green flag for Sunday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas is scheduled to wave at 7:17 p.m. ET. For drivers, the later the start time the better considering the high in Las Vegas on Sunday will flirt with 100 degrees.

The 7 p.m. ET start time will make mid-race adjustments key for race teams, especially at a mile-and-a-half oval like Vegas. The track will be hot and slick at the beginning of the race and get cooler and faster as the night progresses.

NASCAR starting lineup at Las Vegas

Here is the complete starting lineup for Sunday night's NASCAR race at Las Vegas:

Pos. Driver Car No. Team
1 Kevin Harvick (P) 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
2 Kyle Busch (P) 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
3 Chase Elliott (P) 9 Hendrick Motorsports
4 Aric Almirola (P) 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
5 Joey Logano (P) 22 Team Penske
6 Clint Bowyer (P) 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
7 Austin Dillon (P) 3 Richard Childress Racing
8 Alex Bowman (P) 88 Hendrick Motorsports
9 Kurt Busch (P) 1 Chip Ganassi Racing
10 Denny Hamlin (P) 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
11 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
12 Brad Keselowski (P) 2 Team Penske
13 Erik Jones 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
14 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
15 Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
16 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Racing
17 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
18 Jimmie Johnson 48 Hendrick Motorsports
19 Matt DiBenedetto 21 Wood Brothers Racing
20 Matt Kenseth 42 Chip Ganassi Racing
21 Ryan Preece 37 JTG Daugherty Racing
22 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
23 Bubba Wallace 43 Richard Petty Motorsports
24 Ty Dillon 13 Germain Racing
25 John Hunter Nemechek 38 Front Row Motorsports
26 Christopher Bell 95 Leavine Family Racing
27 Ryan Newman 6 Roush Fenway Racing
28 William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
29 Daniel Suarez 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing
30 Gray Gaulding 27 Rick Ware Racing
31 Corey LaJoie 32 Go Fas Racing
32 Quin Houff 00 StarCom Racing
33 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
34 Joey Gase 51 Petty Ware Racing
35 Brennan Poole 15 Premium Motorsports
36 Timmy Hill 66 Motorsports Business Management
37 JJ Yeley 77 Spire Motorsports
38 Josh Bilicki 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing
39 Chad Finchum 49 Motorsports Business Management

Dan Bernstein