NASCAR results at Bristol: Kyle Busch holds off brother at Food City 500, continues dominant start to season

Thomas Schlarp

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NASCAR results at Bristol: Kyle Busch holds off brother at Food City 500, continues dominant start to season image

Racing — It's a family thing.

Kyle Busch held off his brother Kurt in the final 10 laps to continue his hot start to the season with victory in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The win is Busch's third of the year as he becomes the first driver in 27 years to finish in the top 10 of eight straight races.

In a day filled with 11 cautions Kyle Busch's day could not have gotten off to a worse start. A wreck on lap 1 crushed his rear bumper and took him until midway through the final stage to gain back lost ground and take the lead for the first time.

His win at Bristol is the eighth of his career and third victory in his last four races on the track. Kyle and Kurt have a combined 14 wins on the track. The brothers have finished 1-2 only one other time in their careers — in 2015 at Sonoma.

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Pole sitter Chase Elliot had a less than ideal day, struggling with power steering after the wreck on lap 1. On a short track where close maneuvers and a tight grip on the wheel are a must, Elliot complained of tired arms for much of the race and talks of using a replacement driver were even discussed. Elliot finished 11th.

Following Ty Dillon's first career stage victory in Stage 1, Team Penske dominated the second stage with Joey Logano leading 106 of the laps ahead of teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney.

Despite not getting the overall victory, it was a strong day from Penske cars as they led 345 of the 500 laps. For the fourth time in his career, Blaney led the most laps but failed to win.

Sporting News tracked lap-by-lap updates and highlights from the Food City 500. Check out the finish and updates below.

Food City 500: 2019 winner, top 20 order of finish

Finish Driver Team (Car No.) Laps led
1. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing (18) 71
2. Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing (1)
3. Joey Logano Team Penske (22) 146
4. Ryan Blaney Team Penske (12) 158
5. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing (11) 7
6. Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing (21)
7. Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing (14) 24
8. Daniel Suarez Stewart-Haas (41)
9. Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing (6)
10. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports (48)
11. Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports (9) 39
12. Matt DiBenedetto Leavine Family Racing (95)
13. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas (4)
14. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing (3)
15. Ty Dillon Germain Racing (13) 6
16. William Byron Hendrick Motorsports (24)
17. Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing (19)
18. Brad Keselowski Team Penske (2) 40
19. Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing (42)
20. Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports (43)

NASCAR at Las Vegas: Live updates, highlights from Food City 500

Caution flags : 11

Lead changes :  21

Lap leaders :   Kyle Busch (71) , Ryan Blaney (158), Joey Logano (146), Brad Keselowski (40), Chase Elliot (39), Clint Bowyer (24), Erik Jones (10), Denny Hamlin (7), Ty Dillon (6)

( All times Eastern. )

5:01 p.m.:  Kyle Busch holds off his brother for victory. It's his third win of the season.

4:56 p.m.:  The Busch brothers opted not to get fresh tires, while most other drivers did. It's nip-tuck in these final 10 laps.

4:49 p.m.:  25 to go. It's Logano, Keselowski, Kyle Busch. One more caution comes out as Kyle Larson goes into the wall.

4:43 p.m.:  Keselowski grabs the lead fro Kyle Busch with 47 laps to go.

4:35 p.m.:  Logano nudges Clint Bowyer, denting Bowyer's fender. The fender cuts into his tire and sends Bowyer into the wall. Another yellow.

4:31 p.m.:  Denny Hamlin appeared to win the race off pit road but was caught speeding. Hamlin drops back to 15th.

4:26 p.m.:  Kyle Larson and William Byron's day just got even worse as they both wreck each other and draw another caution. Clint Bowyer to the front.

4:17 p.m.:  Kyle Busch takes the lead. From a smashed rear bumper in lap 1 to first place in lap 385, quite a day.

4:13 p.m.:  Yellow flags galore as another caution is issued for debris on the track. Clint Bowyer takes the lead with 120 laps to go!

4:04 p.m.:  We've got side-by-side racing as Logano and Blaney trade spots for first and second.

3:51 p.m.:  200 laps to go and Ryan Blaney is still in control.

3:45 p.m.:  Daniel Suarez picks up another penalty, caught pitting outside of the box.

3:40 p.m.:  Another yellow flag as Bubba Wallace Jr. loses his rear bumper. Rear bumpers appear to be optional today with the amount that have been damaged.

3:36 p.m.:  Jimmy Johnson and Daniel Suarez were both too fast on pit road and have been sent to the rear.

3:26 p.m.:  Joey Logano wins Stage 2 by a full two seconds. Blaney is second, followed by Ryan Newman.

3:17 p.m.:  Matt Tifft goes into the wall, and we have another yellow flag.

3:10 p.m.:  Ricky Stenhouse's day if now officially over.

3:04 p.m.:  Due to continued power steering issues, Elliot says it feels like his arms may fall off. There are talks of brining in a replacement driver by the end of the race.

2:58 p.m.:  Joey Logano passes his teammate Brad Keselowski for his first lead of the day. Ricky Stenhouse has taken his car behind the wall to have some more extensive work done.

2:48 p.m.:  Wow, it literally can't be any closer as Ty Dillon beats out Clint Bowyer by a nose to win Stage 1. It's his first ever stage victory.

2:41 p.m.:  Ross Chastain makes contact with Daniel Hemric, sending Hemric spinning into the wall with seven laps left in the first stage.

2:37 p.m.:  Kyle Busch is back in the top 10 despite the early wreck.

2:34 p.m.:  Denny Hamlin is the only racer to not get new tires yet. Could be at risk of going a lap down if he can't make it these final 40 laps of stage 1.

2:28 p.m.:  Erik Jones surrenders the lead in lap 69 as he heads to pit road with a loose tire. Ryan Blaney takes the lead.

2:23 p.m.:  Chase Elliot is back on the track, but he's having trouble with his power steering. Could be a long day on a short track.

2:16 pm.:  Another caution as leader Chase Elliot is hit in the back and spins out. Second caution in the first 40 laps.

2:09 p.m.:  Green flag is out again, but Aric Almirola's day if over after leaving pit road to have work done on his car.

2:02 p.m.:  What a start... a wreck on lap 1 and a caution. Kyle Busch's rear looks pretty damaged.

2:00 p.m.:  Kevin Harvick failed pre-race inspection and will be sent to the rear for the start.

1:57 p.m.:  Engines have started. Hopefully the rain holds off.

Thomas Schlarp