Kenseth pulls away late, wins race at New Hampshire

LOUDON, N.H. - Matt Kenseth was always near the front of the pack. He stalked the leaders and waited for contenders to wilt.

Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. faded down the stretch. So did Denny Hamlin.

It almost seemed like a repeat scenario for Kenseth.

Just like last fall on the same track when Kevin Harvick's lead evaporated when he ran out of fuel, Kenseth pounced. He pulled away down the stretch to win the Sprint Cup race Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Truex and Busch each led more than 120 laps before faltering over the final 75 laps, paving the way for Kenseth to win for the second time this season.

NASCAR said Kenseth's No. 20 Toyota failed the post-race laser inspection system and will be brought to the research and development center in Concord, N.C., for more evaluation. The penalty for that kind of failure has traditionally been a 15-point penalty. But this was the first time a race winner was busted since the lasers were instituted in 2013.

Tony Stewart finished second and strengthened his spot inside the top 30 in the points standings. Stewart has a win this season and needs to secure a spot in the top 30 in points to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He entered the race in 30th in his final Cup season.

Joey Logano was third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle.

Alex Bowman had a solid day ruined when he hit the wall late and finished 26th driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt was sidelined because he suffered from symptoms of a concussion.

"A lot of attrition there got us in the top five," Biffle said. "We've got just a little bit of work to do to get our cars faster."

Truex tumbled to 16th when his Toyota suffered a broken shifter and Busch dropped to eighth.

That allowed Kenseth, Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, to cruise to the top and snatch the lead with fellow JGR teammate Denny Hamlin with 30 laps and he drove away on the final restart with 11 to go in the 301-mile race.

But this race could be the one remembered for truly solidifying Stewart in Chase contention. He snapped an 84-race losing streak last month at Sonoma and was fifth last week at Kentucky Speedway. Smoke is heating up this summer and could be racing for a fourth championship in his final NASCAR season.

"Everyone wants this last year to be good," Stewart said. "Sonoma, I think really helped relax everybody."

Kenseth became the first driver since Kurt Busch in 2004 to win consecutive starts at New Hampshire. He didn't win in his first 27 Cup starts at the track but has three wins in his last three races at the 1.058-mile track.

"It used to be one of my worst places and now I feel like it's one of our better places," he said.

Bowman enjoyed perhaps the final race of his Sprint Cup career, running inside the top 10 and seemingly in position for his best finish in 72 starts.

But Bowman's run in the No. 88 Chevrolet ended with a thud when a tire issue slammed his car into the wall and he finished 26th in his first Cup race of the season.

With four-time champion Jeff Gordon set to take the wheel next week if Earnhardt isn't cleared, Bowman is out of options for the rest of the year.

"The result will not show what a great job AlexBRacing and the nationwide88 gang did this weekend. Proud of them guys," Earnhardt tweeted.