NSCS: Matt Kenseth wins at the Monster Mile

Matt Kenseth celebrates in Victory Lane with wife Katie and daughters Kaylin and Grace.
Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR
A late caution and two-tire call by crew chief Jimmy Fennig won Matt Kenseth the FexEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks. It appeared Miles the Monster had his appetite fulfilled Saturday during the Nationwide race; other than a few small cautions, the Monster played nice.

The race belonged to Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards, who together led 14 times for 324 combined laps all to lose the race because of taking four tires on the final caution.

Race highlights:
  • Lap 1 - Brian Vickers bounces off of the inside wall - no caution
  • Lap 14 - Joey Logano spins on the backstretch to bring out the first caution
  • Lap 42 - Competition caution due to yesterday's rain - check tire wear
  • Lap 164 - Caution - light rain  restarted at lap 169
  • Lap 218 - Debris in turn 3
  • Lap 333 - Kasey Kahne loses power 
  • Lap 363 - Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42) spins in turn 4 and this creates the opening for the two-tire strategy costing then-leaders Johnson, Edwards and Bowyer the race. 
On the restart after the final caution, Mark Martin led the field to the green after the decision not to pit. Matt Kenseth took the lead at Lap 369 and led the final 32 laps. Martin held on with old tires to finish second.
The lasting image from Victory Lane.
Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Race Results:
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Mark Martin
3. Marcos Ambrose
4. Kyle Busch
5. Brian Vickers
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Carl Edwards
8. Martin Truex Jr. 
9. Jimmie Johnson
10. Kevin Harvick
11. Jeff Burton
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13. Brad Keselowski
14. Kurt Busch
15. David Reutimann
16. Denny Hamlin
17. Jeff Gordon
18. Bobby Labonte
19. Greg Biffle
20. Jamie McMurray
21. Ryan Newman
22. David Gilliland
23. Casey Mears
24. Paul Menard
25. Mike Bliss
26. Dave Blaney
27. Joey Logano
28. David Ragan
29. Tony Stewart
30. Landon Cassill
31. Travis Kvapil
32. Juan Pablo Montoya
33. Andy Lally
34. Regan Smith
35. Tony Raines
36. Kasey Kahne
37. AJ Allmendinger
38. Scott Wimmer
39. Joe Nemechek
40. J.J. Yeley
41. Mike Skinner
42. David Stremme
43. Michael McDowell
NSCS: Matt Kenseth wins at the Monster Mile NSCS: Matt Kenseth wins at the Monster Mile Reviewed by Unknown on Sunday, May 15, 2011 Rating: 5