Following a spectacular NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race victory just one week ago, Kurt Busch picked up his second points win of the season and three post-race contingency honors in Sunday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Busch, who capitalized on a strong final pit stop, chased down the leaders in the final laps to give team owner Roger Penske the coveted Memorial Day weekend victory.
Crossing the finish line just .737 seconds ahead of Jamie McMurray, Busch earned his 22nd career victory and picked up three post-race awards from NASCAR contingency partners MAHLE Clevite, Mobil 1 and Sunoco.
The awards are part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provide teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.
Qualifying second and finishing in the top position, efforts by Busch behind-the-wheel and Penske Racing wrench-turners back at the shop earned the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team the MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race Award, given weekly based on outstanding qualifying and finishing performances.
Busch also captured the Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race and Sunoco Diamond Performance awards, both of which are presented weekly to the highest finishing eligible driver.
“This has been a dream come true, to be able to wrap up this special weekend, to put a bow on it with this Coca-Cola 600 win,” said Busch after turning his signature victory lap in reverse on the 1.5-mile oval. “It’s a prestigious race, a tough race, and most of all it’s a team race. Great pit stops, great calls by Steve Addington, Dave Winston, my guys.”
Busch is the seventh driver to sweep both back-to-back races at Charlotte Motor Speedway during May Speedweeks. With the Coca-Cola 600 victory, Busch climbed from ninth to sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings heading into this Sunday’s Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Presented by Target at Pocono Raceway.
Official winners of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:
· COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Ryan Newman (187.546 mph. 28.793 secs.)
· DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD: Tony Gibson (crew chief for Ryan Newman)
· GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD: Ryan Newman (180.331 mph, Lap 2)
· MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD: Kurt Busch
· MOBIL 1 “COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE RACE” AWARD: Kurt Busch
· MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Kevin Manion (crew chief for Jamie McMurray)
· O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD: Elliott Sadler (18 places)
· RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Kevin Conway
· SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE AWARD: Kurt Busch
· TISSOT “PIT ROAD PRECISION” AWARD: Jeff Gordon (350.435 sec.)
· WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD: Kyle Busch (36 laps)
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