Crashes, rain, slow progress at Bristol Motor Speedway
Harvick's streak of 10 consecutive top 10 finishes ends at Thunder Valley
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet and David Ragan, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota crash
NASCAR Media
BRISTOL, Tenn. - The Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes was delayed by rain – and two multi-car wrecks in the first 310 laps.
On Lap 278, Kurt Busch’s car slid up into the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy on Lap 278 in Turn 4.
“The front was just plowing, big time,” Busch said over the radio. “I don’t know what happened. The rear jumped sideways”
Busch, who was running third at the time, was able to save his car but Jimmie Johnson’s car slapped the wall. While he claimed not to have any damage, Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus replied, “You knocked the quarter-panel off of it almost.”
Johnson came to the pits for repairs. Busch, who dropped to 15th, elected to pit for fresh tires. He restarted 15th.
Busch’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Danica Patrick sustained rear end damage when she was plowed from behind by Chris Buescher. She restarted 10th.
Harvick taken out
Nineteen laps later, points leader Kevin Harvick was collected in a multi-car wreck after Johnson tagged the back of the No. 26 Toyota driven by Jeb Burton. As Burton’s car turned, David Ragan and Harvick ran into the carnage.
“I’m sorry guys, I just couldn’t stop,” said Harvick, who was forced to take his car behind the wall. Harvick led 184 laps prior to the wreck. He enjoyed a streak of 10 top 10 finishes entering the weekend.
“Sometimes when you race back with the squirrels, you find the nuts,” said Ragan, who started 11th.
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