Bank of America 500 Race Recap

As per his modus operandi “The Silent Assassin”, Matt Kenseth, drove his #17 Fluidmaster Roush Fenway Ford to Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway under the lights on Saturday in the Bank of America 500 on Saturday night, beating out Kyle Busch and teammate Carl Edwards to earn his

third victory of the 2011 Season. This win not only solidifies Kenseth’s feasible bid for the Cup, but shows potential and former sponsors like Crown Royal who pulled their sponsorship out this season, that his team is more than worthy. The victory, the twenty-first in his career and second Chase victory ever, shows the 2003 Cup Champion still has the chops to get the job done and could quite possibly become the 2011 Sprint Cup Champion.

Kyle Busch, starting from the rear of the field due to an engine change, muscled his #18 Joe Gibbs M&Ms Toyota to second while keeping Carl Edwards frustrated and third. Kyle was mildly encouraged with his finish, but desperately wanted and needed the win to be a factor in the Chase. He reasoned that more consistent finishes would possibly guarantee a Cup championship. Carl Edwards was hopping mad with Kyle Busch for the way the younger Busch raced him after the final restart when they were battling for second position. The two had words after the race with Busch claiming it was a racing deal that was beyond his control and Edwards grumping he had no choice but to acquiesce to that assessment, but Carl issued his own warning, “And I just let him know that next time that happens, I'll just stay where I'm at and he can drive across my hood and wreck himself.” With the Chase entering the second half, points at a premium, and a Cup on the line, the intensity is entering the fevered stage!

Kasey Kahne brought home another decent finish with fourth on Saturday night and Aussie Marcos Ambrose tied up fifth. Chaser Kevin Harvick picked up sixth, and A.J. Almendinger seventh. Eighth position belonged to Tony Stewart. Ninth was occupied by Chaser Denny Hamlin. Tenth was sewn up by Chaser Ryan Newman. Within the last twenty laps of the race five-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion had a terrifying accident that had all of NASCAR, its drivers, officials, and fans, thankful for the greater safety equipment and barriers that allowed Jimmie Johnson walk out of his car with seemingly no injuries. His bid for a sixth Cup, however, may very well be over.

Carl Edwards improved his points lead over Kevin Harvick to five after Saturday night’s race in Charlotte. These two drivers retained their positions. Matt Kenseth had a surge in points that bumped him two spots to occupy third and only seven points behind the leader. Kyle Busch leapt up four positions to fourth with an eighteen point deficit. Tony Stewart picked up two spots to enter fifth. Brad Keselowski tumbled two positions to sixth while his teammate Kurt Busch fell one spot to seventh. Jimmie Johnson’s terrible crash found him losing five positions to eight

and in a thirty-five point hole behind the leader Carl Edwards. Dale Earnhardt Jr. retained ninth position. Ryan Newman climbed one spot to take tenth. Jeff Gordon, struggling, fell one position to eleventh, and Denny Hamlin, despite his good finish, remains in twelfth.
The sixth race of ten of the 2011 Chase is next and will be run at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama for the running of the Good Sam Club 500. That race will be run on Sunday, October 23rd and will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 2pm EST. With the Chase entering its second half, the points finding Jimmie Johnson possibly out of contention, and the action intense every week, don’t miss a moment of the 2011 Season! Stay tuned for the Good Sam Club 500 Race Recap right here upon the conclusion of the race.