Kyle Busch does it again: This time, he wins Brickyard 400

Written By Ray Slover
(Getty Images)

Kyle Busch continued to amaze, winning Sunday's Brickyard 400 and sweeping the weekend's racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Busch outran Joey Logano on a two-lap shootout. It's Busch's fourth victory in five races after missing 11 because of injuries before the Daytona 500.

MORE: Sights from Indy | Caution: balloons on track | Jeff Gordon's final run | Cup season winners

"I can't believe what's going on," Busch said. "I know if we could just get out front we could just go. (Crew chief) Adam Stevens and these guys, they dialed it in again.

"It's really a treat to win here at Indy."

Kevin Harvick was dominant most of the day, but late shuffles during cautions saw him slip back to third place. Harvick's lead in the Sprint Cup standings was secure, however.

Martin Truex Jr. was fourth, followed by Denny Hamlin.

Busch won Saturday's Xfinity Series race with a charge on the final lap. Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing have staged a dramatic return after Busch broke a foot and a leg the day before the Daytona 500. The only question now is whether Busch can get into the Cup standings' top 30. Barring something out of the ordinary, that shouldn't be a problem with six races left before the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Busch, challenging all day, dashed past Harvick for the lead with eight laps remaining, with Logano on his tail. That looked like the final challenge until Trevor Bayne crashed to force the two-lap sprint.

Sunday brought an ignominious end to the Brickyard career of Jeff Gordon. A snarl in traffic led to Gordon smacking the wall, effectively ending his day as a competitor. Before he was done, Gordon did pass Bobby Labonte for the most NASCAR laps at Indy.

But instead of a happy day, Gordon's No. 24 finished No. 42. A five-time winner, there was no final celebration in victory lane. At one point, Gordon was listed as 43rd and last.

Gordon's crash produced only the second caution of the race. The first after more than 40 laps was to remove debris from the track. Balloons from the pre-race festivities floated down to create a potential hazard.

Carl Edwards and Logano spent the race's early stages fighting for the lead. But as drivers settled into their duties, it was Harvick who took control.

Harvick, the Sprint Cup standings leader, would lead 75 laps. Logano, his nearest rival, led 28. Harvick won the 2003 race and led on a restart with 14 laps to go.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., not a factor in the race, brought out a caution with 13 laps to go. Junior avoided serious damage after contact with teammate Kasey Kahne, with only his 88 car's rear end touching the wall. But Earnhardt's car went into the grass and made a mess for track crewmen to clear.

Weather was not a problem despite several instances of overcast that changed track temperatures. Spot showers in Indianapolis avoided the track, at least to the point of forcing race delays. But it was hot and humid — summer in Indiana … who knew? — making it uncomfortable for drivers in cars and causing occasional engine temperature concerns.

Next week's race is the Windows 10 400 at Pocono. Six races remain before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins.