A major crash at the front of the pack slowed the final stage of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford broke loose from the lead with Ross Chastain, who radioed his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team that he did not make contact with the front-running car. Multiple cars stacked up behind those two, including William Byron, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Josh Berry and others. In total, 12 cars were collected in the melee.
Harvick had just taken the lead on Lap 189 of a scheduled 260 in Sunday’s Ambetter 400. He drove back to pit road but took his Stewart-Haas Racing entry to the garage, ending his day with a result outside the top 30.
Byron was attempting to win his third consecutive Cup race after previous victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. He was unable to continue, as were Buescher, Harrison Burton and BJ McLeod.
“It’s just part of racing. That‘s the way it goes, not really in our control,” Byron said after he was evaluated and released from the infield care center. “We were up there running in the top five and doing what we needed to do.”
This story will be updated.