FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Kevin Harvick went around the outside of Martin Truex for the lead on the 324th of 334 laps, then stayed in front the rest of the way to win the Cup Series race at Texas on Sunday and earn his championship shot in NASCAR’s finale.
Truex had led 107 laps and was still up front until his bobble on the backstretch that allowed Harvick to take the lead. But Truex, the points leader, also locked into one of the four championship-contending spots in Homestead two weeks from now.
Harvick and Kyle Busch clinched championship shots with their wins during the third round of the playoffs. That leaves only one spot up for grabs at Phoenix next week.
It was the first Cup win for Harvick at Texas, where he had won five Xfinity Series races and once in a NASCAR Truck race.