Closest finish in NASCAR history encapsulates a lot of emotion

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Closest finish in NASCAR history encapsulates thrill of victory and agony of defeat

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated 5/5/24

Auto racing has always been inherently different from other sports in terms of how you win.

In stick and ball sports, the objective is simple - score more points than your opposition. In NASCAR, you can score more championship points than anyone else in the field, yet still lose the race. You can have a seemingly insurmountable lead on the final lap and lose. Anything from a blown motor, to a tire failure, to a seagull hitting your car can derail your chance at victory.

Yet, when everything comes together, you can have two drivers going for a win in the most prestigious stock-car racing organization in the world and have mere inches decide a race that took place over the course of three hours.

As Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson barreled towards the start-finish line on Sunday night, NASCAR fans had visions of Suarez, Busch and Blaney at Atlanta flash through their minds. They thought of Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch being wheel-to-wheel at Darlington in 2003. They thought of Harvick and Gordon coming to the line at Atlanta in 2001.

Get used to this replay. You'll be seeing it for a long time.@KevinHarvick, @ClintBowyer and @mikejoy500 break down the closest finish in NASCAR history. pic.twitter.com/nIBbNzrUZG
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 6, 2024

Auto racing always has the chance to be a boring event where one driver stinks up the show. As we saw at Kansas on Sunday night, it also has the chance to encapsulate the saying that was made famous by ABC's Wide World of Sports in the 1970s - the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.

Immediately after Buescher and Larson made racing history, everyone in the building thought Buescher had beaten one of NASCAR's best to punch his ticket to the postseason. Second later, however, the No. 17 team's dreams were crushed, as NASCAR amended their decision, calling Larson the winner.

As Larson did a celebratory burnout on the front stretch, Buescher and his team looked on from pit road, dejected just as quickly as they were jubilant.

This one will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/cBKKY5fEr5
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 6, 2024

If Sunday's race at Kansas doesn't convince you that NASCAR racing is exciting, nothing will.

Larson's victory is just another example of why millions of people tune in to NASCAR races every week and a reminder of why tens of thousands more pack the grandstands.

There's simply nothing like it.

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