Matt Kenseth avoids 18-car wreck to win at Dover

Omnisports

May 15, 2016 3:10 AM

Matt Kenseth held off a furious late charge from Kyle Larson to win at Dover in a race that will be remembered for a huge crash.

___5035627___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___5035627___2016___5___16___4___dover-crash_xccm6ch4lz541231kozkuh6ve

A Talladega race broke out at Dover's Monster Mile Sunday and Matt Kenseth emerged as the last man standing.

Kenseth picked up his first win of the season in the AAA 400 Drive for Autism, but this race will be remembered for the "Big One" and other carnage.

The event that defined the race came on a restart with 57 laps to go. Jimmie Johnson, who lined up second on the restart, had the shifter fail in his Chevrolet.

The rest of the field piled up against Johnson and the cars behind him in a wild crash, prompting the race to be red-flagged in order to clean up the wreckage.

In the end, 18 cars were involved, including some of the strongest drivers in the field — Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson.

"I want to get out and punch somebody," a frustrated Truex Jr. said over his in-car radio.

Johnson said his shifter locked up on the restart.

"As soon as I went from second [gear] to try to go third gear… it stopped before it even got to third … it wouldn't go into gear," Johnson told Fox Sports after the crash.

The high jinks were not over. As Carl Edwards battled race leader Matt Kenseth on the restart, Edwards and Kyle Larson got together, sending Edwards' car so hard into the inside wall it got off the ground.

Then Kenseth, Larson and Chase Elliott took the restart from that accident with 35 to go and raced furiously to the finish.

In the final few laps, Kenseth held off a furious charge from Larson — who was seeking his first career Sprint Cup victory — to hold on for the victory.

Kenseth now has 37 Sprint Cup wins, including three victories at Dover.

Omnisports

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!