LAS VEGAS (AP Mar 10, 2013 Mar 10, 2013) — Matt Kenseth won on his 41st birthday for his new Joe Gibbs Racing team, barely holding off Kasey Kahne for his third victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Kenseth earned his 25th career victory in just his third start in the JGR Toyota after leaving Roush Fenway in the offseason. He took the lead away from Kahne out of a late restart and fended off Kahne’s Chevrolet over the final laps, adding another trophy to his Las Vegas victories in 2003 and 2004.
Pole sitter Brad Keselowski finished third, with hometown driver Kyle Busch in fourth and Carl Edwards fifth.
Kenseth is just the third NASCAR driver to win on his birthday, joining Cale Yarborough – who did it twice – and Busch.
Race results:
1. (18) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 267
2. (4) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 267
3. (1) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267
4. (13) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267
5. (16) Carl Edwards, Ford, 267
6. (3) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 267
7. (12) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267
8. (11) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 267
9. (8) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 267
10. (17) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 267
11. (9) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 267
12. (21) Joey Logano, Ford, 267
13. (23) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 267
14. (15) Mark Martin, Toyota, 267
15. (6) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 267
16. (22) Aric Almirola, Ford, 267
17. (5) Greg Biffle, Ford, 267
18. (7) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 267
19. (25) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 267
20. (24) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 266
21. (27) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 266
22. (19) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 266
23. (36) Trevor Bayne(i), Ford, 266
24. (33) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 266
25. (10) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 266
26. (20) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 266
27. (2) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 265
28. (31) David Gilliland, Ford, 265
29. (30) Casey Mears, Ford, 265
30. (26) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 263
31. (29) David Ragan, Ford, 263
32. (38) David Stremme, Toyota, 261
33. (37) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 261
34. (32) David Reutimann, Toyota, 261
35. (43) Josh Wise(i), Ford, 260
36. (35) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 259
37. (34) Ken Schrader, Ford, 258
38. (14) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Engine, 234
39. (28) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, Engine, 217
40. (42) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, 216
41. (40) Scott Speed, Ford, Transmission, 143
42. (41) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Vibration, 66
43. (39) Michael McDowell, Ford, Vibration, 21
Top 12 in Points:
J. Johnson – 129;
Brad Keselowski – 124;
D. Earnhardt Jr. – 119;
D. Hamlin – 102;
C. Edwards – 98;
M. Martin – 95;
M. Kenseth – 93;
G. Biffle – 93;
C. Bowyer – 89;
A. Almirola – 88;
R. Stenhouse Jr. # –
87; P. Menard – 82.
