Chris Buescher secures NASCAR playoff spot with Richmond win

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Chris Buescher pulled away on a restart with three laps to go to win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday and snag one of the final spots in NASCAR's playoff field.

Buescher led 88 laps and was ahead by nearly six seconds when a caution came out with under 10 laps to go. That erased his lead over Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who was booed by his hometown crowd in pre-race.

But Hamlin got a poor final restart and Buescher easily pulled away for his first Cup Series win of the season, third of his career.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Chris Buescher raises the Cook Out 400 Trophy in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 30, 2023, in Richmond, Va.  (AP Photo/Skip Rowland)

"I knew that last restart was going to be tough, but I knew we had the speed in this thing," Buescher said.

He and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski led a combined 190 of the 400 laps in their Fords. Keselowski, now a part owner of the team, led 102 laps on the 0.75-mile oval.

Buescher started 26th and had to drive the field for the win that locked him into the 16-driver playoff field with four races remaining in the regular season. Buescher became the 13th race winner this year and there are three playoff spots up for grabs over the next month.

It was the 139th Cup win for primary team owner Jack Roush, second since Keselowski joined the ownership group.

Ford now has 723rd wins in NASCAR's top Cup Series.

"Everybody at RFK Racing who has worked so hard to get us to this point," said Buescher.

Chris Buescher waves the checkered flag in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 30, 2023,