RELATED: Race results | Busch earns first Kansas win | Standings post-race
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Denny Hamlin said he was "going for it" when he got loose in Turn 4 on Lap 241. His fishtailing No. 11 Toyota then sent Brad Keselowski's No. 2 sideways as well, eventually creating a four-car pileup in Saturday night's GoBowling 400.
Also caught up in the late wreck at Kansas Speedway was Keselowski's Team Penske teammate Joey Logano in the No. 22 Ford. Kyle Larson's No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet was pinned against the outside wall.
The four cars raced out of a Lap 240 restart for a shot at leader Kyle Busch, on the heels of the night's fifth caution when Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s No. 17 spun.
Logano came into the wreck last and couldn't see what was happening in front of him through thick smoke. He didn't place any blame for the accident, saying, "It was just racing, it wasn't hard racing."
Logano added, "It just sucks to be coming out of the infield care center two weeks in a row. … We made some good changes on it and actually made it to where I thought it was a possible winning car," referencing a tangle he was involved in at Talladega Superspeedway.
Larson was dismayed about getting caught up in yet another wreck, especially with possibly his fastest car this season and best chance at getting that crucial win for a Chase bid.
Larson has finished on the lead lap of only five of the 2016 season's 11 races, with a wreck also ending his day at Fontana.
Keselowski is already essentially in the Chase with wins at Las Vegas and Talladega while Hamlin's post-season hopes look promising thanks to the season-opening Daytona 500 win.
The No. 2 Team Penske driver said the drive to win was what led to the wreck, saying Larson "did what he had to do" but opened the door to Hamlin by trying to block and protect his position.
"I'm disappointed, but I don't think there was anything malicious," Keselowski said. "We're just all racing for wins and that was everybody's shot to win the race."
Hamlin said he put the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team behind with two speeding penalties on pit road earlier in the race and was working hard to put a fast car up front.
"I was going in there three-wide. I wasn't letting off and the 42 (Larson) was just too close up there. It wasn't his fault by any means, but we were both trying to drive in there to clear each other and I just got loose.
"I've got to get better on pit lane to give us a chance and then I was just going for it there because I knew our car had some speed. I was on two tires and the guys in front of me were on none or two. I was just going for it. I've got the win and that's part of this format is going for it and that's what we did."
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