Who can get a big push.

“This will be a critical race for our team and a great opportunity to put one in the win column”, Dillon said. “It’s nice to be upset with second….” With the 2015 season coming nearer to a close, each race counts more than the last. “It just hurts to lose it like that”.

Points leader Grant Enfinger was 12th. The top five are rounded out by Regan Smith and Elliott Sadler.

A two-car crash stopped the race for about 20 minutes halfway through the 200-lap race. Poole’s vehicle veered off course onto the apron and then slid up the track into the path of Rhodes’ auto. Ryan Reed, who won the Crosley Brands 150, qualified 19th for the Xfinity Series event looking to sweep the weekend in Sparta. The 21-year-old driver led a race-high 81 laps in the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, working his way through the field as different pit strategies unfolded to stay in contention.

Ten cautions meant this one was an attrition battle, and plenty left Kentucky with bent fenders and egos; particularly Brian Scott, who had a strong race turn sour in the second half before piling into Cale Conley with 17 laps to go and causing Ryan Truex and Ross Chastain to wreck out of promising runs.

“First of all, I am disappointed for second, and that’s a good thing”, Dillon said. “Long day, but fun day overall”.

McClure completed 174 laps and finished 29th. Rosberg trails Hamilton by 41 points in the championship standings.