Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch knocked out in big wreck at New Hampshire

Championship contenders Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch were among those caught up in a multi-car crash during the end of the second stage of the Monster Energy Cup Series playoff race Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Harvick was tagged in the rear bumper by Austin Dillon off Turn 1 on the last lap of Stage 2, causing Harvick to spin in a cloud of smoke down the backstretch. Amid the smoke, Busch couldn’t see Harvick’s prone car that was stopped on the track and slammed into the right side of Harvick’s car.

Harvick and Busch, teammates at Stewart-Haas Racing, each sustained considerable damage forcing them to retire from the ISM Connect 300, the second race out of three in the first playoff round.

“We were just trying to limp it to the end of Stage 2 and I heard, ‘Car spinning off of two’ in my ear,” Busch said. “A lot of times they’ll come back up, and I tried to leave the high side or the low side and then, boom, as soon as the smoke cleared I’m looking at Harvick’s door.”

Truex was leading at the time of the incident but ended up spinning as the track was blocked, with the right-rear of his car receiving damage following contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Truex, who led a 109 laps before the accident, was able to continue after repairs on pit road and rallied to finish fifth.

Busch, Harvick and Truex are among the 16 drivers competing in the Cup playoffs. The four drivers ranked lowest in points without a playoff round victory will be eliminated following next week’s race at Dover International Speedway.

Truex is assured of transferring to the second round after winning the playoff opener last week at Chicagoland Speedway. And Harvick is up 25 points and in good position to advance, while Busch leaves New Hampshire 15th in the standings and likely needs to win at Dover to avoid elimination.

“It’s all-in,” Busch said. “We’ll go there with everything we’ve got like we have been.”