HAMPTON, Ga. - Kurt Busch asked for a final favor from Atlanta Motor Speedway's old, battered track.
His wish came true on the aged asphalt's farewell race.
Busch passed younger brother Kyle with 24 laps left and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday to complete a sibling sweep of the weekend's competition at Atlanta.
It was the final race for the current track surface, which was installed in 1997 and is the oldest on the circuit. Construction on a repaving and reprofile project is expected to begin immediately.
"What a genuine, awesome, old-school race track," Kurt said. "I just asked the track today, 'For the last time on your old asphalt, can I have an old guy win?', and she answered."
The 42-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing driver raced to his first victory of the season, 33rd of his Cup Series career and fourth of his career at Atlanta. He locked up a spot in the playoffs and possibly improved his chances of securing a new ride next season.
"Hell, yeah, we beat Kyle!" he said of the 36-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver who has two Cup Series titles to his older brother's one and 59 victories on the top circuit alone.
Kyle regained the lead with 47 laps remaining, but he couldn't hold off his older brother on the 236th lap around the 1.54-mile oval. Kurt took advantage of lapped traffic, especially teammate Ross Chastain, to pass his brother. Chastain helped Kurt choose the lane needed to make the crucial pass.
"The 42 did his job as a teammate," Kurt said. "Ross is going to get a little flak for it, but that's what it takes to be a good teammate at the right moment. I couldn't be more proud of Ross Chastain."
Said Chastain, who finished 21st: "Kurt asked for the lane, and I gave it to him. ... One team, one goal, and that's to win."
Kyle pushed for the lead with eight laps remaining, but Kurt pulled away in the final laps to win by 1.237 seconds.
Kyle said his brother "was definitely better than us today. I thought I had him, and I did, but racing just didn't play out for us today."
Kyle won the Xfinity Series race Saturday, giving him five wins in his maximum five races this season on the second-tier circuit, where his 102 career victories are the record. Also the record holder with 61 wins on the third-tier Truck Series, he said he doesn't plan to return to the Xfinity Series next season.
Kurt's contract with Chip Ganassi Racing expires at the end of the year, and Ganassi recently sold the team to Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks.
"I don't know where I'm going, but I just love racing cars and I want to race that Next Gen car," Busch said, referring to NASCAR's planned new car for next season. "That's why I want to stick around."
JGR's Martin Truex Jr. finished third after starting at the back of the pack. Hendrick Motorsports' Alex Bowman was fourth, followed by Team Penske's Ryan Blaney.
Truex had been slated to start fifth but was pushed to to the rear of the pack after his Toyota failed two inspections before the race.
JGR's Denny Hamlin was fifth at the end of the second stage but was penalized for entering the pits too fast and had to move to the back of the pack for the restart. He finished 13th.
Georgia native Chase Elliott started in pole position but finished seventh. The reigning Cup Series champion who drives for Hendrick fell back after his brakes locked, causing him to miss his pit box on a competition caution on the 27th lap. He struggled to make up ground after that.
Elliott described the finish as "solid, just not great" as he remained winless in seven Cup Series starts at his home track.
Perhaps a new surface will yield better results.
Atlanta Motor Speedway president Brandon Hutchinson said the planned resurfacing was overdue. Proof of the poor condition of the old asphalt came as holes developed on the front straightaway and had to be repaired after the second stage. The race was delayed for 19 minutes under a red flag as a crew filled the gaps in the track with caulk.