Playing it safe, Blaney and several other lead-lap cars waited to make their final pit stop well within their fuel window while Almirola and Chase Elliott were among that pit earlier hoping for one or more late-race cautions.
Instead, the race ended with an unusual 168-lap green flag run and Blaney – on fresher tires – ran down Almirola with 22 of 500 laps to go, going to his outside and cleared him for the lead off Turn 4.
