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Matt Kenseth waits out rain, opens Chase with Chicagoland win

JOLIET, Ill., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Matt Kenseth overcame lengthy rain delays to claim a victory at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, kicking off the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Kenseth collected his series-leading sixth win of the season after taking the lead with 23 laps left and outpacing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch down the stretch for a 0.75-second margin of victory.

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The race was delayed twice by rain -- once for nearly 90 minutes at the start, and again for more than 5 hours after 109 laps.

Busch, who won the truck event Friday as well as Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland, settled for second place, followed by Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson.

Kenseth used the result to forge an eight-point lead over Kyle Busch, while Johnson ended the night 11 points back.

Falling well off the pace were Dale Earnhardt Jr. (53 points behind) and Joey Logano (52 back), both of whom blew an engine in the race.

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