When Kurt Busch lost a NASCAR race at Darlington by 0.002 seconds

Over two decades back, in 2003, Kurt Busch missed the Carolina Dodge Dealer's 400 race win by a slim margin of 0.002 seconds. It remains the closest-ever finish in NASCAR Cup Series history in 21 years.

The 293-lapper was hosted in front of 55,000 spectators on the Darlington grandstands. Elliott Sadler took pole and led for 12 laps, while Roush Racing's Kurt Busch started sixth, and race winner Ricky Craven began from P31.

Craven didn't lead any lap but the final one, but the ride to victory lane didn't come easy for the #32 Pontiac driver, as a fierce door-to-door battle ensued on the deciding lap.

He steered through turn 4 to move level with Busch's #97 Ford as the duo gunned toward the checkered flag. Neither driver had a win in 2003 until the historic Darlington race.

Craven and Busch door-slammed on the front straightway to etch their maiden victory of the season. However, with slightly more momentum, the Pontiac driver edged his Ford counterpart by 0.002 seconds.

Here's a video of the decades-old Darlington thriller featuring Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven (via NASCAR on NBC on X).

Fifteen years later, Busch reflected on the final lap battle, saying via NASCAR:

"When I was going down the front straightaway, I’m looking in the mirror, and he went to my left, and I’m like there’s no way he’s (Ricky) going to go into Turn 1 and try to make the pass there.

"He’s going to lift, and then he’s going to try to squirt through on the short section between Turn 2, and we went down and pounded the fence, and I’m like, 'Oh, it’s on.'

The Darlington win was Craven's second and last Cup Series triumph, while Busch regined supreme at the following week's Bristol race and wrapped up the season with four wins.

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Kyle Larson's recent Kansas win surpassed Kurt Busch's Darlington record

Kurt Busch's 0.002-second margin of defeat enjoyed the top spot for decades until the 2024 AdventHealth 400 at the Kansas Speedway. RFK Racing's Chris Buescher took the white flag as the leader, with Hendrick Motorsports's Kyle Larson closely following in second.

With the checkered flag in sight, the duo maneuvered through the final corner, and an intense battle for contention transpired. Coming off Turn 4, Larson and Buescher door-slammed twice within seconds. That pushed the RFK Racing driver to the inside line, while Larson stood in the middle.

Although it appeared to be Buecher's maiden win of the season, it wasn't to be. Larson triumphed by 0.001 seconds, making it the closest-ever finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Since the Kansas setback, Buescher hasn't won and is the last-placed driver above the playoff cutline. Thus, if a winless racer triumphs in the upcoming Darlington race, Buescher will be out of the championship battle.