Kurt Busch was declared the winner of the Michigan 400 in a stop-start NASCAR Sprint Cup race that was blighted and ultimately cut short by rain delays.

Busch benefited from a well-timed green-flag pitstop to head Dale Earnhardt Jr and Martin Truex Jr by just over two seconds when the rain brought out what turned out to be the fourth and final red flag of the race.

Kevin Harvick had dominated the majority of the running but the Stewart-Haas driver clipped the wall with the right front of his car shortly after his pitstop on lap 122 of the 138 that ultimately took place.

Harvick had fought polesitter Kasey Kahne for the lead at the start of the race but both were passed by Carl Edwards and they formed an early breakaway leading trio.

But after just 11 laps – that included Alex Bowman hitting the wall at Turn 2 without bringing out a caution flag – the rain came down and the red flag was shown.

The race restarted one hour later but was immediately stopped again when the rain returned.

After another 40 minute delay – that was extended when Bowman’s repaired car suffered a tyre blowout on the back straight and the resulting debris had to be collected – Edwards held the lead at the restart until a competition caution on lap 40.

Once the field had come in to take the opportunity to pit for fresh tyres and set-up adjustments, Harvick led Earnhardt and Kyle Busch, with Edwards shuffled back to fourth.

Five laps later and the red flags flew again for another 50-minute rain delay and then almost as soon as the race restarted, Kyle Busch slammed his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota into the wall, forcing another caution.

Harvick then dominated for the longest period of green flag racing while first Edwards and then Matt Kenseth gave chase.

When they faded, Earnhardt and Kurt Busch held the final two podium spots as the field began another green flag pit sequence on lap 120.

But this proved disastrous for Harvick, who hit the wall shortly after his stop and was forced to pit again for lengthy repairs.

While the debris from that incident was being cleared, the weather closed in and Kyle Larson – who was leading as he was out of pit sequence – tried to stay out with minimal fuel in the hope of another rain stoppage.

But when Larson was forced to pit, Busch – who had just passed Earnhardt for second – inherited the lead that became the victory as the rain fell once again and the race was abandoned having passed half-distance.

RESULTS – 138 LAPS:

Kurt Busch wins rain-shortened Michigan NASCAR race