Toyota’s Kyle Busch claimed his third NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in four starts, at New Hampshire, to boost his chances of qualifying for the Chase title playoff.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who had finished second in three of the circuit’s last four races, started fourth but moved his way into the lead during the opening sixth of the 301-lap race.

Busch’s race took shape after making his final pitstop on lap 244.

While it was a green flag stop and he went down a lap, Busch used his four fresh tyres to unlap himself as Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski negotiated traffic.

It proved vital, with a caution period for debris called moment later, and when Harvick and Keselowski pitted, Busch took the lead.

He led by as much as two seconds during the final stint and had enough to hold out Keselowski’s late run.

With the win, he moves to within 58 points of the 30th place he needs to secure his place in the Chase after missing the opening 11 races of the season.

“Coming into pitlane, I thought I had a tyre down and there was oil on the road,” Busch said of his vital stop.

“[Then] I just drove as fast as I could when I got off pit road.

“Every week, we’ve just got to keep doing our deal [to get to 30th], and every week we’re getting better and better.

“To do it in the fashion we’re doing it, it’s spectacular.”

Keslowski jumped Harvick during the final stops by electing to take two tyres rather than four, and chipped away at Busch’s lead over the closing laps.

A final-lap caution as Alex Bowman hit the wall stopped his run, and he finished second, ahead of Harvick and Joey Logano.

Dale Earnhardt Jr was fifth, having been one of the race’s biggest movers.

The Chevrolet driver started 19th and made progress throughout, despite damage to his front splitter requiring repairs.

On four fresh tyres, Earnhardt moved past Matt Kenseth with 13 laps remaining.

Kenseth settled for sixth, ahead of polesitter Carl Edwards, who led the opening stages but wasn’t a factor thereafter.

Austin Dillon finished eighth, ahead of Jeff Gordon, who recovered from a slow pitstop mid-race to – like Earnhardt – pick his way through the field from 23rd.

Kurt Busch completed the top 10, while strong qualifiers Denny Hamilin and David Ragan faded to 14th and 18th and Jimmie Johnson languished in 23rd after serving a penalty for exceeding the pitlane speed limit.

RESULTS – 301 LAPS:

Kyle Busch scores third NASCAR win in four starts