This story has been updated to reflect Alex Bowman’s disqualification.
Only eight drivers remain in the championship hunt following Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Kyle Larson won the Bank of America Roval 400, holding off Christopher Bell to take the checkered flag on the part road course, part oval circuit. With the victory, Larson earned an automatic berth into the third round of the playoffs, while seven other drivers advanced on points. The other two races in the second round – at Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway – were won by non-playoff drivers, so no automatic berths were claimed there.
The eight drivers who will continue to battle for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship are Larson, William Byron, Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano.
Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez and Chase Briscoe were eliminated from championship contention following Sunday’s race.
Bowman originally was one of the eight drivers to advance to the next round, but was disqualified after his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet failed post-race weight inspection. The DQ wiped away all but one of his points from Sunday’s race and dropped him below the cutline to advance. Logano became the lucky recipient of Bowman’s misfortune and moved up to eighth in points, snagging the final berth in the third round.
‘So, unfortunately when we were running the No. 48 through (inspection), it didn’t pass the minimum weight specs,’ NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director Brad Moran explained Sunday night. ‘We give the teams every opportunity to try to meet minimum weight. … They are allowed a half percent of a weight break – which is about 17 pounds, give or take – that is what they are allowed. And it was more than that.’
Hendrick Motorsports has the option to appeal Bowman’s disqualification, if the organization chooses. Any appeal would be heard this week prior to the next round.
‘We are working to understand the issue and will make a decision Monday about whether to submit an appeal,’ Hendrick Motorsports said after hearing the news.
The playoffs now move to the Round of 8, which consists of three races, beginning next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The series will then move to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Oct. 27 before the final elimination race at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 3. Following Martinsville, the playoff field will be cut in half, leaving a final four to race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10.
Here’s how Sunday’s race on the Charlotte Roval played out:
STAGE 3
Larson dominated the third stage and took the checkered flag for his sixth victory of the season. Bell finished second followed by Byron, Cindric and Elliott as playoff drivers took up the entire Top 5. A.J. Allmendinger came home sixth and Shane Van Gisbergen seventh – the top finishes by non-playoff drivers. Logano, Bubba Wallace and Blaney rounded out the Top 10.
Though it was a strong points day for Logano, he lost ground in the final stage, while Reddick, who finished 11th, rallied in the final 20 laps after pitting for fresh tires and restarting outside of the Top 20. Reddick, the regular-season champion, then drove through the field and passed enough cars to outpoint Logano, who had trailed Reddick by 14 points entering Sunday’s race.
Logano would get a reprieve, however, after Bowman’s post-race disqualification.
Click here for the full results from the Bank of America Roval 400.
STAGE 2
Bowman capitalized after leaders Larson, Shane Van Gisbergen, Bell and Byron opted to pit under green before the end of the stage and give up stage points – though they put themselves in good position for the start of the final segment. Bowman vaulted to the lead by staying out until the end of the 25-lap stage and took the checkered flag ahead of A.J. Allmendinger, who had pitted in the middle of the segment and drove through the field back to the front.
Larson was also able to make up some ground after pitting and finished the stage in 10th to join Hendrick Motorsports teammate Byron in reaching the third round on points.
One playoff driver saw his championship hopes dashed before the race even ended. Briscoe lost a tire on Lap 36 and then was forced to pit again a few laps later after contact on the track. Two laps later, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver hit pit road a third time for damage, but his No. 14 team was unable to repair his Ford, ending his day – and his title chase – early.
Here is the Top 10 finishing order for Stage 2:
Alex Bowman
A.J. Allmendinger
Joey Logano
Chase Elliott
Bubbal Wallace
Ryan Blaney
Austin Cindric
Michael McDowell
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson
STAGE 1
Van Gisbergen started on the pole and led every lap of the opening 25-lap segment until opting to pit under green with three laps remaining in the stage. Larson also opted to pit from second place, and both had built up enough of a lead to rejoin the field in good position and finish the stage in the Top 10. More than half the field opted to pit and forego a chance at stage points, but some playoff drivers like Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott stayed out for the entire segment to capture points.
Here is the Top 10 finishing order for Stage 1:
Tyler Reddick
Joey Logano
Chase Elliott
Ryan Blaney
Kyle Larson
Shane Van Gisbergen
Ty Gibbs
A.J. Allmendinger
Brad Keselowski
Austin Cindric
Next playoff race
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. NBC will televise the race.
