Written by Sean McKean
Editor's note, 13 October, 2024 at 03:31 UK: A previous edition of this article stated that Alex Bowman qualified for the Round of 8 with an 18th place finish and sixteen points below the cut line. Following his disqualification, this has been amended: Joey Logano takes his place eleven points below the cut line. If an appeal is successful in Bowman's favour, a new article will be published.
Despite the lingering threat of Christopher Bell in his mirror, Kyle Larson kept the lead and won his sixth race of the season in Charlotte. It was Larson’s second victory at the Roval layout.
As it unfolded
Akin to yesterday’s Xfinity race, Shane van Gisbergen led the way to begin, keeping the lead whilst Tyler Reddick fell from second to fifth.
Problems first befell a competitor on Lap 4, when Rick Ware Racing’s Corey Lajoie sustained an engine issue. He retired from the race.
The first spinner of the race came from Ryan Preece, who went for a spin in the backstretch chicane on Lap 11. He continued without damage
A number of drivers peeled into the pits on Lap 21. Notable drivers in this bunch included Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, and Denny Hamlin. Van Gisbergen also came into the pits from the lead, giving the lead to Reddick.
Reddick held the lead to the end of the stage followed by Joey Logano and Chase Elliott.
Stage 1 Results:
No. 45 - Tyler Reddick [Playoffs]
No. 22 - Joey Logano [Playoffs]
No. 9 - Chase Elliott [Playoffs]
No. 12 - Ryan Blaney [Playoffs]
No. 5 - Kyle Larson [Playoffs]
No. 13 - Shane van Gisbergen
No. 54 - Ty Gibbs
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger
No. 6 - Brad Keselowski
No. 2 - Austin Cindric [Playoffs]
After the top four did their pit stops under caution, Kyle Larson led the way to begin stage two on Lap 30.
One lap later, the first victim of Turn 7 went for a spin. Off the nose of Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon went for a spin. The 2018 Daytona 500 champion continued with a flat tyre. However, Tyler Reddick made contact with Denny Hamlin in avoidance, resulting in an unscheduled pit stop for a broken toe-link.
The first caution for cause came on Lap 36. Chase Briscoe – a driver who needed a win to advance into the next round – suffered a flat left-rear tyre, which left the carcass on track. Briscoe continued without damage and remained on the lead lap.
Four drivers from the top ten pitted under caution: AJ Allmendinger from third, Austin Cindric from sixth, Ross Chastain from eighth, and Bubba Wallace from tenth.
Larson took the green on Lap 39 whilst Van Gisbergen lost second to Christopher Bell.
Further back, Brad Keselowski went for a spin in Turn 7, collecting Justin Haley, Carson Hocevar, and Chase Briscoe in the traffic jam. All cars continued with little damage.
On Lap 41, Briscoe came into the pits to repair damage sustained in the Turn 7 stack-up. They weren’t able to repair the damage – putting him out of the race and, subsequently, the playoffs. Meanwhile, Ross Chastain became the third victim of Turn 7 but quickly got back going.
A few drivers took to the pits towards the end of the second stage, but some takers included William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Shane van Gisbergen.
Alex Bowman stayed out and thus took victory in stage two. AJ Allmendinger and Joey Logano followed behind.
With his tenth-placed result in stage two, Kyle Larson joined his teammate in clinching himself into the next round of the playoffs on points.
Stage 2 Results:
No. 48 - Alex Bowman [Playoffs]
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger
No. 22 - Joey Logano [Playoffs]
No. 9 - Chase Elliott [Playoffs]
No. 23 - Bubba Wallace
No. 12 - Ryan Blaney [Playoffs]
No. 2 - Austin Cindric [Playoffs]
No. 34 - Michael McDowell
No. 8 - Kyle Busch
No. 5 - Kyle Larson [Playoffs]
Joey Logano restarted in the lead, but AJ Allmendinger – with new tyres – quickly assumed top honours.
Later in the lap, Ross Chastain went for another spin at the final corner, wherein the Legacy Motor Club pair of John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones ran into him. Jones drove away fine, but Nemechek’s car put debris on the track, putting the caution back out. Both cars eventually went out of the race.
Also amidst this sequence, Ty Gibbs went out of the race with an engine failure. And under caution, playoff driver Daniel Suarez came into the pits with a brake problem.
With these retirements, Christopher Bell officially clinched a spot into the next round of the playoffs.
Allmendinger took the green flag again on Lap 60.
Turn 7 took two more victims at once. Carson Hocevar overshot the corner and spun Shane van Gisbergen around. In avoidance, Austin Dillon hooked Chris Buescher into a spin. Both drivers continued.
Allmendinger led for a number of laps, but Kyle Larson eventually snuck into the lead on Lap 67.
Todd Gilliland went for a spin as well in Turn 7 on Lap 70. He continued.
Green flag pit stops began on Lap 72. Once all cycled out, Larson retained the lead ahead of Bell.
With 29 laps remaining, the caution came out for a wheel coming off Austin Dillon’s car – who had just been in the pit lane.
Larson got a stellar start to keep the lead on the Lap 84 restart.
Tyler Reddick was coming back through the field, but it nearly came to an end on Lap 90. He locked up the rears into Turn 7, but he luckily hit Daniel Hemric on his outside and spun the Kaulig driver. Hemric continued.
Larson remained uncontested to the end as he took another victory on the season. Bell followed two seconds behind in second. William Byron finished third.
Provisional Results:
No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) [ELIMINATED]
No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)
No. 13 - Shane van Gisbergen (Kaulig Racing)
No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]
No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)
No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]
No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)
No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 34 - Michael McDowell (Front Row Motorsports)
No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr (JTG-Daugherty Racing)
No. 17 - Chris Buescher (Roush Fenway-Keselowski Racing)
No. 38 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports)
No. 71 - Zane Smith (Spire Motorsports)
No. 21 - Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers Racing)
No. 19 - Martin Truex Jr (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 4 - Josh Berry (Stewart-Haas Racing)
No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (Roush Fenway-Keselowski Racing)
No. 31 - Daniel Hemric (Kaulig Racing)
No. 41 - Ryan Preece (Stewart-Haas Racing)
No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports)
No. 15 - Kaz Grala (Rick Ware Racing)
No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)
No. 66 - Josh Bilicki (MBM Motorsports)
No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) [ELIMINATED] +1 lap
No. 10 - Noah Gragson (Stewart-Haas Racing) +1 lap
No 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) +2 laps
No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club) [DNF]
No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club) [DNF]
No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]
No. 14 - Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing) [ELIMINATED] [DNF]
No. 51 - Corey Lajoie (Rick Ware Racing) [DNF]
No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) [ELIMINATED] [DSQ]
After Charlotte, only eight drivers remain in the playoffs. The grid is as follows:
Provisional Playoff Standings:
No. 5 - Kyle Larson: +33
No. 20 - Christopher Bell: +13
No. 45 - Tyler Reddick: +10
No. 24 - William Byron: +4
Playoff Cut Line
No. 12 - Ryan Blaney: -4
No. 11 - Denny Hamlin: -8
No. 9 - Chase Elliott: -9
No. 22 - Joey Logano: -11
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