Cup Series: Larson dominates Round of 16 cut-off in Bristol

Written by Sean McKean

Credit - Ethan Smith / NASCAR Digital Media

Without being contested the whole time, Kyle Larson led all but 38 laps enroute to victory at Bristol on Saturday night. It was his second victory at the short track.

Martin Truex, Ty Gibbs, Brad Keselowski and Harrison Burton were also eliminated from the playoffs in this race.

As it unfolded

Alex Bowman took advantage of pole to take the lead into Turn 1. He led until an early caution came out on Lap 5 for a spin by John Hunter Nemechek out of Turn 2. 

Bowman retained his lead on the Lap 11 restart, but Kyle Larson eventually ran down his Hendrick teammate for the lead on Lap 34, showing strength on the high line. 

Larson led until the end of the first stage on Lap 125, followed by Alex Bowman and Christopher Bell.

Stage 1 Results: 

1. No. 5 - Kyle Larson [Playoffs]

2. No. 48 - Alex Bowman [Playoffs]

3. No. 20 - Christopher Bell [Playoffs]

4. No. 19 - Martin Truex [Playoffs]

5. No. 24 - William Byron [Playoffs]

6. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin [Playoffs]

7. No. 14 - Chase Briscoe [Playoffs]

8. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs [Playoffs]

9. No. 9 - Chase Elliott [Playoffs]

10. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace

With his third-placed result, Christopher Bell locked himself into the Round of 12 on points.

All drivers took to the pit lane. Playoff driver Ty Gibbs received a speeding penalty and subsequently dropped to the back for the next restart.

Larson again led the way on Lap 136 and kept the lead despite pressure from Bell. 

Harrison Burton was the first driver to fall with an issue, suffering with no power steering. He went behind the wall on Lap 239.

Shortly after the Burton debacle, Joey Logano spun and crashed on the backstretch, receiving a tap from Ryan Preece. He drove away with damage. 

All drivers took the opportunity for four tyres and fuel, bar Tyler Reddick.

Reddick led the way, but Larson quickly took the lead. He held the lead for the stage win followed by Truex and Denny Hamlin.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 5 - Kyle Larson [Playoffs]

2. No. 19 - Martin Truex [Playoffs]

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin [Playoffs]

4. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick [Playoffs]

5. No. 20 - Christopher Bell [Playoffs]

6. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace

7. No. 48 - Alex Bowman [Playoffs]

8. No. 14 - Chase Briscoe [Playoffs]

9. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney [Playoffs]

10. No. 9 - Chase Elliott [Playoffs]

With his seventh-placed result, Alex Bowman clinched his spot into the Round of 12. 

Larson continued his dominant display to keep the lead on the Lap 261 restart. 

It took until Lap 330 for the next caution to come out. Coming off Turn 2, Corey Lajoie snapped loose, then received a tap from Josh Berry behind. This sent Lajoie into the outside wall hard. He drove away but was heavily damaged.

All playoff drivers took to the pits. Notably, Chase Briscoe lost a few spots in the pits after a wheel-gun socket issue. Martin Truex also received a penalty and had to go to the back of the grid.

Larson led once again on Lap 338. 

The 2021 champion held on for the remainder of the race to take a dominant victory under the Bristol lights. He led 462 of the 500 laps.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

2. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)

3. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

4. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

5. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

6. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

7. No. 41 - Ryan Preece (Stewart-Haas Racing)

8. No. 14 - Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing)

9. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

10. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)

11. No. 34 - Michael McDowell (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

12. No. 10 - Noah Gragson (Stewart-Haas Racing) +1 lap

13. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) +1 lap

14. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (Roush Fenway-Keselowski Racing) +1 lap

15. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) +1 lap

16. No. 71 - Zane Smith (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

17. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) +1 lap

18. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

19. No. 31 - Daniel Hemric (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

20. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) +1 lap

21. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) +1 lap

22. No. 51 - Justin Haley (Rick Ware Racing) +1 lap

23. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

24. No. 19 - Martin Truex (Joe Gibbs Racing) +1 lap

25. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing) +2 laps

26. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (Roush Fenway-Keselowski Racing) +3 laps

27. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse (JTG-Daugherty Racing) +3 laps

28. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) +4 laps

29. No. 4 - Josh Berry (Stewart-Haas Racing) +4 laps

30. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club) +4 laps

31. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) +4 laps

32. No. 38 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) +4 laps

33. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club) +9 laps

34. No. 66 - Josh Bilicki (MBM Motorsports) +33 laps

35. No. 21 - Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers Racing) +78 laps

36. No. 7 - Corey Lajoie (Spire Motorsports) [DNF]

37. No. 15 - Kaz Grala (Rick Ware Racing) [DNF]

With this being the cut off race, we see Ty Gibbs, Harrison Burton, Martin Truex and Brad Keselowski eliminated from the playoffs. The Round of 12 will begin like this:

Provisional Playoff Grid:

1st. No. 5 - Kyle Larson: +39

2nd. No. 20 - Christopher Bell: +24

3rd. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick: +20

4th. No. 24 - William Byron: +14

5th. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney: +11

6th. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin: +7

7th. No. 9 - Chase Elliott: +6

8th. No. 22 - Joey Logano: +4

Playoff Cut Line

9th. No. 2 - Austin Cindric: -4

10th. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez: -6