Kyle Larson won on Sunday Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedwayending the round of 16 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Four drivers had their championship hopes dashed on Sunday. Eight more advanced to the round of 16, which is essentially the semifinals of the playoffs.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the first race of the round of 16.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s NASCAR race at Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE’S RESULTS: Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Charlotte? Winner is Kyle Larson and full results
PHOTO OF THE ELIMINAR: NASCAR Playoff Photo: Cup Series Points Standings After Charlotte Roval
Winners
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell, like Larson, was able to comfortably cruise through most of the final stage after clinching a spot in the round of 16 based on points. Bell finished second behind Larson, but was running toward the front of the pack most of the day. Bell has work to do to advance to Championship 4.
Kyle Larson
Larson won the race, dominating the second half and leading 62 laps. He clinched a place in the round of 16 thanks to the points after the second stage and was able to run relaxed in the final stage. Despite not being the top seed in the playoffs, Larson is one of the favorites to earn a spot in Championship 4 and add a second championship to his career after winning the 2021 title.
Tyler Reddick
Tyler Reddick had plenty of issues to work with in the first half of the race after colliding with Denny Hamlin, co-owner of the 23XI Racing car. Reddick’s right rear tow link was bent enough that the No. 45 team had to replace it. Reddick was unhappy with the car midway through the race, making several unscheduled pit stops. Reddick then fought back and raced through the field all the way to 12th and took the final playoff spot from Joey Logano.
Losers
Charlotte ROVAL
Sunday’s race was a bit unknown due to the changes to the circuit. Turn 6 was replaced by a different turn on the infield, a right-hander after a long straight from turn 5. Next, hairpin turn 7 brought the drivers back to the Charlotte oval. Turn 16, the chicane in the front stretch, has been made sharper. Drivers were penalized if they cut the corner, which had the effect of lowering the curbs by 1.5 inches to limit how cars were affected.
Although there were some interesting spins in Turn 7 and some quick incidents with stop and go penalties around the track, the slower speed of the race made the race dull and eliminated a significant portion of the drama that fans love in a playoff race. Thank goodness Tyler Reddick ran across the field to create some drama.
HOW IT HAPPENED: NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte: Live updates, highlights and standings from the Bank of America ROVAL 400
Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe’s wife gave birth to twins this week, so it’s a winner. However, he was eliminated from the playoffs after driving hard throughout the early parts of Charlotte’s run. Briscoe had issues with the left front suspension and was unable to recover to even return to the track.
Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman was disqualified from Sunday’s Charlotte race after his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet failed to meet the minimum weight requirement during post-race inspection. Bowman’s quest to win a championship ends after disqualification. Bowman had a great run at the track, cruising through the playoff races with consistency, but a setup issue cost him dearly.
This article was originally published on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Cup Series winners, losers: Kyle Larson wins at Charlotte Roval
