The NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 playoffs concluded Sunday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in the Bank of America Roval 400. The track was still wet from the remnants of Hurricane Delta, and the teams were starting the race on rain tires. Denny Hamlin won the pole by a metric qualifying system, and Chase Elliott qualified second. Josh Bilicki (driver change) and Erik Jones (unapproved adjustments) were starting the race at the rear of the field.
HISTORY MADE in the NASCAR Cup Series. The #BofAROVAL 400 is GREEN on NBC and https://t.co/BHXvTwrLoC! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/mDT5uc3n5V — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
While it would be impossible to write all the little hits, spins, and banging that took place that would fill a book. Here is the summary of the race and cautions. Brad Keselowski took the lead on the first lap from the backstretch. He led the first six laps before Chase Elliott made an outside pass to take the lead. Four laps later, the competition caution came out. During the caution, Kevin Harvick, William Byron, and sixteen others went to pit road. Chris Buescher was issued too many men over the wall penalty and had to restart at the rear of the field.
NEW LEADER: the 9️⃣@chaseelliott jumps to the early lead on the @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval! pic.twitter.com/OtyyjcgcSH — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
The race resumed on lap 13 with Elliott on the inside lane, and Martin Truex Jr. was outside. On lap 18, teams began to make their scheduled pit stops. On lap 21, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin went to pit road leaving Ty Dillon in the lead. John Hunter Nemechek’s car was stuck at turn six to bring out the second caution with three laps to go in stage one. During the caution, Bowyer, Truex Jr., and Kyle Busch went to pit road. The race resumed on lap 25 and Ty Dillon would go on to win stage one. Kevin Harvick finished 18th to clinch a spot in the Round of 8 playoffs.
STAGE WINNER: The tire gamble pays off for @tydillon! He takes Stage One of the #BoAROVAL 400 at @CLTMotorSpdway! pic.twitter.com/xXHPjaCsOm — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
During the caution, Ty Dillon, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, and ten others went to pit road while everyone else stayed out. Christopher Bell was the now the new leader as stage two was underway on lap 29. A lap into stage two, William Byron took the lead but got wide at turn four and nearly lost the lead. On lap 40, Bryon slid at the entrance of turn one, allowing Ryan Blaney to take the lead.
William Byron slides, and 2018 ROVAL winner Ryan @Blaney takes the lead! pic.twitter.com/RWbqBfCjQW — #NASCARPlayoffs on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 11, 2020
JJ Yeley spun at turn six to bring out the fourth caution on lap 46. During the caution, several drivers stayed out, including Ryan Blaney, while others pitted. The race resumed with three laps to go in stage two. Kyle Busch suffered a flat left front tire after making contact with Clint Bowyer while Ryan Blaney would go on to win stage two.
Trouble for the defending champion!!! Will this be the end of @KyleBusch's 2020 #NASCARPlayoffs? pic.twitter.com/KIWsB44Gdn — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
During the caution, Blaney, Elliott, Truex Jr., Logano, Bowman, and nine others went to pit road while everyone else stayed out. Martin Truex Jr. was caught speeding and had to restart at the rear of the field. Christopher Bell was now the new leader as the final stage was underway on lap 54. On the same lap, William Byron took the lead, and Denny Hamlin got spun by James Davison landing in the grass before putting the car in reverse and driving it up onto the asphalt.
It's been a day to forget so far at the Roval for @dennyhamlin. 😖 Fortunately, he's already locked into the next round of the #NASCARPlayoffs. pic.twitter.com/ueTXgIR3JX — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
Ty Dillon spun at turn six and left some debris out on the track to bring out the sixth caution. During the caution, Byron, Bowyer, Bell, and six others stayed out while everyone else pitted. Ryan Newman was caught speeding and had to restart at the rear. Byron was on the outside lane, and Bell went inside for the restart on lap 68. Two laps later, Austin Dillon spun after getting hit by Kyle Busch to bring out the seventh caution.
Oops. 🤭@KyleBusch gets into @austindillon3 as both fight to continue their #NASCARPlayoffs hopes. pic.twitter.com/ObPQoDpGyl — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
During the caution, Blaney, Bowman, Busch, and seven others stayed out with everyone else headed to pit road. Blaney was the new leader as the race resumed on lap 73. He was in the lead when he went off the track and spun and nearly got hit by Matt Kenseth. This put Ryan Preece in the lead. Blaney would come to pit road but was caught speeding and had to do a drive-through.
.@Blaney goes off-roading from the lead, and a CLOSE call for @mattkenseth! 😱 📺: NBC | 📲: https://t.co/BHXvTwrLoC pic.twitter.com/rec2fLV29S — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
On lap 82, Alex Bowman took the lead from Preece. Not long after getting the lead, his teammate Chase Elliott took it away from him. Matt Kenseth hit the wall at turn four, which brought out the eighth caution.
What a battle for the lead! 👏 The #NASCARPlayoffs action is heating up at the @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval on NBC! pic.twitter.com/cababwpbxZ — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
Busch, Bell, Hamlin, Jones, and Blaney stayed out during the caution while everyone else went to pit road. Kyle Busch was the leader when the race resumed on lap 90. A lap later, Erik Jones took the lead away from Busch. His lead only lasted a lap before Elliott passed him for the lead. On lap 98, Brennan Poole stalled at turn nine to bring out the caution for the ninth time.
The 9️⃣ with the CROSSOVER. 🔥@chaseelliott is back to the top of the leaderboard at the Roval! pic.twitter.com/jTKABDDFxp — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
During the caution, the leaders went to pit road. Elliott was the leader as the race resumed with ten laps to go. He would lead the last ten laps to win the race by 3.895 seconds over Joey Logano to punch his ticket to the Round of 8 playoffs. This is Elliott’s third win of the season and now has won four road courses in a row. Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola, and Clint Bowyer were eliminated from the playoffs.
Yeah … he's pretty good at these places. Retweet to congratulate @chaseelliott on his fourth-consecutive road course victory! pic.twitter.com/D4Fg0kbLDQ — NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 11, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Erik Jones third, Kurt Busch fourth, Ryan Blaney fifth, William Byron sixth, Martin Truex Jr. seventh, Alex Bowman eighth, Cole Custer ninth, and Clint Bowyer tenth. There were nine cautions for sixteen laps and seventeen lead changes.
Moving on to the Round of 8 playoffs are Kurt Busch, Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin. The Round of 8 playoffs begins next Sunday at Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400 at 2:30 pm on NBC.
Comments