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Writer's pictureSean McKean

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


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