Kyle Larson won his sixth race of the NASCAR Cup Series season and the first elimination race of the playoffs Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, and he did it with a big assist from his teammate, Chase Elliott — much to Kevin Harvick’s displeasure.
Late in the race, Elliott got in Harvick’s way and hindered his race, allowing Larson to pass Harvick for the lead with three laps left and ultimately the win on the .533-mile Tennessee short track.
Larson’s win and the contentious drama between Elliott and Harvick aside, the Bristol race ended any championship hopes for four drivers. Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch and Michael McDowell were eliminated from the playoffs at the end of the Round of 16, as the field dropped down to 12.
The winning move 🔥@KyleLarsonRacin | @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/Y1b05WobHq
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 19, 2021
NASCAR playoffs guide: Everything you need to know about the postseason format
Going into Bristol, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson had already clinched their spots in the Round of 12. Hamlin and Truex, respectively, won the first two races in the Round of 16, while Larson locked himself into the next round based on points before winning Saturday.
Here’s a breakdown of the current NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture after the first elimination race and what’s to come.
