The Latest Breaking News from Michael McDowell

Hamlin, who earned the pole for the non-points exhibition race earlier Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, fell back into the field during the race but rallied back to the front with 10 laps remaining.

The event, for the longest time held in New York City and then Las Vegas, has taken place in the 'Music City' since 2019.

The Playoff round of eight concluded at Martinsville with an unusual 168-lap green flag run following a spin by Michael McDowell.

Allmendinger didn’t move into the lead for the first time until he passed Kyle Busch on the start to the final stage but had to navigate five restarts over the final 31 laps.

Originally at 16, the playoffs saw the elimination of Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Michael McDowell in the first round.

12 drivers remain in the fight for the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2023.

Like his previous trip to the playoffs in the 2021 season, McDowell and his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team were among the first four eliminated from title contention following the completion of the first round of the playoffs Saturday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

In a race that battled to find a rhythm in part due to battles with the weather, Hamlin took control in the second half after he grabbed the lead from his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team-mate Ty Gibbs with 141 of 500 laps remaining.

In a race that battled to find a rhythm in part due to battles with the weather, Hamlin took control in the second half after he grabbed the lead from his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs with 141 of 500 laps remaining.

Bell went out early in the final round of Friday’s qualifying session at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and his average lap speed of 126.997 mph was enough to hold off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin (126.930 mph), who was the last on the track.

The field of 16 will be cut down to 12 in Saturday night's 500 lap race at the half-mile short track.