Kyle Larson used a spectacular mid-race save, got a lightning fast final pit stop from his Hendrick Motorsports crew, then held off Christopher Bell at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway finish line to become the first driver locked into NASCAR's championship finale.
Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Las Vegas. LAS VEGAS — Kyle Larson used a spectacular mid-race save, got a lightning fast final pit stop from his Hendrick Motorsports crew, then held off Christopher Bell at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway finish line to become the first driver locked into NASCAR’s championship finale.
It kept him in contention and Larson claimed the lead on pit road when his crew had the fastest stop following a caution with 57 laps remaining. Bell had control of the race at that point but Larson was first off pit road. “I don’t know what else I could have done,” a dejected Bell said. “I feel like that was my moment. That was my moment to make the final four and didn’t capture it. It would have been nice to lock in.”“I could see him coming in my mirror, for sure,” Larson said of Bell’s closing rate. “Thankfully, Christopher always races extremely clean. Could have got crazier than it did coming to the start/finish line. Thank you to him for racing with respect there.
That moved Larson teammate William Byron to sixth and he was followed by Tyler Reddick in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, JGR drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin. Chris Buescher, in a Ford for RFK Racing, was the lowest-finishing playoff driver in 10th.A win in any of the three playoff races this round earns an automatic berth into the championship finale. The remaining slots are filled based on the points standings.
“It’s been a memorable week, maybe a little crazier than normal, but my weeks are usually crazy,” Larson said.Truex won the regular season title but has had a terrible playoffs and is barely hanging on to a shot to win a second Cup title.
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