Elliott Muscles Through to Round of 8

Chase Elliott entered Kansas 7th on the playoff grid with a roughly 14-point cushion. He left Kansas now officially locked into the Round of 8 with some Toyota calamity in front of him. For Elliott, it was his 2nd win of the season and the first time since 2022 that he has had multiple wins in a season. He joins Ryan Blaney as the only two that can breathe easy at the Roval.

Hamlin Foils Toyota Dominance

Denny Hamlin, throughout the first 3/4ths of this race, had the best car. His car could turn where others couldn’t, and that is what helped him to win the first two stages. However, with about 50 laps to go, Hamlin’s power steering went away, and so did his lead on the final pit stop with just under 10 laps to go that saw him go from 1st to 6th. Hamlin had a chance to enter the final corner. He got underneath fellow Toyota driver and his driver Bubba Wallace. Bubba entered Kansas virtually, needing to win, being that he started 27 points behind 8th in the standings. Hamlin got underneath the 23 and drifted up the track and Wallace hit the wall. That allowed Elliott just enough room to muscle Hamlin out of the way and clear the Napa 9 Chevy to the Round of 8.

Speaking to Fox Sports, Bob Pockrass Hamlin could only think about win #60 on his resume. “I would have raced everyone the same way. “I’m going for 60. No one will ever accuse me of lying over for anyone for a win.” While that might be the case, it is the 2nd straight week that Hamlin has been involved with a Toyota teammate. At New Hampshire, it was JGR teammate Ty Gibbs that Hamlin spun out. This week, it was his own car, and that ultimately could spell doom for the 23 and Bubba Wallace.

He, along with Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, and Austin Cindric, has one more shot next week at the Roval to potentially undo the playoff grid and stamp their ticket to the Round of 8.

Still, it was a gut-wrenching missed opportunity

Photo Credits; NASCAR on X