Winners and losers from an unpredictable NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas

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We now know our first of 4 drivers who will make up the Championship 4, and it is Denny Hamlin. The veteran driver hadn’t made it to the finals since 2021, failing to advance past the Spherical of 8 in yearly of the Subsequent Gen period … till now.

Hendrick Motorsports dominated the race, however pit highway miscues, a wild wreck, and a late-race restart had been sufficient to disclaim them an automated ticket into the championship race. Penske can be wanting on the subsequent two races as in the event that they want a win in an effort to have a shot at a fourth consecutive Cup Sequence title.

Here is a have a look at the most important winners and losers from the NASCAR Cup playoff race at Las Vegas:

WINNER: Denny Hamlin in tears after unimaginable drive to safe sixtieth win

Watch: Emotional Hamlin soaks in his sixtieth Cup win at Las Vegas

How might Hamlin not cry after Sunday’s race? He drove from exterior the highest 5 to win his approach into the Championship 4 — the primary time he has made it that far within the Subsequent Gen period. The victory can be the sixtieth of his profession, and it is a milestone he has been speaking about for a very long time. He’s now tied with Kevin Harvick because the tenth-winningest driver in Cup Sequence historical past. He additionally wins the race with a contentious lawsuit towards NASCAR raging within the background, and an ailing father at dwelling. It was probably the most spectacular wins of Hamlin’s Corridor of Fame profession, and now he is one step away from the title that has eluded him for twenty years.

LOSER: William Byron & Ty Dillon as miscommunication ends in enormous wreck

Ty Dillon and William Byron crash

Picture by: Getty Photos

Byron went from main the race to sitting in the course of pit highway with a destroyed race automotive in simply a few laps. A mid-turn bobble by the No. 24 dropped Byron again to second, and earlier than he might even take into consideration taking the lead again, Ty Dillon abruptly slowed in entrance of him. It isn’t completely clear what prompted the communication breakdown right here, however one factor is evident — Byron had no concept that the off-sequence Dillon was making an attempt to pit. He didn’t sign to Byron, and communication between spotters by no means made it to Byron’s ears. The outcome was an enormous accident that immediately ended Byron’s day and dropped him 15 factors under the cutline. “For random shit to occur like that, it simply sucks,” commented Byron.

WINNER: Logano does not win, however the No. 22 once more discovered a technique to the entrance

Joey Logano, Workforce Penske Ford

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

Joey Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe have this means to make one thing out of a median day, and Sunday was the newest instance of that. A daring two-tire name within the closing laps left his rivals and followers nervous as some started to surprise if he was about to steal one other win out of nowhere. Whereas that did not occur, Logano nonetheless soldiered on to complete sixth, and stays inside attain of the cutline (-24pts) coming into Talladega. The Workforce Penske driver stays a wildcard on this Spherical of 8 struggle.

LOSER: One other potential oval T10 ends in a pileup crash for SVG

Shane van Gisbergen climbs out of automotive, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Chris Williams of LVMS Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

Shane van Gisbergen is just getting higher on ovals, out-qualifying each of his Trackhouse teammates and operating inside the highest 15 for a majority of the race. His workforce put him on a two-tire technique late, which had him on the sting of a prime 5 with simply over 20 laps to go. Sadly, SVG by no means received to see the checkered flag as he received run over from behind when a hoe closed up between Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, and himself. Eleven drivers had been collected within the ensuing melee, and van Gisbergen leaves Vegas with a thirty third place end. It is just like what occurred at New Hampshire, as a powerful prime ten was ripped away as a consequence of a restart pileup the place the Kiwi received hit from behind.

WINNER: No win, however large factors days for Briscoe, Bell and Larson

Watch: Chase Briscoe falls quick at Vegas: ‘That one will sting’

All three of those drivers had been annoyed with lacking out on the win, which isn’t shocking. Briscoe was main with simply 5 laps to go, however failed to carry again a charging Hamlin. Larson led 129 of 267 laps and was forward of Hamlin on the identical tire technique through the remaining restart. After which there’s Bell, who appears to ‘virtually’ win the Spherical of 8 opener yearly. However this trio all depart Vegas with prime 5 finishes and double-digit stage factors scored. Larson went from +4 to +35, Bell from -4 to +20, and Briscoe from -14 to +15. These are some large good points and that buffer might be essential for them with Talladega simply forward.

LOSER: Ryan Blaney instantly falls right into a must-win state of affairs

Ryan Blaney, Workforce Penske Ford

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos

Blaney did not actually have a likelihood. With only a few laps to go in Stage 1, a left-front tire went down and he slammed the skin wall. The No. 12 was broken past restore, and he completed final, scoring solely a single level. He’s now 31 factors under the cutline, and he’ll probably should win if he needs to go to the Phoenix finale with a shot at successful the championship. Blaney has now completed thirty second or worse within the final three Vegas races. The one excellent news is the truth that Blaney has a number of Cup wins at each Talladega and Martinsville, which concludes the Spherical of 8.

WINNER: Some excellent news for Kyle Busch as he goes from thirty second to eighth

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

Busch hasn’t had a lot to be enthusiastic about these days. The Richard Childress Racing driver had only one prime 15 end within the eleven races that preceded his dwelling race. After qualifying thirty second and falling a lap down early, it seemed like issues weren’t going to get any higher on Sunday. However Busch managed to keep away from the chaos, hold his automotive clear, and grind away till he introduced dwelling an eighth-place end — the very best of all drivers who didn’t make the 2025 playoffs. Together with Keselowski, they had been the most important movers of the race at +24 positions. It is also Busch’s greatest exhibiting at his dwelling observe in two years.

LOSER: Promising day for Bubba Wallace unravels

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

Wallace had a quick (and simply recognizable) neon yellow No. 23 automotive on Sunday. He raced all through the highest 5 and prime ten for the primary 100 or so laps of the race. Sadly, he received a dashing penalty throughout a pit cease in the course of Stage 2. It took him a lot of the race to claw again at the very least a few of the misplaced observe place, however it nonetheless wasn’t going to be an important outcome as he ran seventeenth with two laps to go. However that is when the automotive slid up into the wall, dropping Wallace again to twenty second within the remaining operating order. Whereas eradicated from the playoffs, Wallace nonetheless has a shot to safe his greatest end but within the championship standings, presently matching his greatest in tenth.

WINNER: RFK continues to be the very best of the remainder within the playoffs

Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos

One other non-playoff workforce we wish to spotlight. RFK had a quiet, however strong day, and so they had been the one multi-car workforce to finish the race with all of their drivers inside the highest 15. Ryan Preece led the way in which in ninth, with Brad Keselowski eleventh, and Chris Buescher twelfth. This comes after the Roval the place RFK vehicles positioned fourth and sixth, and a race at Kansas the place Keselowski completed eighth to be the top-finishing non-playoff driver. This form of consistency will serve them effectively as they attempt to flip issues round forward of the 2026 season.

LOSER: Pit highway error derails Chase Elliott’s day

Elliott completed fifth in Stage 1, and was wanting sturdy within the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. After the factors reset, he entered this race 14 factors under the cutline, in order that was going to be essential for him. Sadly, the workforce let a wheel roll away throughout a Stage 2 pit cease, and Elliott by no means actually recovered. He finally fought his approach again on the lead lap, however an 18th-place end means he goes to Talladega even deeper within the elimination zone at -23pts.

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