BACK TO GALLERIES
Every incident involving NASCAR Playoffs drivers at Las Vegas
By Chase Wilhelm | Published: September 16, 2018 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
1 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
More than half the NASCAR Playoffs field found trouble in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series postseason opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The incidents caused a huge shakeup in the playoff standings, while Brad Keselowski cruised to his third consecutive victory and locked himself into the next round. See a full breakdown of each issue playoff drivers had over the course of Sunday's race.
2 of 11
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Driver: Kyle Busch
Finish: 7th
Incident: Busch spun on the frontstretch on Lap 232, hitting the grass, which caused minor damage to the No. 18 Toyota. After losing a lap, Busch was awarded the free pass after a caution on Lap 246, sparking his recovery finish.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 3rd (-2)
“It didn’t feel like it tore up the car that bad,' Busch said. 'I haven’t necessarily looked at it, but you would think it would cause a little bit of damage, but the guys got to work on it and tried to put it together the best they could. We just had kind of a sloppy day and this whole weekend we just didn’t unload very good.'
Finish: 7th
Incident: Busch spun on the frontstretch on Lap 232, hitting the grass, which caused minor damage to the No. 18 Toyota. After losing a lap, Busch was awarded the free pass after a caution on Lap 246, sparking his recovery finish.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 3rd (-2)
“It didn’t feel like it tore up the car that bad,' Busch said. 'I haven’t necessarily looked at it, but you would think it would cause a little bit of damage, but the guys got to work on it and tried to put it together the best they could. We just had kind of a sloppy day and this whole weekend we just didn’t unload very good.'
3 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Finish: 39th
Incident: Blown tire on Lap 147 resulting in contact with the outside wall. Crash also collected Erik Jones.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 4th (-2)
Finish: 39th
Incident: Blown tire on Lap 147 resulting in contact with the outside wall. Crash also collected Erik Jones.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 4th (-2)
4 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Kurt Busch
Finish: 21st
Incident: Got caught up in a wreck with two laps to go, hitting a spinning David Ragan and Michael McDowell in Turn 4.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 6th (+1)
Finish: 21st
Incident: Got caught up in a wreck with two laps to go, hitting a spinning David Ragan and Michael McDowell in Turn 4.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 6th (+1)
5 of 11
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Driver:Kyle Larson
Finish: 2nd
Incident:Larson was forced to pit on Lap 69 for a tire going down on the No. 42 Chevrolet, which also caused minor damage on the right front fender.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 8th (+4)
'That first set that we had on, they said looked perfect,' Larson said. 'I was kind of shocked when we -- we must have cut it. I was running the top, and that same corner that I had the issue, I had entered maybe four to six inches higher than I had any other lap, so maybe I ran something over. I'm not sure.'
Finish: 2nd
Incident:Larson was forced to pit on Lap 69 for a tire going down on the No. 42 Chevrolet, which also caused minor damage on the right front fender.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 8th (+4)
'That first set that we had on, they said looked perfect,' Larson said. 'I was kind of shocked when we -- we must have cut it. I was running the top, and that same corner that I had the issue, I had entered maybe four to six inches higher than I had any other lap, so maybe I ran something over. I'm not sure.'
6 of 11
-1537146218.jpg)
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Clint Bowyer
Finish: 23rd
Incident: Bowyer received damage on the No. 14 Ford after making contact while going three-wide with Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch on a restart with eight laps remaining.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 11th (-6)
Finish: 23rd
Incident: Bowyer received damage on the No. 14 Ford after making contact while going three-wide with Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch on a restart with eight laps remaining.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 11th (-6)
7 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Alex Bowman
Finish: 19th
Incident: Bowman received damage to the left side of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet while racing for position following a restart with 11 laps remaining, cutting a left-side tire in the process.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 12th (+4)
“We had a really good car, just frustrated where we ended up,” Bowman said. “We ran better than I really expected to coming here, so I think that gives me some optimism going forward, just super frustrated. That’s the most speed we’ve had on a mile-and-a-half all year.”
Finish: 19th
Incident: Bowman received damage to the left side of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet while racing for position following a restart with 11 laps remaining, cutting a left-side tire in the process.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 12th (+4)
“We had a really good car, just frustrated where we ended up,” Bowman said. “We ran better than I really expected to coming here, so I think that gives me some optimism going forward, just super frustrated. That’s the most speed we’ve had on a mile-and-a-half all year.”
8 of 11
.jpg)
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Finish: 22nd
Incident: Johnson made contact with Kurt Busch’s No. 41 Ford on a late-race restart, causing a tire to go down and sent the No. 48 Chevrolet into the wall.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 13th (+2)
“I got a little loose and touched the 41 and I didn’t think much of it,” Johnson said. “Halfway down the straightaway I could tell I had a right-front flat. I at least got my car slowed down so I didn’t hit the wall too hard. Just racing hard off of Turn 2 and I cut a right-front tire.”
Finish: 22nd
Incident: Johnson made contact with Kurt Busch’s No. 41 Ford on a late-race restart, causing a tire to go down and sent the No. 48 Chevrolet into the wall.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 13th (+2)
“I got a little loose and touched the 41 and I didn’t think much of it,” Johnson said. “Halfway down the straightaway I could tell I had a right-front flat. I at least got my car slowed down so I didn’t hit the wall too hard. Just racing hard off of Turn 2 and I cut a right-front tire.”
9 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Chase Elliott
Finish: 36th
Incident: Elliott slammed into the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet after Jamie McMurray spun up the race track in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 211 as a result of a cut tire.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 14th (-6)
“I’m OK now,” Elliott said of a shoulder injury that he complained about immediately after the wreck. “It (shoulder) popped really big. My hand got caught in the wheel. I got to messing with it after and it popped again. All good and move on to Richmond. It puts us in a hole to start, so not good.”
Finish: 36th
Incident: Elliott slammed into the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet after Jamie McMurray spun up the race track in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 211 as a result of a cut tire.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 14th (-6)
“I’m OK now,” Elliott said of a shoulder injury that he complained about immediately after the wreck. “It (shoulder) popped really big. My hand got caught in the wheel. I got to messing with it after and it popped again. All good and move on to Richmond. It puts us in a hole to start, so not good.”
10 of 11
Chase Wilhelm | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Erik Jones
Finish: 40th
Incident: Jones hit the rear of Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford on Lap 147 after Harvick hit the outside wall due to a blown tire.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 15th (-5)
“It’s unfortunate we had that happen,” Jones told NBCSN. “Nothing Kevin can do, nothing we can do. It’s not the situation we need to be in. We have some work to do now.”
Finish: 40th
Incident: Jones hit the rear of Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford on Lap 147 after Harvick hit the outside wall due to a blown tire.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 15th (-5)
“It’s unfortunate we had that happen,” Jones told NBCSN. “Nothing Kevin can do, nothing we can do. It’s not the situation we need to be in. We have some work to do now.”
11 of 11
Branden Williams | NASCAR Digital Media
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Finish: 32nd
Incident: Hamlin got loose coming off Turn 4 on Lap 246, causing the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to slide into the infield grass, destroying the front of the car and cutting his day short.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 16th (-3)
“Trying to get more than the car was capable of,' Hamlin said. 'We should have just finished 15th or 10th or wherever we were at the time, but trying to get more and the car won’t handle it. No grip and just a bad day overall.”
Finish: 32nd
Incident: Hamlin got loose coming off Turn 4 on Lap 246, causing the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to slide into the infield grass, destroying the front of the car and cutting his day short.
Position in standings after Las Vegas: 16th (-3)
“Trying to get more than the car was capable of,' Hamlin said. 'We should have just finished 15th or 10th or wherever we were at the time, but trying to get more and the car won’t handle it. No grip and just a bad day overall.”