Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suárez appeared to get loose and spin during a restart just past the midway point of Saturday’s Bristol Night Race, an incident that sent his No. 99 Chevrolet down across the track and impacting multiple playoff drivers, including himself.
All told, 12 cars were involved at the close-quarters, high-banked half-mile that served as the host of the Round of 16 finale.
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Multiple #NASCARPlayoffs drivers get caught in a wreck after @Daniel_SuarezG spins! pic.twitter.com/341nMCLsbQ
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 18, 2022
Suárez, who entered the race six points above the playoff elimination line, lost a lap after the spin. That was a better fate than Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick, however.
Both the No. 3 and the No. 8 Chevrolets were behind Suárez and collected in the melee. Dillon’s team could not repair his car in the allotted 10-minute DVP window, leaving him out of the race and eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Reddick, who immediately lost laps while having his car repaired on pit road, was able to continue in the race but his 2022 championship hopes come to an end. The No. 8 team finished 25th, 31 laps down and was two points shy of advancing to the Round of 12.
The second round of the Cup Series Playoffs begins at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 25 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).