The Round of 12 has begun in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and Kansas Speedway provided big gains for some. Others, meanwhile, came away knowing they will need great performances at the wild cards of Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course to have a chance to advance.
Let’s take a look at the winners and losers from a wild day at the 1.5-mile track in the Midwest.
WINNER
Despite not making the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs, Ross Chastain found himself in Victory Lane for the fifth time in his career after holding off William Byron in the closing laps to claim his first win since NASCAR Championship Weekend in 2023 at Phoenix Raceway. For Chastain, it was a sweet redemption for a season that perhaps hasn’t quite lived up to his expectations.
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WHO’S HOT?
William Byron. With a less than favorable opening round of the Cup Series Playoffs, Byron entered the Round of 12 hoping to turn his performance around, and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet did just that at Kansas Speedway after scoring a Stage 1 win and a runner-up finish. Byron left the Round of 12 opener with the points lead and a 34-point cushion to the elimination line.
Alex Bowman. Building on his stellar Round of 16 performance, Bowman, Byron’s teammate, continued his lights-out postseason run. The No. 48 Chevrolet scored the Stage 2 win and ran up front during much of the Kansas bout. Bowman will head to Talladega with a sixth-place finish under his belt and a position eight points above the elimination line.
WHO’S NOT?
Austin Cindric. After a strong showing in the Round of 16, Cindric will have to bounce back following a 34th-place finish at Kansas. He qualified his No. 2 Team Penske Ford Mustang in the 17th position and held around mid-pack throughout the opening stages before contact with Kyle Busch sent the 26-year-old spinning into the inside wall. Entering the Round of 12 already below the elimination line in ninth, Cindric fell to 12th, 29 points down.
Tyler Reddick. Entering the Round of 12 20 points above the elimination line, Reddick left Kansas four points below after a 25th-place result. Still, Reddick shouldn’t be in full panic mode just yet as the spring Talladega race is where the No. 45 Toyota punched his ticket to the postseason festivities.
BUBBLE WATCH
| RANK | DRIVER | CUTOFF |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | 11 |
| 6 | Alex Bowman | 8 |
| 7 | Chase Elliott | 4 |
| 8 | Joey Logano | 4 |
| ELIMINATION LINE | ||
| 9 | Tyler Reddick | -4 |
| 10 | Daniel Suárez | -14 |
| 11 | Chase Briscoe | -25 |
| 12 | Austin Cindric | -29 |