Posted on by Steve Luvender

Tonight, four of the greatest iRacing drivers compete for the title of 2018 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series champion and over $17,000 in cash and prizes. These four — Ray Alfalla, Matt Bussa, Michael Conti, and Ryan Luza — have set themselves apart from the competition throughout a challenging season and a roller-coaster playoff schedule, and now face the most daunting challenge yet: the 2018 winner-take-all finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Even though nobody knows what to expect in tonight’s 250-miler featuring the world’s best sim racers, we broke down the four title contenders and their 2018 seasons.

How to watch: iRacing Live will stream the RaceSpot TV broadcast live Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. ET.

Ol’ Three Time: Ray Alfalla
No. 2 Slip Angle Motorsports Ford

The Jimmie Johnson of the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series is racing in the Championship 4, which means the competition should remain on the lookout. Alfalla hoped to claim his fourth series championship last year in Miami until a crash ended the 2017 season early at his home track. Expect him to haul the mail.

2018 stats:
— 1 win (Richmond)
— 8 top 5s
— 12 top 10s
— 8.76 Average Finish

The case for:
— Alfalla’s a three-time champ. He knows how to get it done.
— Five top-five finishes at Homestead, including a win in 2015.

The case against:
— Uncharacteristically won just one race this year.
— Finished 30th at Homestead last year after an accident.

RELATED: How technology is defining online racing

The Underdog: Matt Bussa
No. 34 Gale Force Radicals Online Toyota

Bussa is the clear underdog in the championship battle. After all, he’s the only driver of the four without a prior championship title. The Illinoisan ran a quiet but consistent season that culminated in a well-timed first career victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway, securing his place among the title contenders.

2018 stats:
— 1 win (Atlanta)
— 4 top 5s
— 9 top 10s
— 11.94 Average Finish

The case for:
— Won at Atlanta, a 1.5-mile track, similar to Homestead-Miami.
— Everybody likes a good underdog story!

The case against:
— Despite racing in the series since 2013, Bussa only scored his first career victory in his 94th start.
— He’s had disappointing results in his five starts at Homestead with finishes of 20th, 29th, 9th, 36th, and 37th.

Mr. Momentum: Michael Conti
No. 5 Team Conti/Chaos Crew Chevrolet

The 2014 series champion Conti is poised for his second title run, and it’s coming at an ideal time for the Charlotte resident: He’s turned up the heat in a major way during the playoffs, scoring victories at Darlington and Dover after a relatively quiet regular season.

2018 stats:
— 2 wins (Darlington, Dover)
— 6 top 5s
— 11 top 10s
— 11.00 Average Finish

The case for:
–Peaking (pun intended) at the right time: He’s finished in the top two in four of the past five races, including two wins — plus he’s led laps in seven of the past eight races.
— He’s the 2014 series champion. He’s proven he can do this.

The case against:
— He’s won at Dover and Darlington. Homestead-Miami doesn’t start with a D.
— Come on, it’s hard to find a case against Conti. He’s really good right now.

The Defending Champ: Ryan Luza
No. 6 Phenom Racing Team Ford

Luza has been in a league of his own for much of 2018, which is awfully reminiscent of Luza’s 2017 championship season. The defending champ is riding an unbelievable wave of consistency: 13 consecutive top-10 finishes. Combined with four victories this season and the fact that he dominated last year’s finale makes it look likely the championship trophy is heading to Texas again this season.

2018 stats:
— 4 wins (Auto Club, Las Vegas, Michigan, Texas)
— 10 top 5s
— 13 top 10s
— 4.86 Average Finish

The case for:
— Despite missing three races in the season, Luza leads all series drivers in every on his only start at Homestead-Miami from the pole, claiming the 2017 title.

The case against:
— With only 29 series starts, he’s by far the least experienced in the field.
— Will the three races Luza missed earlier in the season affect his ability to get it done at Homestead? (Oh, you bet we’re reaching on this one.)

How to watch: iRacing Live will stream the RaceSpot TV broadcast live Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. ET.
With a stout field of pro eSports racers and a $10,000 first-place prize on the line, tonight’s race in Miami is one you won’t want to miss.

Posted on by H.A. Branham

Editor’s note: This week, NASCAR.com will profile the four finalists for the 2018 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Today: Sarah Kersey.

Previously: Carl Dakes

As a child, Sarah Kersey became a NASCAR fan. As a young adult, she has become a cancer survivor, an extremely popular elementary school teacher — and an active volunteer.

Kersey, of Dublin, Ohio, has volunteered for eight years at Flying Horse Farms in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, and two other camps in the Serious Fun Camp network. That led to what she calls her favorite NASCAR-related memory, actual races aside. It was the day a young camper showed up wearing a Kasey Kahne T-shirt. He and Kersey shared an immediate bond; Kahne has been Kersey’s favorite driver for years.

Representing Flying Horse Farms, Kersey has been named one of four finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Eighth Annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Flying Horse Farms provides transformative camp experiences for seriously ill children ages 8-17 and their family members from throughout Ohio, at no cost. The facility yearly hosts approximately 900 children and family members.

Kersey spends summer weeks as a camp counselor. During spring and fall weekends she serves as a family camp counselor.

VOTE: Cast your vote today!

The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, named in honor of the foundation’s late founder and chairwoman, honors NASCAR fans such as Kersey who are also accomplished volunteers working for children’s causes in their communities throughout the United States. The award winner will be determined via an online fan vote that is running until Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. (ET) at NASCARfoundation.org/Award. The winner will be announced on Nov. 29 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas.

The NASCAR Foundation will donate $25,000 to the charities represented by the award finalists, with the winner’s charity receiving a $100,000 donation. Since the award’s inception, The NASCAR Foundation has impacted the lives of more than 260,000 children by providing more than $1.2 million in contributions to charities represented by finalists for the award.

Sarah Kersey and Joey Logano plan to vote
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Being a finalist, Kersey said, “is, I think, the most prestigious thing that is ever going to come to me. Whether I win or not, I feel like going through this process is something I’ve been blessed to be part of.”

Kersey’s childhood is rich with other NASCAR memories, mainly the many days spent watching races with her father.

“It was one thing we could really share which was really, really special,” Kersey said. “He grew up in Georgia and in the South, NASCAR is a way of life. I remember having butterflies when I was little, when they would wave the checkered flag. When I visit my dad now, we watch NASCAR.”

Childhood, however, seemed a distant memory 10 years ago. At the age of 21, Kersey was diagnosed with a tumor on her spine prior to her junior year at college. Multiple surgeries led to remission, which continues today.

“My life kind of stopped when I got cancer,” she said. “But I truly mean this: Without cancer, I would have never found Flying Horse Farms. I would have never met my wonderful boyfriend; because I got sick I had to take time off from college (Bowling Green) and if I hadn’t had to do that, I would’ve never met him. All these blessings in my life … I’m eternally grateful for my illness, each and every day.

“Camp has gifted me with the opportunity to see the true definition of strength, courage and empowerment and I feel eternally blessed.”

Kersey considers her life wonderful, except for this one, nagging item. Kahne recently retired from NASCAR. She is heartbroken, having been drawn to Kahne, in part, because of his own charitable work through his Kasey Kahne Foundation.

“It’s easy to love NASCAR drivers because they do so many wonderful things in the world, in their communities,” Kersey said. “That’s why I’ve always chosen my favorite drivers because of what they do off the track.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

Roush Fenway Racing announced Tuesday that Scott Graves will serve as crew chief for the No. 6 Ford team and driver Ryan Newman next season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Graves most recently worked with Joe Gibbs Racing, which announced Oct. 9 his departure from the organization, effective immediately. Graves was atop the pit box for the No. 19 JGR team for the majority of the last two seasons with driver Daniel Suarez.

RELATED: Key players in Silly Season

The move marks a reunion for team owner Jack Roush, who employed Graves as a crew chief from 2012-15 and as a race engineer before that. Graves brought the Roush Fenway team an Xfinity Series championship with driver Chris Buescher in 2015, one year before he claimed the Xfinity crown with Suarez at JGR.

Graves replaces Matt Puccia, who has been crew chief for the No. 6 team since 2016.

“We are very pleased to bring Scott back to the fold,” team co-owner Jack Roush said in a news release from the team. “Scott is an exceptional talent atop the pit box and he has done an outstanding job throughout his career – with multiple championship campaigns attesting to that. He brings a strong engineering background to the table and we are excited about the opportunity to pair him with Ryan Newman going into the 2019 season.”

Newman was presented as the 2019 driver of Roush Fenway’s No. 6 on Sept. 22 at Richmond Raceway. The 40-year-old Newman is currently rounding out his fifth season with Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 team.

MORE: Newman joins Roush Fenway

Posted on by Staff Report

DGR-Crosley announced Monday that Kyle Benjamin will drive the team’s No. 17 Toyota in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway.

RELATED: Full schedule for Martinsville

Benjamin, 20, is set for his second career Truck Series start in Saturday’s Texas Roadhouse 200 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). The former NASCAR Next driver made his series debut at Martinsville in March, leading 74 laps and finishing second to race winner John Hunter Nemechek.

In other Truck Series news heading to the .526-mile Virginia track:

• GMS Racing announced through its social media channels that Timothy Peters will return to action this weekend in the No. 23 Chevrolet at his home track. Autos by Nelson will provide primary sponsorship.

Peters, the series’ most recent winner at Talladega Superspeedway, scored the first of his 11 victories in the series at Martinsville back in 2009.

• Jeb Burton will make his first Truck Series start of the season for start-up organization On Point Motorsports. The team announced that Strutmasters will be on board as a primary sponsor for Burton’s No. 30 Toyota.

Burton, 26, notched his first career Truck Series pole at Martinsville in 2013. His most recent taste of NASCAR national series competition has been three Xfinity Series starts this season for Richard Childress Racing.

On Point Motorsports, owned by Steven Lane, will be making its fourth start of the season. Scott Lagasse Jr. (two races) and Austin Theriault (one race) have also driven the No. 30 truck this year.

Posted on by H.A. Branham

Editor’s note: This week, NASCAR.com will profile the four finalists for the 2018 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Today: Carl Dakes.

Carl Dakes has been a devoted NASCAR fan for more than 40 years and can recite his own list of the sport’s basics:

American pride, family, friends — plus camping and tailgating.

That list, ultimately, is what brings Dakes to a yearly reunion of fans at Pocono Raceway. Along with an obvious commitment.

Dakes understands commitment. He has been volunteering for 18 years, a resume that has led to Dakes being named one of four finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Eighth Annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. He represents the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, Inc., a Catonsville, Maryland, organization that provides exceptional hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. Believe in Tomorrow has served children from all 50 states; nearly 2,500 children directly benefit from the foundation’s efforts each year.

VOTE: Cast your vote today!

The award, named in honor of the foundation’s late founder and chairwoman, honors NASCAR fans who are also accomplished volunteers working for children’s causes in their communities throughout the United States.

The award winner will be determined via an online fan vote that is running until Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. (ET) at NASCARfoundation.org/Award. The winner will be announced Nov. 29 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas. The NASCAR Foundation will donate $25,000 to the charities represented by the award finalists, with the winner’s charity receiving a $100,000 donation. Since the award’s inception, The NASCAR Foundation has impacted the lives of more than 260,000 children by providing more than $1.2 million in contributions to charities represented by finalists for the award.

Carl Dakes poses at Kansas
Rusty Jarrett

Dakes, of Harwood, Maryland, personally has volunteered time and resources to paint the eight different Believe in Tomorrow facilities in the Mid-Atlantic region. He has received Believe in Tomorrow’s most prestigious award, the Unsung Hero Award.

“Carl is an inspiration to other volunteers,” said Believe in Tomorrow President Brian Morrison.

RELATED: Four finalists named

Dakes is a commercial painting contractor and has approached the Believe in Tomorrow projects from a NASCAR state-of-mind, likening the different building jobs to paint schemes on race cars. It’s all about vibrant colors, dynamic design, individuality.

“I try to bring the two together, because of what I do for a living,” Dakes said. “In NASCAR, each car has to be different. So, when we do the respite homes, each one has to have its own identity. You want to make a house special for the family that is going to be coming there. I always wonder when people first walk in the house, especially teenagers, what they’re going to think when they enter. I know many parents who have lost their children, yet, they will take away the week or two weeks they spend at these respite homes as really, really valuable. It’s about making memories.

“NASCAR is dominated by color and so is Believe in Tomorrow and with my passion for color, I find they blend really easy. You take one, mix in the other and you come out with happiness.”

The happiness Dakes found being a devoted NASCAR fan initially surprised him somewhat. In the 1980s, a relative invited Dales and his wife to Pocono for a weekend of camping and racing. It was a transformative experience, the kind that turns casual fans into avid devotees.

“We just became hooked,” Dakes said. “And once it starts, the more people you meet, the more friends you get and the more exciting it gets each week, with every race.”

Posted on by NASCAR Foundation Release

eBay and NASCAR today launched their first joint charity sale giving fans the opportunity to bid on autographed memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime racing experiences.

Today through Nov. 1, fans can visit eBay.com/NASCAR and bid on 20 items including a chance to see who wins the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series live at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the chance to be a VIP at the 2019 Daytona 500.

In addition, fans can win meet and greets with seven-time NASCAR Champion Richard Petty, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano; as well as autographed memorabilia from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jeff Gordon and much more.

MORE: Click here to place your bid!

“NASCAR is synonymous with a truly passionate fan base, and eBay fuels this passion while helping people come together to make an impact,” said Suzy Deering, Chief Marketing Officer of eBay Americas. “We understand the apparel, memorabilia and merchandise are ways for fans to show allegiance for their favorite drivers – and show support for causes they believe in. In collaboration with the NASCAR community, eBay is now offering a wide-range of exclusive inventory that helps children finish first through programs of the NASCAR Foundation and our eBay for Charity platform. True to our mission of opportunity for all, eBay brings new ways for the racing community to give back to the next generation of fans.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds from each item will benefit The NASCAR Foundation’s programs for children.

The NASCAR Foundation believes every child should have a chance at a healthy life and deserves to get across the finish line. Through the Speediatrics Children’s Fund and Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, the Foundation is making children’s health and medical needs its top priority.

“We are thrilled to partner with eBay to provide these very unique items to their customers,” The NASCAR Foundation Executive Director, Nichole Krieger said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids. Funds raised through this auction will help us provide much needed healthcare services to children in our racing communities across the country.”

VIP experiences and signed racing memorabilia available include:

Experiences:

  • 2019 Daytona 500 VIP Experience
  • 2018 Homestead-Miami Speedway VIP Experience with NASCAR Suite Passes
  • Richard Petty Meet and Greet Experience
  • iRacing Experience with NASCAR Driver William Byron
  • Meet and Greet with NASCAR Driver Chase Elliott
  • NASCAR on NBC Sports Behind-the-Scenes Experience
  • Meet and Greet with NASCAR Driver Joey Logano
  • 2018 NASCAR Champion’s Week Package in Las Vegas, NV

Memorabilia:

  • American Ethanol Green Flag autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers
  • Martin Truex Jr. Autographed Side Panel Sheet Metal
  • Joey Logano Autographed Hood
  • Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Autographed Replica Full-Size Helmet
  • Ty Dillon Autographed Race-Used Firesuit
  • Helmet Visor signed by Richard Petty and Bubba Wallace
  • Paralyzed Veterans of America Hat Autographed by Brad Keselowski
  • Alex Bowman Autographed Diecast
  • Jeff Gordon Autographed 24EVER Framed Photo
  • NASCAR Replica Hood autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers
  • The Glass Case of Emotion autographed Poster
  • Full Size Replica Helmet autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers

Additionally, the autographed American Ethanol Flag and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Autographed Replica Helmet will be available to view at SEMA in Las Vegas from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 at booth no. 30219.

MORE: Click here to place your bid

Posted on by Reid Spencer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – With a handful of laps left in a pitched battle between Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson joined the party.

Larson needed a victory in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway to advance to the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and late in the race, he began making dramatic gains on Busch, who was running second, and Elliott, who held the lead.

Larson, however, stalled out in third place and saw his chance for a championship ended two positions short at the finish of a remarkable weekend for the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team.

RELATED: Race results | Playoff standings | Who’s in, Who’s out Round of 8

Larson wrecked his primary car two laps into Friday’s opening practice and qualified 27th in a backup. Because of the change to the backup car, he had to abandon his starting position and drop to the rear at the start of Sunday’s race.

By the end of the second stage, Larson had raced his way to sixth before mounting his charge in the late going.

Unlike in previous years, when quirky circumstances took him out of the playoffs, Larson could cite overall performance as the reason he didn’t advance to the Round of 8 this season.

“I’m actually glad that nothing stupid took us out of the playoffs this year,” Larson said. “We had that battery come out at Dover a couple years ago. Blew up an engine here last year.

“Obviously, I would have liked to have made it into the next round. But I’m glad it wasn’t anything other than just us not performing where we needed to be that kept us out of the next round.

“Just trying to figure out how to make our cars better. Try to figure out this new package we’re running next year, try to be prepared, good all season long.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Joe Gibbs strolled by his Toyota affiliate Martin Truex Jr. on pit road after the race, giving him a fist bump — complete with grandiose Super Bowl ring — saying, “You had me sweatin’!”

“Me too,” grinned a relieved Truex Jr., who narrowly advanced to the Round of 8 following a gritty fifth-place finish Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Welcome to the NASCAR Playoffs.

To think Truex Jr. — the defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and member of the dominant “Big 3” all season — would be in danger of elimination before we hit November is difficult to fathom. It speaks volumes about how unforgiving this playoff format, which debuted in 2014, can be.

And just how fascinating.

RELATED: Who’s in, Who’s out Round of 8 | Playoff standings

Coming into Sunday, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman were provisionally out of the Round of 8. Tracking the cut line throughout the race, we saw so many different scenarios playing out — Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch out … Clint Bowyer tip-toeing along the line … Blaney and Keselowski, essentially in must-win territory, spending a combined 35 laps at the front of the field.

In the end, the four cut remained the same going out as coming in, but, boy, was that fun to follow.

Fun for us, that is. Stressful for the guys behind the wheel and on the pit boxes.

“There’s a lot of pressure (in this format),” said Truex Jr., who now sits third in the playoff standings entering Sunday’s Round of 8 opener at Martinsville Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN). “There’s a lot that can happen, but at the end of the day, you can’t let the pressure get to you. You just have to go out and try to focus on your job and doing it the best you can.

“I wasn’t really (sweating), but I’m sure the guys on the box were. They’re sitting there looking at the numbers and looking at the times and they see what’s going on, but I don’t. I’m focused on what I’m doing inside the car and just trying to get everything I can every single lap. … As a team, we’ve been here before, so you can’t let the pressure dictate how you race and impact the decisions you make. You’ve got to be yourself and we’ve done that.”

RELATED: Blaney so close to advancing

And just take a look at the eight drivers that remain — with the exception of Chase Elliott, who’s as even-keeled and cool-under-pressure as the vets — every one of them has been racing at NASCAR’s top level for at least a decade. Experience matters. Nerve matters.

But so do playoff points.

“For the teams that start the playoffs with not many playoff points, you’re already at a pretty big deficit to those guys. You know you have to be perfect,” said Larson, who came up short despite finishing third. “Stage points are so important. That’s just kind of where us as a team, weren’t able to get really any stage points. We didn’t have any stage points until today. Only one stage out of the six stages.

“Can’t really expect to make it to the next round without being up front all race long. So that’s kind of where our round went wrong.”

And it can be as simple as that. Whatever it is — dropping the ball as pressure mounts, not accruing playoff points throughout the season or even one tiny slip-up on pit road, a brush with the wall late in the race — a driver’s shot at the title can vanish in the blink of an eye.

Both driver and team have to be perfect to win the Monster Energy Series title these days.

“(This playoff format) is tough,” Busch told NASCAR.com on pit road following the race. “You know, you race all year. Consistency is the way that I was raised, but you’ve got to race hard and get wins, get stage wins, get stage points. We had one pit stop today with an uncontrolled tire, and you hope your season isn’t on the line with one pit penalty. That’s the hard part about this setup.”

When all was said and done Sunday, the eight teams still in contention are arguably the eight that should be there, having combined to win 26 of the 32 races this season. The cream rises, etc.

It only gets harder from here, though, and Clint Bowyer put it best.

“Now there’s eight good teams left. I mean, there’s 16 good teams,” the Stewart-Haas Racing driver said after his 13th-place run was enough to advance.

“But these are eight damn-good teams.”

And we’re about to see them battle in four more damn-good races.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Coming into the Hollywood Casino 400 — the Round of 12 finale at Kansas Speedway — Ryan Blaney had a bit of an uphill climb for him to advance in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

The 24-year-old sat 22 points outside the final transfer spot at the start of Sunday’s action. He would need a big day to make it to the Round of 8.

He did have a big points day, earning 47 points — including 17 stage points — as he finished seventh in the race. However, it was not enough to move him into the next playoff round as he sat six points on the outside.

RELATED: Who’s in, who’s out

As the race unfolded — and thanks to the stage points — Blaney was above the cutline deep into the final stage. A scrape with the wall on Lap 204 while running third as he ran along the top line was a minor setback that proved costly as he lost a few spots over the final run and fellow playoff drivers Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch made up ground.

Those small moves — his scrape and the SHR drivers’ gains — were enough to push Blaney back below the cutline.

“I messed up and cost us a shot,” Blaney said afterward. “The whole 12 team deserves better than that. That was unfortunate on my part.”

MORE: Hear Blaney’s post-race reaction

Blaney has a history of strong runs at Kansas, and now has five top-seven finishes in eight career starts at the 1.5-mile track. That said, the young Team Penske star didn’t think he had the best car on the track before the contact with the wall.

“Obviously, it was a mistake I made trying to work hard to catch those guys and I pushed too hard and got in the fence,” Blaney said. “It is all my fault. Whether it would have worked out for us or not, I don’t know. I don’t think we had the speed the 9 (Chase Elliott, race winner) or 4 (Kevin Harvick, led 76 laps) had. The 9 was super fast.”

Blaney’s drive for stage points was apparent early as he shot right up to second from his qualifying spot of fourth on the opening lap. He took two tires on a pit stop under caution on Lap 62 to try to nab a stage win. He led eight laps in Stage 1 but was unable to hold off the four tires of teammate Joey Logano and he settled for third in that stage. He added a second-place finish in Stage 2 to contribute to his points total.

Despite not going as far in the playoffs in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford as he did in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford last season, Blaney still saw an uptick in his numbers with a chance to add to them with four races to go. His top fives (seven), top 10s (15), laps led (617) and average finish (14.4) are all career bests.

The day as a whole was a tough blow for Team Penske’s hopes of capturing a championship. Brad Keselowski, who won three races in a row in September, was eliminated from the playoffs following the Kansas race as well. Only Logano remains in the title hunt for the organization.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – It took 99 races for Chase Elliott to get his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Ten events later, the scion of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott has three wins, the latest coming at Kansas Speedway in the Sunday’s Round of 12 elimination race in the series playoffs.

Elliott took charge in the Hollywood Casino 400 when Kevin Harvick was hit with a pit road speeding penalty on his last green-flag pit stop on Lap 214 of 267. After inheriting the lead when Brad Keselowski came to pit road on Lap 224, Elliott stayed out front the rest of the way.

RELATED: Race results | Stages recap

Over the closing laps, runner-up Kyle Busch chopped Elliott’s three-second lead to .300 seconds but could get no closer.

Elliott crossed the finish line .903 seconds ahead of Busch, as Kyle Larson — needing a victory to advance to the Round of 8 — came up short with a desperation charge that carried him to third-place finish.

The victory was Elliott’s second in three weeks, as the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet made a statement entering the next round of the playoffs. To Elliott, the “overnight” success wasn’t a surprise.

“I thought last year we had a pretty solid run at it and didn’t win any, obviously, but had some really good runs,” Elliott said. “Just so proud of my race team and the pit stops we had today. (Crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) made some great calls.

“We just can’t get complacent. This is a huge time of year. We have a lot of work to do and a long way to go.”

Elliott was well aware Busch was gaining on him near the end of the race, but he was reluctant to run up against the outside wall, where Busch was gaining ground.

“I got really tight that last run, and especially the second half of the run, he was catching me, and he was making a lot of time right against the wall, and I was just afraid to get up there and put it in the fence and really ruin it,” Elliott said.

“I felt comfortable running down just slightly. I could move up a little bit to make some time when I had to; I just really didn’t want to do it if I didn’t absolutely have to.”

Fortunately for Elliott, Busch’s effort stalled out in the final five laps.

“We had a great race there at the end,” Busch said. “We were trying to chase down Chase. We were close. Got kind of there, then just the car died out, didn’t have any more to go. I was afraid that was going to happen. Good day for us.”

Elliott and Aric Almirola, who finished 10th on Sunday, already were guaranteed berths in the Round of 8, thanks to respective wins at Dover and Talladega. Harvick, who came home 12th after leading 76 laps, locked himself into the next round with a second-place result in Stage 1.

RELATED: Who’s in, who’s out Round of 8

Pole winner Joey Logano led a race-high 100 laps and cemented his position in the next round with a Stage 1 victory and an eighth-place finish. Kyle Busch and reigning series champion Martin Truex Jr. (fifth on Sunday) are still alive in the championship battle.

So, too, are Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch, as all four Stewart-Haas Racing drivers advanced to the Round of 8. Bowyer finished 14th after the nose of his No. 14 Ford sustained damage on restart from contact with Jimmie Johnson’s Chevrolet.

Kurt Busch made the next round despite a tire violation on pit road that cost him a lap. Busch finished 18th but ended the day six points ahead of Ryan Blaney for the last spot in the Round of 8. Blaney was third in Stage 1 and second in Stage 2 but slapped the wall on Lap 204, dropped to seventh at the checkers and finished six points behind Kurt Busch for the final berth.

RELATED: Blaney so close

“I’m really happy,” Kurt Busch said. “It’s exciting for us. It’s our goal to win the championship. We’re an elite eight team when we started Daytona and here we are — we did it. It was a rough day in the pits and on the track but we had enough points from the (Charlotte) Roval and our stage races.

“It was a rough day, and we need to put it quickly behind us. We’re back on even ground. We’re in the top eight, and Martinsville (next Sunday) is the path to the championship down in Homestead.”

Eliminated with Blaney were Larson, sixth-place finisher Brad Keselowski and ninth-place Alex Bowman, whose only path to the Round of 8 would have been a Kansas victory.

Erik Jones, who was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, scored his second fourth-place result in the past three races.

Note: The No. 42 car was found to have one lug nut not safe and secure during post-race inspection.