The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas this weekend to begin the Round of 8. Which drivers can clinch their spot in the Championship 4?
Only four races remain in 2022, and the penultimate round kicks off this weekend. The final eight drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs will go all-in this weekend with the series heading to Las Vegas for the beginning of the Round of 8. Half of the remaining drivers will see their playoff hopes end after this round. For the other four, it’s a berth in the Championship 4 and a chance to win the title in Phoenix.
The road ahead may seem simple, but how we got here is anything but. Last week’s race at the Charlotte Roval saw a roller coaster of emotions as drivers constantly swayed above and below the cutline, keeping everybody on their toes.
Let’s set the scene for the final restart: Christopher Bell, needing a win to advance, starts in second behind Kevin Harvick and has fresh tires. Kyle Larson is several laps down with a broken toe link and is helpless to what will unfold as he’s just a couple of points in the clear. Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe are right on the cutline, needing to gain spots to be safe.
Bell makes quick work of Harvick, and coasts to a win to clinch his spot. Meanwhile, Cindric’s hopes are dashed as he falls out of contention with a spin at the first chicane. It’s now down to Briscoe and Larson. Briscoe has fresh tires and needs just a few passes to clinch his spot. He then does just that, driving the laps of his life en route to a top-10 finish, eliminating the defending champion.
Stewart-Haas Racing Under Scrutiny
Briscoe was already safe early into the final lap. What specifically caught some eyes was his massive lunge into the first chicane that cemented his spot passing another two cars. It appeared as if he threw on some Formula 1 brakes momentarily given the speed difference into the chicane. Turns out, he had some help. Briscoe’s teammate Cole Custer brake-checked the car behind him, severely slowing both of their speeds into the chicane and allowing Briscoe to coast past.
NASCAR noticed that Custer’s crew chief Mike Shiplett told him on the radio that he had a flat, and to check up. The problem though was Shiplett couldn’t see the car, and it became clear that it was an effort to help Briscoe advance.
As a result, Custer received a 50-point penalty and was fined $100,000. Shiplett also received a $100,000 fine and an indefinite suspension. You can take a look at the incident below.
Here's the No. 41 team's radio communication during the final lap at Charlotte. #RaceHub pic.twitter.com/lb9p8IbKoL
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 11, 2022
The Track
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval that opened in 1996 and debuted on the Cup Series schedule in 1998. It’s an annual fixture on the calendar, and it gained a second yearly Cup Series race in 2018. Jimmie Johnson holds the track record with four wins, while Kurt Busch set the fastest Cup Series lap on the track with a 27.505-second time in 2016. The track has also hosted IndyCar and is accompanied on the same lot by a drag strip, dirt track, and short track.
The track features progressive banking in its turns. Near the bottom of the track, it has shallower banking of 12 degrees. As you go up the track toward the outside wall, the banking progressively increases up to 20 degrees. This feature was implemented in 2006 in order to help increase side-by-side racing.
Sunday’s race will be 400 miles long run over 267 laps. Stage 1 will be 80 laps, Stage 85, and Stage 3 the final 102 laps of the race.
Playoff Standings
Only eight drivers remain, and now spots in the Championship 4 are on the line. Here are where things stand before NASCAR in Las Vegas.
IN:
- Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports – 4046 points
- Joey Logano, Team Penske – 4026 points
- Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing – 4021 points
- Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing – 4018 points
———-PLAYOFF CUTLINE———-
OUT:
- Ryan Blaney, Team Penske – 4015 points
- William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports – 4015 points
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing – 4013 points
- Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing – 4009 points
Race Predictions – NASCAR at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin is the favorite, but this week I’m backing his teammate to ride into victory lane. Christopher Bell came up clutch with a win last week to advance. I think he makes it two in a row to clinch a spot in the Championship 4.
- Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
- Joey Logano, Team Penske
How To Watch – South Point 400 (All Times EST)
- Practice/Qualifying: Saturday, October 15 – 12:05 p.m. – USA
- South Point 400: Sunday, October 16 – 2:30 p.m. – USA
