****

In Sunday’s dramatic Bank of America ROVAL 400 NASCAR Cup Series cutoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, four drivers were eliminated from playoff contention. Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, and Chase Briscoe saw their hopes dashed, with Logano being the only one among them having a reasonable chance to advance via points by the end of the day.

The race was a roller-coaster of strategies and mishaps. Tyler Reddick initially shone bright, winning the first stage. However, pit strategy decisions dropped him into the middle of the pack as the second stage began. Soon after, a collision with Denny Hamlin and a bounce on the curb further complicated his race. Despite these setbacks, Reddick persistently maneuvered his No. 45 Toyota from the mid-20s to an 11th-place finish, accumulating enough points to advance past Logano.

Kyle Larson emerged victorious on the day, securing more playoff points with his win. Before the last stage at the Roval began, Larson, Christopher Bell, and William Byron had already clinched their spots in the next playoff round.

As the NASCAR Cup Series moves forward to Las Vegas, the playoff picture resets for the Round of 8. With three races remaining in this critical stage, Larson holds a strong position at the top, leading with a 33-point advantage.