KEVIN HARVICK

Christopher Bell worked his way into NASCAR’s championship round the only way he could, winning at Martinsville Speedway to claim a spot in the finale.

Ryan Blaney will get his crew chief back for the most important weekend of his NASCAR season after an untimely suspension.

Bubba Wallace is missing Sunday’s NASCAR race, and that’s evidently not his only sanction after losing his cool in Las Vegas last weekend.

The focus in NASCAR has yet to shift to the actual playoff racing as only three events remain to crown a new Cup champion. But as the series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway, the conversation over safety concerns has shifted to retaliation and what is over the line. Wallace had to apologize to Bell and the entire Toyota group of teams and drivers, and the incident now follows NASCAR into the middle race of the third round of the playoffs. “I think (NASCAR is) trying to get the ball back in their court to where they have a little more control probably. Briscoe is not alone in believing NASCAR had to act on the Wallace incident.

The focus in NASCAR has yet to shift to the actual playoff racing as only three events remain to crown a new Cup champion.

The focus in NASCAR has yet to shift to the actual playoff racing as only three events remain to crown a new Cup champion. Bubba Wallace has been suspended for Sunday’s race for intentionally wrecking reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson last week in a dangerous act of retaliation that NASCAR and most of Wallace's competitors found over the line. Retaliation has been an ongoing issue across all three of NASCAR's national series this season with drivers either seeking payback on the track or after in physical confrontations.

Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell shared a flight home from Las Vegas, and Wallace apologized during the trip to his fellow Toyota teammate for the incident that crippled Bell’s championship chances.

NASCAR has held a second consecutive meeting with its Cup drivers to discuss their safety concerns with the new Next Gen car.

NASCAR champion Kurt Busch says he won't be back for the rest of the season because of a concussion and also will not compete full-time in 2023.

With his team still appealing $200,000 in fines and allegations from NASCAR that Stewart-Haas Racing manipulated the finish of NASCAR's most recent playoff race, co-owner Tony Stewart opted to not discuss that Wednesday. “I’m not going to talk about it," Stewart said. NASCAR said Tuesday that a review of data and team communications showed that Stewart-Haas manipulated the results of the playoff elimination race at Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — NASCAR hit Stewart-Haas Racing with an additional $200,000 in fines Tuesday after ruling Cole Custer and the No. 41 team manipulated the final lap of the playoff elimination race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Briscoe finished ninth, good enough to bump reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson from the playoffs as the field was trimmed from 12 drivers to eight. Briscoe earned the eighth and final spot in the next round of the playoffs by two points over Larson. SHR was already appealing Harvick's penalties and said Tuesday it would appeal the latest penalties.

NASCAR hit Stewart-Haas Racing with an additional $200,000 in fines after ruling Cole Custer and the No. 41 team manipulated the final lap of the playoff elimination race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR said a review of data and team communications showed that Stewart-Haas Racing manipulated the results of the playoff elimination race at Charlotte, an infraction that drew an additional $200,000 in fines on Tuesday. “Nothing contradicted that that was done deliberately," NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller said of Cole Custer slowing on the backstretch of the final lap to help teammate Chase Briscoe gain the positions needed to advance into the next round of the playoffs. The new penalties brings SHR's monetary fines to $300,000 over the last week; Kevin Harvick, one of the most outspoken drivers about safety concerns with NASCAR's new Next Gen car, was penalized along with his crew chief when his Ford failed a post-Talladega inspection.

Christopher Bell scored a walk-off victory at the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday. He needed the win to lock in a position in the Round of 8.

Christopher Bell saved his title chances with an overtime win Sunday on the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a stunning finish that knocked reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson from the playoffs.

NASCAR says it had a productive test of its new car and promised drivers that solutions to some of their safety concerns should be implemented by next season.

NASCAR on Wednesday levied a heavy fine against Kevin Harvick, one of the most outspoken drivers about safety concerns on the Next Gen car, for alleged modifications found on his Ford at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR docked both Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing 100 points each, fined crew chief Rodney Childers $100,000 and suspended Childers for the next four races. NASCAR said the penalties were for “modification of a single source supplied part.”

NASCAR announced Wednesday that Kevin Harvick had been penalized 100 points and his crew chief Rodney Childers would be suspended for four of the five remaining races of the season because of illegal car modifications at Talladega. Harvick’s car was one of the two cars from Sunday’s race taken back to NASCAR’s R&D center for further inspection. Penalties for modifications to the 2022 Cup Series car are significant because of the numerous single-source parts used. Teams are essentially building kit cars from the same parts and pieces instead of building cars from parts they built in-house. Harvick finished 33rd in the playoff opener because his car randomly caught fire as he was racing on track.

NASCAR drivers are angry and concerned about their safety in the new Next Gen cars as the playoffs roar into one of the most chaotic and dangerous tracks on the circuit. They have been concerned since an exaggerated tale emerged of an ominous NASCAR crash test of the Next Gen at Talladega in 2021. Andy Petree, vice president of competition at Richard Childress Racing, said NASCAR has been receptive to feedback. NASCAR and the teams.” He also urged NASCAR to pick up its pace in investigating the issues. Additionally, the first four playoff races have been won by drivers not racing for the championship.

NASCAR drivers are angry and concerned about their personal safety as the playoffs roar into one of the most chaotic and dangerous tracks on the circuit.

NASCAR drivers are angry and concerned about their safety in the new Next Gen cars as the playoffs roar into one of the most chaotic and dangerous tracks on the circuit. Alex Bowman will miss Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway with a concussion diagnosed four days after he crashed. Bowman hit the wall early at Texas Motor Speedway but finished Sunday's race despite radioing his Hendrick Motorsports crew: “I can't drive the rest of the day.”

Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in NASCAR’s playoff with a victory at Texas.

Ryan Blaney will be missing his crew chief and two other crew members for four of the final seven races of the NASCAR Cup Series season. NASCAR announced before the season that any driver that loses a wheel would have three crew members suspended for four races. While the mistake cost Harvick a chance at the win and potential advancement in the playoffs, no crew members for Harvick were suspended on Tuesday. The suspensions also mean that Blaney won’t have his crew chief or the other two pit crew members for the entirety of the second round of the playoffs. The top eight drivers in the playoff standings after the second round will move on to the third round and Blaney’s crew members are eligible to return for the Oct. 23 race at Homestead.

Kevin Harvick said Stewart-Haas Racing would have been much more aggressive in its pursuit of Kyle Busch for the 2023 season and beyond if he was in charge at the organization. Busch announced Tuesday that he was heading to Richard Childress Racing next season after racing for Joe Gibbs Racing since 2008. Harvick also knows that signing Busch was much more than a simple Cup Series team commitment. Busch is keeping his Truck Series team Kyle Busch Motorsports in business and the team is switching to Chevrolet in 2023. SHR is a Ford team and Ford doesn’t have the presence in the Truck Series that Chevy does.

At least a dozen of the playoff drivers had some sort of problem with NASCAR’s new Next Gen car Saturday night at Bristol.

Kyle Busch deserved better than two failed Toyota engines in the first round of NASCAR's playoffs. Truex also referred back to Kevin Harvick's words after his car caught fire in the opening playoff race at Darlington three weeks ago.

Chris Buescher closed out a bizarre first round of NASCAR’s playoffs in which none of the title contenders won a race by becoming the 19th winner this season with his victory Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Ross Chastain, the driver with a growing list of enemies, heads into the first elimination race of NASCAR's playoffs in a pretty comfortable position above the cutline. It's Kyle Busch, and Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick, who are trying to stave off elimination Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I can’t speak for what other people are thinking,” Chastain said before Friday's practice and qualifying at Bristol. Hamlin had already declared “I've reached my peak” with Chastain before his aggressive retaliation forced Chastain into the wall. Elliott called for a more compact schedule, more night races, and argued against NASCAR continuing its season into November and going head-to-head with the NFL.

Ross Chastain heads into the first elimination race of NASCAR’s playoffs in a pretty comfortable position above the cutline.

And the co-owner with Michael Jordan of Wallace's car at 23XI Racing managed to whittle about a tenth of a second off the No. Hamlin ultimately ran out of time, and Wallace took the checkered flag in the same car that Kurt Busch won with at Kansas earlier this year. William Byron, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez — all in the playoff hunt — rounded out the top 10. Wallace also won during last year's playoffs at Talladega, when he was likewise out of the title picture. And his win came after Erik Jones, who likewise missed out on the postseason, won a week ago at Darlington.

Bubba Wallace won his second career NASCAR Cup Series race and denied the playoff field of an automatic spot in the next round for the second straight week when he held off championship contenders Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell to win at Kansas Speedway.

Erik Jones took the lead when Kyle Busch’s engine blew up, then pulled away from Denny Hamlin after a final restart 20 laps from the end to win the opening NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Darlington Raceway on Sunday night.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — (AP) — Austin Dillon avoided a massive wreck in the rain to win at Daytona International Speedway and snag a playoff spot in the Cup Series’ regular-season finale Sunday. Blaney finished seven spots behind Truex in the race but three points ahead in the standings. That allowed Austin Dillon, who started the day 19th in points, to essentially steal a playoff spot. Blaney started the day third in points and had the best chance of landing one of the two postseason spots up for grabs. That created a second open spot at Daytona, where 15 guys entered the day with postseason hopes.

Austin Dillon avoided a massive wreck in the rain to win at Daytona International Speedway and snag a playoff spot in the Cup Series’ regular-season finale.

“At this point, a win’s a win, right? That’s racin’, right?” Harvick grinned. The 60th Cup victory of his career tied Harvick with Kyle Busch for ninth all-time in NASCAR. To have Earnhardt in reach brings Harvick full circle: He replaced Earnhardt following Earnhardt's fatal 2001 crash in the Daytona 500. A crash at Gateway in June dropped Harvick to 13th in the standings and on the bubble of not making the playoffs.

Kevin Harvick has surged into title contention with a two-race winning streak that has revived the 2014 NASCAR champion.

Harvick's victory also kept alive the intriguing battle for the final playoff position with two races remaining in the regular season. The 15 winners this year have all likely claimed playoff berths unless there are new winners when the series moves to Watkins Glen and then Daytona. Joey Logano, who led for 221 of the 400 laps, faded to sixth, followed by Martin Truex Jr. Ryan Blaney was 10th. Blaney and Truex are the top two drivers in points hoping to make the 16-driver playoffs without a victory. Thanks to stage points, Blaney increased his lead from 19 points to 26 over Truex for the final playoff spot, assuming there is not a 16th different winner.

Kevin Harvick took the lead from Joey Logano with 66 laps to go and held off Christopher Bell at Richmond Raceway on Sunday for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Kevin Harvick may be stamping himself as the man to beat in NASCAR. The 2014 series champion took the lead from Joey Logano with 66 laps to go and held off Christopher Bell at Richmond Raceway on Sunday for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory. Harvick, who ended a 65-race drought last week at Michigan, won for the 60th time, the fourth time at Richmond and first time on the 0.75-mile oval since 2013.

Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. are the favorites as they battle for position to make NASCAR’s playoffs.

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NASCAR Michigan Auto Racing Kevin Harvick celebrates with his daughter Piper after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. “I think some of those guys that have won races that hadn’t been doing very good, it creates a real scenario to where there could be at least 16 winners. Fifteen different drivers have won races this year. “We're racing 19 (Cindric) — obviously for points — and try to win the race," Blaney said after making a late pass to finish fifth. Harvick gave Ford its first Cup win in two months and fifth of the season to pull into a second-place tie with Toyota.

NASCAR just got more interesting down the stretch.

NASCAR Michigan Auto Racing Kevin Harvick celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya)BROOKLYN, Mich. — (AP) — Kevin Harvick got his groove back, fittingly at one of his favorite tracks. Harvick ended a 65- race winless drought that lasted nearly two years with his sixth victory at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Harvick had not won since claiming a NASCAR Cup Series postseason race on Sept. 19, 2020, at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I can't buy a break right now," said Busch, who was the favorite to win the race, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

Kevin Harvick got his groove back, fittingly at one of his favorite tracks.

There was no masking Richard Childress’ anger when he learned that star driver Tyler Reddick was leaving his race team.

Tyler Reddick closed the best month of his NASCAR career with a victory in overtime on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Christopher Bell crashed the NASCAR playoffs, winning Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to become the 14th Cup Series winner this season.

Denny Hamlin was awarded the pole at Nashville Superspeedway when a surprise rain shower washed out the second round of qualifying.

Daniel Suárez became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday on Sonoma Raceway.

Joey Logano jockeyed for the lead with Kyle Busch in overtime, got around him for good just before the white flag flew and cruised to the victory Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway.

And he won a Truck Series race in 2010, just before the track was shuttered amid an economic downturn. It was resurrected by local businessman Curtis Francois and has grown and evolved over the past decade, leading to the return not only of the Truck Series but IndyCar and, for the first time Sunday, NASCAR's premier series. While two dozen drivers in the field have experience at Gateway, Harvick is among nine that have won at the track in the Xfinity or Truck series. Thousands of fans came out for the first practice session Friday night, and they were out early Saturday for Cup qualifying with 30,000-plus expected for the afternoon Truck race. “It just helped me in finding my way to the track,” Tyler Reddick said of his own experience in three Truck Series races at Gateway.

NASCAR is bringing its top series to World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis for the first time this weekend.

“The (Next Gen) car has less side force and less general downforce,” Hamlin said of all the wrecks. Just chaos.”Cup veteran Kevin Harvick expected as much after seeing the uncertainty the Next Gen car has brought this season. “To me, that was the most fun Charlotte race I’ve ever ran,” Briscoe said. You could throw sliders.”He offered high praise for the Next Gen car, too. I’d do another 600 miles for sure.”Hamlin acknowledged there is still a lot that teams needs to learn about the Next Gen car but said that will come in time.

NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 was many things.

Denny Hamlin held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in overtime to win the longest — and perhaps wildest — Coca-Cola 600 in history.

Larson dominated the Coca-Cola 600 by leading 327 of 400 laps in Hendrick Motorsports' 269th career victory — pushing HMS past Petty Enterprises for the record. The group won three straight Cup races and the All-Star race to gain the needed confidence and momentum for its title run. Larson wound up winning 10 races in all and ultimately his first Cup title. “That was so cool to get Mr. (Rick) Hendrick that historic win," Larson said of last year's win at the Coca-Cola 600. Hopefully, we can have the same type of performance this weekend.”But repeating at the Coca-Cola 600 is not easy.

Kyle Larson is hoping a return to victory lane at the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday might propel him to a second straight NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Ryan Blaney had to go two extra laps after thinking he had already won NASCAR's All-Star race and $1 million.

Joey Logano bumped leader William Byron from behind and into the wall on the next to last lap to win the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday.

DARLINGTON, S.C. — (AP) — Former NASCAR Cup Series champions Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick will start at the rear of the field Sunday at Darlington Raceway. Elliott and Harvick had Saturday in practice. Logano reached 170.720 mph and turned a fast lap of 28.805 seconds to clinch the top spot in qualifying, edging Kyle Larson. Elliott, Harvick and Hamlin couldn't say the same. Harvick blew a left-rear tire in practice and did enough damage that he was unable to make a qualifying attempt.

Rain postponed Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway to Monday.

Kyle Busch won at Bristol Motor Speedway over the weekend to tie Richard Petty for at least one victory in 18 consecutive seasons.

NASCAR had held 10 previous Cup races on Easter Sunday in its history, but all because of weather-related rescheduling. What the new audience saw was a rain-interrupted mass of confusion because few drivers seemed to understand the rules during the stoppage. Kyle Busch was among many drivers who did not pit — perhaps because they assumed they'd move up in the running order. The confusion up and down pit road indicated few had a clear grasp of the procedures, which at Bristol differed from all other Cup races. But NASCAR's return to Bristol dirt had controversy even before the rain; NASCAR called the cars to pit road early to have mud removed from their grilles and their windshields cleaned.

Kyle Busch slipped past the spinning cars of Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe to steal his first Cup win of the season Sunday night on slick, wet, dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway.

In scheduling Bristol for Easter, NASCAR stripped the premier Cup Series of all but one off weekend spanning from February until November. The conversion of Bristol to a dirt track last year was the first Cup race on dirt in 50 years. But NASCAR had early experience on the surface prior to the Modern Era with 501 races on dirt from 1949 to 1970. Jim Roper in a Lincoln won the first Cup Series race on dirt in 1948 on 0.75-mile Charlotte (Old) Speedway. ... NASCAR has had 77 different drivers win on dirt, led by Hall of Famer Lee Petty with 46 victories.

Joey Logano has had his share of conflict during a career that began with his appointment as “Sliced Bread” upon arrival.

But he heads to Martinsville Speedway coming off a second-place finish that showed Harvick still has plenty in his tank. He's 46 years old, after all, and in his 22nd full NASCAR season. It's been NASCAR's younger drivers who have been fastest to adapt to the new Next Gen car, with Harvick among the veterans still trying to figure it out. From what he's seen of the Next Gen so far, Harvick expects a good deal of bumping and banging Saturday night. “You just have to be mentally prepared to know that there is going to be contact as you go through that race,” Harvick said.

Kevin Harvick is a fading star trying to keep pace in a NASCAR that now seems more suited for younger drivers.

RICHMOND, Va. — (AP) — Denny Hamlin ran down William Byron with five laps to go Sunday and ended the slowest start to his career with a victory in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway. He then held off a challenge from Kevin Harvick, a three-time winner at Richmond. Just drove as hard as I could,” Hamlin said after climbing from his car, crediting his team for not giving up. “There was no doubt in my mind, maybe just a little, but they got this car right there towards the end. Harvick was second, followed by Byron, Truex and Kyle Larson.

Denny Hamlin ran down William Byron with five laps to go and ended the slowest start to a season of his career with a victory in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway.

Chase Briscoe raced to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory, executing two great restarts over the final 20 laps to pull away from Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

Tyler Reddick is enjoying his status among NASCAR’s fastest drivers through the season’s first three races.

NASCAR Clash Auto Racing Competitors race around the track during a practice session at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Los Angeles, ahead of a NASCAR exhibition auto race. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES — (AP) — Kevin Harvick has twice raced a stock car through the streets of Los Angeles. He watched Mickey Thompson's super trucks on television when they raced inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The race track didn’t fly up. The race doesn’t even matter.”Nope, the Busch Light Clash scheduled for Sunday night is not your grandfather's race.

Before he headed onto the track for the biggest race of his career, Kyle Larson heard Mario Andretti praise him as one of the most well-rounded drivers in all of motorsports.

The NASCAR championship will pit Rick Hendrick against Joe Gibbs as both team owners put a pair of drivers in the final four.

Kyle Larson drove to his ninth victory of the season and most meaningful to date in his new job with Hendrick Motorsports.

A conversation on driver code and on-track etiquette is raging in NASCAR, and with it comes debate about the expectations of non-playoff drivers.

Tensions are high at every level of NASCAR as its grueling, 11-month season enters the homestretch with three weeks remaining to crown three series champions. All eyes had been on feuding drivers Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick, but NASCAR last week demanded the they knock it off — a directive that sucked all the drama out of what could have been a nail-biting rivalry capable of derailing Elliott's shot at a second consecutive Cup Series title. Are drivers taking too many risks trying to make it to the championship round?

The third round of NASCAR's playoffs are getting started in Texas.

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It's the kind of trolling that typically would infuriate Harvick and incite another round of retaliation in his raging feud with Elliott. Harvick was eliminated last week when he wrecked himself as Elliott closed in on his rear bumper. Harvick had wrecked Elliott earlier in the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway as payback for Elliott costing him a win three weeks earlier at Bristol. Elliott then delivered his verbal jab, team owner Rick Hendrick called on NASCAR to intervene, and NASCAR ultimately shut it down. Joey Logano, himself involved in his own share of past feuds, was right in front of Elliott when Harvick wrecked him at Charlotte.

NASCAR has ordered a cease fire in the feud between Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick, warning of severe consequences if the two drivers continue to tangle on the track.

It only took about a day after Chase Elliott wished Kevin Harvick “a merry offseason and Happy Christmas” for NASCAR's reigning champion to get the zinger on merchandise on his official website. It's the kind of trolling that typically would infuriate Harvick and incite another round of retaliation in his raging feud with Elliott. Elliott need not worry: NASCAR squashed this rivalry in a conference call with both teams before the drivers even arrived at Texas Motor Speedway for Sunday's opening race of the third round of the playoffs.

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A 30-second stretch at the end of the first half in the Miles City-Laurel game Friday stole two of the top three spots in this week's edition of Gamechangers.

When Harvick delivered his payback, it nearly knocked the reigning NASCAR champion out of the playoffs. Rick Hendrick thought so after a heartburn-inducing Sunday at the racetrack located five minutes from race team headquarters. NASCAR can handle it.”The boss watched for 109 laps as the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers dipped up and down below the playoff elimination cutline. Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman had early electrical issues that could have ruined their races, and when Elliott was nearly sabotaged by a vengeful Harvick, Hendrick had seen enough. The two argued after the race and Harvick vowed to make it difficult on Elliott the rest of the year.

Harvick laid in wait to deliver his payback on Elliott for Elliott costing him a win at Bristol three weeks ago. The retaliation came about halfway through the race when Harvick sent Elliott into the wall — a wreck that put Elliott on the verge of elimination. GMS RACINGTy Dillon will return to full-time competition next season as the driver for GMS Racing in its inaugural Cup season. The car number dates to the 1990s when current GMS Racing president Mike Beam partnered with Bill Elliott to form Bill Elliott Racing to field the No. The original Bill Elliott Racing shop is still a current part of the GMS Racing facility.

Those were the angry words Harvick had for Elliott after the race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Saturday, Sept. 18, where a feud no one saw coming took center stage. The steadiest guy in the garage is winless this season — he's on a 38-race losing streak — and needs a big day at Charlotte Motor Speedway to avoid playoff elimination. The field will be trimmed from 12 to eight after this race, and Harvick lags nine points below the final transfer position. “I’m kind of a creature of habit, do the same things on a weekly basis, and it’s just another race,” Harvick said. In three starts on the Roval, Elliott has not finished lower than sixth.

LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Denny Hamlin will reach the third round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs next month having faced the make-or-break pressure of the postseason only twice. Two playoff races, two tickets punched — and four ensuing opportunities to race with no weight on Hamlin's shoulders. “It’s just such an advantage to win any race in the playoffs, but certainly the first race of any round,” said Chris Gabehart, Hamlin’s crew chief. Before Sunday's race in Vegas, Harvick compared his dialogue with Elliott to a conversation with his own 9-year-old son, Keelan. “From my standpoint, it’s a free pass to go there and try to lead every lap (and) win the race,” Hamlin said.

Instead, all four Hendrick drivers go to Las Vegas with their title chances still intact and Larson returning to the site of his first victory of the season. “Las Vegas has been incredible for us,” Keselowski said. That’s really what it boils down to this time of year.”ODDS AND ENDSLarson is the 10-3 favorite to win at Las Vegas, according to FanDuel. ... UFC President Dana White, country music recording artist Matt Stell and comedian Jim Breuer are among the headliners for Las Vegas pre-race activities. ... Keselowski leads all active drivers at Las Vegas with three victories.

In fact, moving forward in NASCAR's playoffs, Harvick plans to run all over the reigning Cup champion. Those were the angry words Harvick had for Elliott after Saturday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where a feud no one saw coming took center stage. But when an aggressive sequence for the lead — and probably the race win — resulted in a flat tire for Elliott, he made sure to exact his revenge. If Elliott wasn't going to win the playoff race, then Harvick wasn't going to victory lane, either. He was celebrating as Harvick and Elliott jawed with each other on pit road, Elliott wagging his finger in Harvick's helmet-protected face.

In fact, moving forward in NASCAR's playoffs, Harvick plans to run all over the reigning Cup Series champion. Elliott is NASCAR's most popular driver and the defending Cup champion doesn't really make waves on the racetrack.

BRISTOL, Tenn. — (AP) — Kyle Larson denied Kevin Harvick his first win of the season with a masterful pass at Bristol Motor Speedway that was overshadowed Saturday night by a post-race skirmish between Harvick and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott. Elliott led a race-high 175 laps but Harvick passed him with 33 laps to go in an aggressive sequence in which their cars touched. It caused a flat tire on Elliott's Chevrolet while Harvick was able to drive away unscathed. The slowdown gave Larson a chance to close the gap and Larson made the race-winning move with four laps remaining. But as the eliminated drivers sulked over their fate and Larson celebrated on the frontstretch, Harvick and Elliott fumed on pit road.

Kyle Larson won at Bristol Motor Speedway — not really a big surprise or even the most interesting part of NASCAR's first playoff elimination race. The post-race feud between reigning Cup Series champion Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick stole the show Saturday night, especially when Harvick angrily told the energized crowd: “I’m ready to freakin' rip somebody’s head off." The fickle crowd struggled to pick a side before settling firmly behind Elliott, NASCAR's most popular driver.