CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Kyle Larson rallied from early electrical issues to win for the seventh time this season and storm into the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs.
Larson’s victory on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway ended a topsy-turvy day for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott moved into the round of eight, but Alex Bowman and William Byron were eliminated and Elliott was nearly sabotaged by a vengeful Kevin Harvick.
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, AP reported.
But his No. 9 team got Elliott back into contention – even with his bumper flapping in the wind off the back of his Chevrolet – and he drove through the field and into position to ruin another day for Harvick.
Elliott and his crew had said over their public team radio that Elliott should wreck Harvick if he got close to him again on Sunday and as they hurtled into the first turn with 10 laps remaining, perhaps Harvick began to worry.
He botched the entry, almost as if he was looking in his rearview mirror, and drove directly into the wall in a hard hit that crumpled the entire front end of his Ford. The crowd roared its approval as Elliott cruised through the crash scene and Harvick’s title run came to its earliest end since the elimination format began in 2014.
Harvick had advanced to the third round the past seven years and all the way to the title race five times. He didn’t exactly say he wrecked Elliott as payback for Bristol but didn’t deny it, either.
“Sometimes real life teaches you good lessons,” Harvick said.
On the day he made his 750th career start, he finished 33rd and was eliminated along with Christopher Bell, Byron and Bowman.
When asked if the two are now even, Harvick simply walked away.
Elliott subtly masked his pleasure.
“As far as Kevin goes, I just want to wish them a merry offseason and a happy Christmas,” Elliott said.
