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Larson Overcomes Mechanical Issues to Win at Charlotte Roval

Ky.e Larson rallied from his early electrical issues Sunday to win for the seventh time this season and storm into the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

It ended a topsy-turvy day for Hendrick Motorsports in which Larson and Chase Elliott advanced, Alex Bowman and William Byron were eliminated, and Elliott was nearly sabotaged by a vengeful Kevin Harvick.

 

Rick Hendrick first began to worry when Larson and Bowman had electrical issues at nearly same time.

 

By the time reigning Cup champion Elliott was deliberately crashed by Harvick and nearly knocked out of the playoffs, Hendrick had seen enough destruction.

 

Harvick laid in wait to deliver payback on Elliott for Elliott costing him a win at Bristol three weeks ago and the retaliation came at about the halfway mark. Harvick sent Elliott into the wall and on the verge of playoff elimination.

 

Just as the crews for Larson and Bowman had done earlier to salvage their races, Elliott’s No. 9 team went to work and got the driver back into contention. And even with his bumper flapping in the wind off the back of his Chevrolet, Elliott drove through the field and into position to ruin another day for Harvick.

 

The team said on their radio Elliott should wreck Harvick if given the chance and maybe that caused Harvick to worry. As Elliott closed on Harvick as they hurtled into the first turn with 10 laps remaining, Harvick botched the entry almost as if he was defensively driving in his rearview mirror

 

Harvick drove directly into the wall, crumpled the front of his Ford and the crowd erupted as Elliott cruised through the crash scene. Just like that, 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 admit to wrecking Elliott as payback for Bristol, but he didn’t deny it, either.

 

On the day he made his 750th career start, he finished 33rd and was eliminated along with Christopher Bell, Byron and Bowman.

 

Larson, meanwhile, had plunged to 36th when he began to lose power. The lengthy stops to change the battery and the alternator belt saved his race and staved off his own startling flirtation with an early playoff exit.

 

Larson became the first driver in NASCAR history to win three road course races in a season. He passed Denny Hamlin for the lead with eight laps remaining to become the first driver since Kasey Kahne in 2006 to win both the Coca-Cola 600 in May and Charlotte’s fall race in the same season.

 

The opening race of the third round of the playoffs Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch is the defending race winner.

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