The dozen drivers who advanced to the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs saw Kansas Speedway as a relatively straightforward test, given the potential chaos looming at Talladega and the unpredictability of the road course at Charlotte.

For most of them, it turned out to be a test of survival.

Just about everyone aside from Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron, who finished second to Ross Chastain, and Alex Bowman had to overcome problems Sunday. They ranged from loose lugnuts to handling issues to complete engine changes, amd put the championship contenders in a position where they simply wanted to maximize an otherwise bad day.

Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott also managed to salvage top-10 runs after weekend misfortune.

Bell qualified on the pole at Kansas for the third straight time, and he was dominating Stage 1 and on his way to valuable playoff points when he bounced off the wall. He bounced off it again later in the race, eventually finishing seventh.