Ross Chastain held off William Byron in a thrilling finish to win the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 at Kansas Speedway. Chastain missed out on the post-season after a tough season but recorded his first win of the year as he saw off all those battling for the championship. Byron put up the best fight, pushing him right to the checkered flag but being unable to find a way through.
Veteran Kyle Busch, who also missed out on the playoffs entirely after a nightmare season, looked like he might be on track for victory. He led the race with just 32 laps remaining when he spun out, prematurely ending his day and setting up a big finish. Chase Elliott survives early NASCAR scare during lap 1 wreck at Kansas Kyle Larson scrubs wall and blows right rear tire in scary near-repeat of ATL One caution led to another as Carson Hocevar spun shortly after the restart.
It set up a 20-lap showdown for the finish with Ross Chastain and Martin Truex Jr. restarting on the front row eyeing their first wins of the season and a host of playoff contenders chasing from behind. There was plenty of drama early in the race for playoff drivers.
Chase Elliott was fortunate to escape a wreck on Lap 1, while Kyle Larson hit the wall in a scary near-repeat of his huge crash at Atlanta in the first race of the post-season. Larson, who won in dominant fashion at Bristol last week , was left fighting to get his car back up to speed for the rest of the afternoon, eventually finishing in .