Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott incidents deal major blow to Rick Hendrick's HMS at the Las Vegas playoff race
It hasn't been the start to the Round of 8 that Hendrick Motorsports would have hoped for at Las Vegas as Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson both ran into trouble during Sunday's 267-lap event. Elliott is 33rd and out of the race after getting caught up in a multi-car collision, while Larson was shuffled to the back of the field after a slow pit stop midway through stage two.
On the 89th lap of the race, the driver of the #9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet tangled with fellow playoff driver Tyler Reddick and non-playoff driver Brad Keselowski in a three-car incident on the frontstretch. The 2020 Cup Series champion did multiple 360 spins through the infield grass before coming to a stop.
The #9 team made minimal repairs on pit road, but opted to go to the garage for mechanical issues. Racing insider Kelly Crandall reported Elliott's early exit from the race via X, writing:
"Chase Elliott has gone to the garage for repairs. He cleared the DVP clock so the 9 team can work on the car."
Larson, meanwhile, had troubles during a pit stop at the halfway point of the second stage. Racing insider Jeff Gluck took to his personal X account to report on the 2021 Cup Series champion's troubles and said it could've taken him out of the race.
"Disastrous pit stop for the No. 5 team!" Gluck wrote. "Holy cow. Race-ruiner, potentially."
The driver of the #5 HMS Chevrolet came back down pit road which put him down a second lap at the time, to which Gluck said:
"Kyle Larson has to come BACK to pit road! Oh, this has all gone south for another of the main championship contenders."
Kyle Larson carried momentum into the Round of 8 with a win last week
It hasn't been the ideal race for Kyle Larson, but the six-time winner this season had momentum heading into the Round of 8 following a win last week at the Charlotte Roval. The win guaranteed Larson a spot in the next round.
His teammates, Chase Elliott and William Byron, also advanced to the Round of 8, while Alex Bowman was eliminated in the Round of 12 after being disqualified after last Sunday's race.
Larson and Elliott are both seeking their second championship this season. Byron, meanwhile, is aiming for his first.