Kyle Larson wins in Charlotte, disqualification knocks Bowman out of playoffs

Sixth of the ten rounds of the 2024 season playoffs, the Charlotte Roval was therefore eliminatory for four of the twelve remaining entrants. If Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing) was quickly eliminated due to engine problems, the other qualifying places were played out until the last laps, and even after. Regular season champion, Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) was in great danger of elimination after contact in the second segment relegated him to the very back of the pack.

Eleventh at the finish after a great comeback, he managed to qualify in the eight remaining, at the expense of Joey Logano (Team Penske), eighth on the line. Everything changed a few hours after the finish of the event, since Alex Bowman, eighteenth in the race, was disqualified for having a car that was too light. As a result, the American lost more than twenty points, enough to push him to the wrong side of the "cut line", and take him out of the playoffs at the end of this second round. A real disappointment for Bowman, who had a very good start to the race in this last stretch of the season.

The Kyle Larson Threat

Despite a fine fourth place, Austin Cindric (Team Penske) could not avoid elimination, just like Daniel Suárez, 31st after having been at the front at the start of the race. As is often the case, this Roval event saw some aggressive overtaking and some contact, exacerbated by the new configuration of turn 7, transformed into a hairpin before returning to the oval part of the Charlotte circuit. Shane van Gisbergen (Kauling Racing) was notably involved in a few incidents at this location, before reaching the finish line in seventh.

For Kyle Larson, the race was much more uneventful, with the 2021 champion leading 62 of 109 laps before winning. Larson continues to put the pressure on his opponents in these playoffs, and he remains a threat that certainly shouldn't be overlooked heading into the Phoenix finale in four weeks. "Really, this is the first time in my playoff career that I wasn't in danger of elimination coming here, it feels good to have a stress-free weekend. I think this is the first time I've finished here without a hitch, apart from my other win in 2021!" he said, on a circuit that ultimately only smiled on him in the year of his first title. When you are told that Larson is a threat… Will history repeat itself?

Charlotte Roval – Ranking