Las Vegas, NV—-This weekend’s South Point 400 in Las Vegas offers a crucial opportunity for one lucky driver to alleviate some playoff pressure. The race winner will gain the advantage of using the upcoming events on October 27 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and November 3 at Martinsville Speedway to fine-tune their car for the Championship 4 showdown at Phoenix Raceway.

Currently leading the playoff standings is Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports (No. 5), who is favored to secure a second consecutive victory. He is closely followed by Christopher Bell (JGR No. 20), Tyler Reddick (23XI No. 45), and William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24).

A special shoutout goes to Joey Logano of Team Penske (No. 22) for his impressive win in Las Vegas. Logano’s daring decision to forgo a fuel stop—risking running out of gas—paid off, allowing him to automatically advance to the Championship 4 round.

Daniel Suarez (No. 99), who led 57 laps, appeared poised for victory until Logano overtook him on lap 263, culminating in a thrilling finish. Speculation surrounds whether Logano will be crowned the 2024 Cup Series champion, as many believe that winning the Championship 8 round significantly boosts the chances of clinching the title.

Logano becomes the first driver in the Cup Series playoffs to secure a spot in the title race, following the disqualification of Alex Bowman (No. 48) from Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman’s vehicle was found to be underweight during post-race inspection at the Charlotte Roval, disqualifying him from playoff contention.

Ty Gibbs (No. 54) had a noteworthy race, leading 23 laps and finishing 30th overall, shortly after it was announced that he will own the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series entry for 2025.

Las Vegas native Kyle Larson faced challenges on lap 129 when his right rear tire was not secured properly after a pit stop, forcing his crew to make additional adjustments. Despite losing valuable track time, Larson showcased his skill and finished 11th on the lead lap. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell quietly emerged as a contender, winning the pole position and leading a remarkable 155 laps until a caution came out for his teammate Gibbs, who spun out. Bell praised his team’s performance, stating, “We did everything perfect today. The car was obviously on rails.”

Tyler Reddick’s race took a turn when he led 9 laps and secured a Stage 1 win before a wild crash during the Stage 2 restart on lap 89. Colliding with Chase Elliott, Reddick’s car rolled over, but he was fortunate to walk away unharmed. The aftermath of the crash also affected Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, and Brad Keselowski. Reddick was evaluated by medical staff and was deemed okay, but his day ended early, along with Keselowski’s. Elliott managed to continue racing despite extensive repairs but returned to the garage around lap 107.

Ryan Blaney started the race at a disadvantage after crashing his Ford during practice but managed to finish eighth laps down in 32nd place. Despite the setbacks, Blaney expressed a positive outlook, saying, “We’re still alive. It’s definitely not the best of days, but we have two more weeks, so we’re not out of it yet.” Currently, he stands 47 points below the elimination line.

Next Race: October 27 at Homestead-Miami Speedway