NASCAR’s annual trip to Homestead was a thriller.
Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was exciting and one of the better races in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which dates back in its current form to the 2014 season.
Tyler Reddick made a last lap pass against Ryan Blaney to win the race and secure a spot in the Championship 4 for the first time in his career. There was a late race strategy call that went wrong but was fixed with a late spin and all kinds of playoff drama.
With one race left in the Round of 8, two Championship 4 spots remain up for grabs with six drivers eligible for those spots. Three drivers will most likely need to get a win at Martinsville next week to get into the Championship 4.
Here are the winners and losers from the Homestead NASCAR race in the playoffs.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: NASCAR playoff picture: Cup Series points standings after Homestead
HOW IT HAPPENED: Recap: Tyler Reddick makes last-lap pass to win NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead, advances in playoffs
Winners
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell led three laps but survived a chaotic race in fourth place. Bell kept his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the positive side of the cut line heading to Martinsville. Bell has a history of winning at Martinsville and qualifying for a spot in the Championship 4. This one might not be spoiled by a wall-ride from Ross Chastain, though.
William Byron
William Byron finished sixth and is above the cut line heading to the final race in the Round of 8 at Martinsville. Byron won the spring race at the short track and is aiming to get back into the Championship 4 for the second year in a row.
Tyler Reddick
Reddick flipped last week at Las Vegas. Then looked like he may have been out of it at Homestead. He ran long in the final stretch of the race and pitted with 15 laps to go. He was able to get back on the lead lap. When Kyle Larson spun out to bring out the final caution, the leaders pitted for new tires. Reddick stayed out and assumed the lead. Then, Reddick made the daring move in the final corner to pass Ryan Blaney for the win.
Losers
Ryan Blaney
So close for Blaney, who finished second. Needing a win, Blaney led 47 laps in the race and had the lead coming out of turn 2 on the final lap. However, Reddick drove his car hard into turn 3 and passed Blaney on the outside to steal the win, and the playoff spot, in the final lap of the race.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin finished third, but led the race with three laps to go. He led 21 laps and won the second stage and was battling toward the front throughout most of the race. Hamlin is 18 points below the cut line heading to Martinsville, one of his best and favorite tracks. He could get into the Championship 4 on points, but a win clinches a spot for the championship.
Kyle Larson
Larson had a wild race at Homestead. Larson cut a tire in the first stage, which forced his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into the wall and dropped him to as low as 34th. Larson battled back to second place before an incident where he had to avoid Austin Dillon, hit Ryan Blaney and spun coming out of turn 4. Larson finished 13th and is below the cut line with one race left in the Round of 8.
Follow sports writer Austin Chastain on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ or reach him via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Homestead NASCAR race winners and losers as Tyler Reddick wins
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