Pit stop errors eliminate Ross Chastain from NASCAR playoffs at Charlotte Roval

Ross Chastain was eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs this Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. Two unforced errors on pit road cost him the final ticket to the Round of 8, which went to Joey Logano by just four points. Chastain overshot his pit stall on his first stop of the day, losing 15 positions, and on lap 87 he exceeded the speed limit while fighting to advance.

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"Justin hired me to drive this No. 1 car and be a leader, and I completely ruined our day," admitted a visibly upset Chastain. "Unforced errors. Terrible. Unacceptable." On the final lap, he desperately attacked Denny Hamlin in the front stretch chicane, making contact that sent the No. 11 off line. After spinning, Chastain put it in reverse and crossed the line in a futile attempt to gain positions.

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First Mistake: Missed Corner Exiting Pits

Exiting his pit stall during the first stage break, Chastain accelerated towards the 90-degree corner connecting pit road to the track. He entered too fast, couldn't make the turn, and came to a complete stop. "I thought I had more room and I was just trying to get to the yellow line. I should have just turned the wheel. It's really simple," he explained.

That error sent him from the top 15 to 30th place for the restart. He recovered ground during the second stage, putting himself back in position to advance on points. Then came the second blow.

Second Mistake: Speed Exceeded on Lap 87

With 22 laps to go, Chastain entered pit road for his final stop. Exiting the stall, he double-clutched the gear, accelerating more than allowed. The penalty forced him to extend his final stint on increasingly worn tires. In the final two laps, he lost the critical positions he needed to surpass Logano in the standings.

"I left the pit and pulled [the gear] twice. When you're on autopilot in those moments, you have to make the right decisions," he reflected. "I know the No. 11 team is mad at me. I would be too. I got into him clean, he was giving me room, and I took him out."

Logano Celebrates Survival with Off-Pace Car

Joey Logano crossed the line in 20th place, enough to keep his championship hopes alive. He knew during the final laps that the points battle was on a knife's edge. "I knew we were going to be tied at the end. Ross was going to do whatever it took to get it done," he said. "We just weren't fast enough today."

Paul Wolfe, Logano's crew chief, opted for a three-stop strategy in the final segment when other teams chose two. The severe tire wear on the Roval made the call the right one. "A championship-caliber performance by the team. I wish I was a little bit faster, but I couldn't be prouder," Logano added.

Van Gisbergen Passes Larson After Losing Lead

Shane van Gisbergen drove his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet to victory, his fifth consecutive win on a road course this season. He is now one win away from matching the record of six consecutive wins set by Jeff Gordon between 1997 and 2000.

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The race wasn't a walk in the park. During the third stage, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell passed him on track. On lap 63, Larson muscled his way into the lead with Bell following into second. Van Gisbergen momentarily lost control of the race.

"At the start of stage three I didn't have the pace. Kyle and Christopher were better than me," he admitted. An adjustment from his crew chief Stephen transformed the car. With fresh tires, van Gisbergen caught and passed Bell. Eight laps later, he dove to the inside of Larson at the hairpin of turn 7, reclaiming the lead.

Battling Contact Between Van Gisbergen and Larson

After another round of pit stops, van Gisbergen and Larson exchanged the position with significant contact between their cars. "I gave him a hit in [turn] 7. I thought he was going to give me room and he didn't, I couldn't brake," explained van Gisbergen. "Right away it was like something switched and he got mad. He ran me wide a couple of times. I thought it was good hard racing."

On lap 98, van Gisbergen passed Larson through the backstretch chicane and held him off until the finish. "Whatever we did on that last stop was incredible. The car was perfect again," he commented. "I was watching the big screen hoping there wouldn't be a yellow flag with old tires at the end."

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Eight Advance, Four Eliminated at the Roval

Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott had already secured their spots in the Round of 8 with wins at New Hampshire and Kansas respectively. The remaining six spots were decided at Charlotte: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano make up the group that will fight for four spots in the final at Phoenix.

Tyler Reddick finished tenth but was eliminated on points. The pole-sitter needed more than a top 10 to advance. Bubba Wallace finished 15th, also eliminated. Austin Cindric needed to win to stay alive; multiple mechanical issues left him last in 37th place.

Chase Briscoe advanced by 19 points despite driving while sick. At one point he requested ice that he put inside his firesuit. "I felt dizzy at the start. After the first 20 laps I got better," explained Briscoe. "It wasn't pretty, but it was enough."

Chris Buescher led the non-playoff drivers with a fourth-place finish. Michael McDowell, Ryan Preece, and Daniel Suárez completed positions five through seven. Chase Elliott was eighth, AJ Allmendinger ninth, and Reddick tenth.

The South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway opens the Round of 8 next Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

Bank of America Roval 400 - Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course