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NASCAR results, highlights: William Byron wins playoff race at Texas as other contenders wreck; updated standings

Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson all retired from the race

John Parker
·8 min read
20

William Byron clinched a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8 by winning at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Byron made a bold move off of a restart with six laps to go, going to the bottom of the track — making it three wide in the process — and clearing both leader Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain. He did not look back. The win gave car owner Rick Hendrick his 300th in the highest level of NASCAR.

Byron's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson appeared poised to win, leading by over four seconds, until a caution came out for J.J. Yeley's wrecked car with 25 laps to go. He and Wallace stayed out of the pits while the bulk of the field pitted for two fresh tires. On the ensuing re-start Larson spun in the lower groove while racing Wallace, who was on the high side. Larson backed into the wall, bringing out another yellow flag.

Wallace led cleanly into Turn 1 on the ensuing restart and made it one lap before a host of cars wrecked behind him on the front stretch.

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 results

  1. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  2. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  3. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

  4. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  5. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  6. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  7. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

  8. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

  10. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  11. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  12. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  13. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  14. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

  15. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  16. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  17. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  18. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  19. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  20. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

  21. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

  22. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

  23. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  24. Zane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  25. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

  26. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  27. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

  28. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

  29. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  30. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  31. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  32. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

  33. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  34. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  35. Todd Gilliland (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

  36. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Updated NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

1. William Byron – 3,083*
2. Denny Hamlin – 3,074
3. Chris Buescher – 3,059
4. Christopher Bell – 3,057
5. Martin Truex Jr. – 3,056
6. Ross Chastain – 3,049
7. Brad Keselowski – 3,045
8. Kyle Larson – 3,039
______________________________ Cut line
9. Bubba Wallace – 3,037
10. Tyler Reddick – 3,036
11. Ryan Blaney – 3,028
12. Kyle Busch – 3,022
*Clinched entry in Round of 8

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday
12:30-1:20 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)
1:20-2:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
3-3:30 p.m.: Pre-race show (USA, NBC Sports app)
3:30-6:30 p.m.: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (USA, NBC Sports app)

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 details

Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile dogleg oval) in Fort Worth, Texas
Length: 267 laps for 400.5 miles
Banking: Turns 1-2 – 20 degrees | Turns 3-4 – 24 degrees | Straights – 5 degrees
Stage lengths: Stage 1 – 80 laps | Stage 2 – 80 laps | Stage 3 – 107 laps
2022 winner: Tyler Reddick (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 starting grid

  1. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

  2. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

  3. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

  4. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  5. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  6. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  7. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  8. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  9. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  10. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  11. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  12. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  13. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  14. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  15. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

  16. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  17. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  18. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  19. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  20. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

  21. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  22. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  23. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

  24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

  25. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  26. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  27. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  28. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  29. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  30. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

  31. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  32. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

  33. Zane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  34. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

  35. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

  36. Todd Gilliland (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Despite a lackluster Round of 16, Truex Jr. starts the second round right where he did three weeks ago: atop the standings and level on points with William Byron. Truex had an average finish worse than 23rd in the three previous playoff races this season, and even dipped below the cut line, but things broke his way at Bristol and his stage points haul from the regular season ups his standing entering the Round of 12.

1. William Byron – 3,036
2. Martin Truex Jr. – 3,036
3. Denny Hamlin – 3,032
4. Kyle Larson – 3,023
5. Chris Buescher – 3,021
6. Kyle Busch – 3,019
7. Christopher Bell – 3,016
8. Tyler Reddick – 3,014
______________________________ Cut line
9. Ross Chastain – 3,011
10. Brad Keselowski  – 3,011
11. Ryan Blaney – 3,008
12. Bubba Wallace – 3,000

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 top drivers and best bets

The seven drivers with the best odds for victory, according to BetMGM, are all in the playoff field and six of those seven drive for either Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing, with last week’s Bristol winner Denny Hamlin leading the way.

Best odds to win
• Denny Hamlin +525
• Kyle Larson +600
• William Byron +800
• Tyler Reddick +800
• Martin Truex Jr. +800

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the gambling outlook and is bullish on Kyle Busch (+1400), who is the winningest active driver at Texas. Bromberg suggests shying away from Joey Logano — who was eliminated from playoff contention last week — citing Team Penske’s 2023 struggles on intermediate tracks.

Denny Hamlin (11) drives down the front stretch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Denny Hamlin is the favorite to win Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Zane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Todd Gilliland (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 weather

The forecast for the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is scorching, with highs projected in the upper 90s for both days of Cup Series running and a 69% chance of rain for race day. Assuming things stay relatively dry, the combination of hot track surface chewing up tires and a likely high number of cautions — there haven’t been fewer than eight in any Texas race since 2019 — should make for wildly varying pit strategies, especially in the playoff field.