NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR: Winners And Losers From Charlotte

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; (Editors note: a tilt-shift lens was used to create this image) Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman (31) leads Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) and Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (20) during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR visited Charlotte this weekend for the first race in the Round of 12. Check out a few winners and losers from the Bank of America 500.

With the Chase grid cut down to 12 drivers, NASCAR began the Round of 12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The race was originally supposed to take place on Saturday night but after Hurricane Matthew moved through the area, it was postponed to Sunday afternoon.

The biggest story of the race was the amount of Chase drivers getting into trouble throughout the day. Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano both faced issues on Lap 156 while Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott got caught up in a wreck late in the race. Then, with roughly 25 laps left, Denny Hamlin lost his engine.

With issues for so many drivers, there’s a 16 point gap between seventh-place Martin Truex Jr. and eighth-place Denny Hamlin.

In the end, Jimmie Johnson was able to earn his eighth win at Charlotte and clinch a spot in the Round of 8. It will serve as the first time Johnson has made it past the Round of 12 under the current Chase format.

Take a look at a few winners and losers from Sunday’s race.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Alex Bowman (88) pulls into the garage after a wreck during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Loser: Alex Bowman

Since Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s season came to an end, Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman have been sharing the No. 88 car. Both drivers have registered top-10’s in the car this season, but neither has had a real shot at winning a race.

However, there was something different about this weekend. Bowman was back behind the wheel of the Axalta Chevy and he had a fast car to operate with. In qualifying, he raced it to the top of the board in the second round and ended up earning a starting position of second after being beat by Kevin Harvick.

The car had showed speed in practice and definitely showed contending speed in qualifying. The race began on Sunday afternoon and Bowman was quickly passed by teammate Chase Elliott, but held his own and raced in third place for a while before suffering from a cut tire, which led to a wreck and the end of his day.

It’s been rough year for the No. 88 team, and this weekend–even though Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t behind the wheel–they had the kind of car capable of making it to Victory Lane. Unfortunately, their day was over about 61 laps in.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) makes a pit stop during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Getting On Pit Road

One of the biggest storylines of the Chase so far has been pit road execution and the penalties that come with it. We’ve seen a plethora of drivers get hit with speeding penalties, penalties for too many members over the wall and various other things.

But you have to get on pit road before you have the chance complete a flawless stop–and sometimes that’s a challenge.

Take Kyle Busch, for instance. A little over halfway through the race, drivers came in for green flag pit stops. Sometimes at Charlotte, it can be hard to catch the entrance to pit road in advance, which is the issue Busch faced.

However, instead of taking a penalty for hitting the commitment cone, Busch made a sharp left turn and carried some major speed onto pit road, where he would have a successful stop.

After being involved in a late wreck and bumping Chase Elliott, Busch went on to finish sixth.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; The car of Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon (3) is towed into the garage after a wreck during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Loser: Taking A Chance

The moment of the race came with about 74 laps to go. Austin Dillon, who had struggled to stay competitive throughout the day, made a bold move on pit road by taking two tires during a caution.

As a result, he moved up to second and restarted on the inside, right next to Jimmie Johnson.

As things got rolling, it was obvious that Dillon wasn’t getting up to speed. Martin Truex Jr., who restarted right behind him, bumped the No. 3 car and sent him flying into the wall. In the process, Chase drivers like Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch took damage.

While the move was certainly one that seemed good at the time, Dillon probably would’ve been better off not taking that big of a risk. He might not have contended for a win but likely would’ve earned a top-20 finish instead of finishing 32nd like he did.

Fortunately for him, four other Chase drivers had issues, meaning he sits just three points below the cut line heading into Kansas.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; The of Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (20) is adjusted after pre-race inspection before the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Matt Kenseth

The day started off rough for Matt Kenseth. According to Bob Pockrass of ESPN, he was forced to start the race from the rear due to “unapproved adjustments after impound.”

But that wasn’t the end of the struggles for him and the No. 20 team. When the competition caution came out, Kenseth took his car to pit road and was hit with a penalty for his crew coming over the wall too soon.

However, after all of that was out of the way, he got down to business. He was able to drive back into the top-10 where he would stay for the the majority of the afternoon. After his teammate, Denny Hamlin, lost his engine late, Kenseth went to pit road and seized the lead from Jimmie Johnson.

On the restart with 18 laps to go, he started up top and went back and forth with Johnson before falling to second, where he would finish the day.

Kenseth was able to overcome a couple of early obstacles and earn a good finish to keep himself safely above the cut line for the Round of 12.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) leads the start of the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Loser: Racing Against Kevin Harvick Next Weekend

It was a rough day for Kevin Harvick. After making the Round of 12 solely on the fact that he won at New Hampshire, he found himself in another hole. With 183 laps left, Harvick had an oil pump bearing come apart, which ended his day as he finished 38th.

But if we’ve learned anything in the past, a bad week for Harvick usually spells bad news for the rest of the field.

Last season, he needed a win at Dover to advance out of the first round and responded by leading 355 of 400 laps and winning the race. Then at Talladega, he made a controversial move late to ensure that he moved on. Finally, just this season, he finished 20th at Chicagoland and responded with a win the next weekend.

On Sunday, the Cup Series will be at Kansas–a place where Harvick has some history, including a win and three second-place finishes in his last six starts at the track and a laps led total of 392.

Harvick is already in an early hole in the Round of 12. That’s bad news for his competitors next Sunday.

Oct 9, 2016; Concord, NC, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) celebrates winning the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Overcoming Adversity

Despite wins at Atlanta and Fontana, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team had a rough regular season. As it goes right now, Johnson is set to have a career low number of top-10’s and could do the same with top-5’s.

In the first three Chase races of 2016, he led a total of 208 laps but suffered from three big pit road penalties–two of which ended up costing him wins. But this weekend was different. Johnson led more laps than any other driver (155) and won his eighth race at Charlotte and 78th race overall.

He managed to avoid any pit road mistakes and won a critical restart with 18 laps to go that got him past Matt Kenseth and into the lead for the win. More importantly, he earned a spot in the Round of 8, serving as the first time he’ll make it past the Round of 12 under the current Chase format.

With 23 combined wins at the six remaining tracks in the Chase, Johnson has a real chance to earn his seventh championship. Putting together a winning performance this weekend was a big step in the right direction.

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