Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe are the primary two NASCAR Cup Sequence playoff drivers to come across bother within the postseason after crashing out within the first stage of Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Larson will not be positive what precipitated his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to show proper and hit the Flip 2 wall on lap 56. The No. 5 shot to the surface wall the place he made heavy right-side contact earlier than sliding again down the racetrack and getting hit within the rear by fellow playoff contender Briscoe.
“I’m OK; fortunately every thing held up nicely contained in the automotive,” Larson stated. “That was an enormous hit. I’m probably not positive what precipitated it. I used to be really form of tight and loaded within the nook, and that was fairly far across the nook and it simply stepped out. I don’t know, all of it occurred actually quick.”
Larson felt maybe he had overcorrected when the automotive began to get away from him. He was operating third on the time of the crash.
Briscoe was operating across the 14th place when he bumped into the No. 5. Having earned a last-minute spot within the postseason along with his win final weekend, Briscoe stated he felt tremendous other than the preliminary jolt after the influence with Larson and was glad nothing occurred round his ft for the reason that brake pedal “and every thing” went by means of the floorboard.
“That’s NASCAR,” Briscoe stated of the incident. “You might be on prime one week and you’ll be on the very backside of the mountain the following week. It’s unlucky. I believed our automotive was an adjustment away from being fairly good. We weren’t excellent in any respect balance-wise and I nonetheless felt like I used to be in a position to form of run proper there across the seventh to twelfth place guys. I used to be watching my exterior stepping into one as a result of someone stored attempting to get to my exterior and was most likely just a little late simply attempting to see [Larson] wrecking. I didn’t count on anyone to wreck as a result of they weren’t actually two-wide, after which I noticed the smoke and tried slowing down.
“I knew he was coming down the racetrack and simply stored attempting to feed the factor left and sluggish it down and I couldn’t get left fast sufficient. Then he form of began sliding again down the monitor on the final minute, so I attempted to show again proper to keep away from him and simply KO’d him. It was a giant hit, one of many greatest hits I’ve had in a very long time. I’m glad I’m alright and we simply should go win. That’s what we needed to do at Darlington and I do know we’re able to doing it once more, so we’ll simply should go to Watkins Glen and Bristol and attempt to do the identical.”
Neither driver earned stage factors because the crash occurred earlier than the top of the primary stage within the Quaker State 400. The primary two drivers out of the race, Briscoe will end final, thirty eighth, with one level and Larson will end thirty seventh with two factors.
Larson started the postseason because the No. 1 seed with a 35-point benefit on the cutline. Briscoe, the No. 13 seed, was tied for the bubble spot getting into the weekend.
Sunday was Larson’s fifth DNF of the season and his second within the final 4 races. It’s also Briscoe’s second DNF within the final 4 races and his third of the season.
