It was Kyle Larson in the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports that shone under the lights on Saturday night, producing a dominant display to beat team-mate Chase Elliot to the victory by over seven seconds.
Elsewhere in Bristol, it was an excellent evening for Denny Hamlin in the #11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin started the night under the cut line but rescued his playoff campaign with a P4 finish.
Unfortunately for Ty Gibbs, it was the opposite way around. The #54 Toyota driver was on the bubble but above the dotted line ahead of Saturday's race but fell into the cut zone after he could only manage a 15th-place finish.
Which NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers have been eliminated?
Following the round of 16, four NASCAR drivers have been eliminated from the Cup Series playoffs. There are:
- Ty Gibbs, #54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Martin Truex Jr., #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Brad Keselowski, #6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
- Harrison Burton, #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings
As NASCAR heads to Kansas City for the first race in the round of 12, this is how the standings currently look.
1. Kyle Larson, #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet - +34
2. Christopher Bell, #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota - +24
3. Tyler Reddick, #45 23XI Racing Toyota - +20
4. William Byron, #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet - +14
5. Ryan Blaney, #12 Team Penske Ford - +11
6. Denny Hamlin, #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota - +7
7. Chase Elliott, #9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet - +6
8. Joey Logano, #22 Team Penske Ford - +4
-----------------------------------------CUT LINE------------------------------------------------
9. Austin Cindric, #2 Team Penske Ford - -4
10. Daniel Suarez, #99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet - -6
11. Alex Bowman, #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet - -7
12. Chase Briscoe, #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford - -7