Larson keeps win streak alive leaving remaining championship spots wide open

Kansas City, the home of the last race with the 550 horsepower package, and the second last race of the playoffs with just Martinsivlle remaining. While the racing was hit or miss at times, much like this package always is, there was playoff drama throughout the race between drivers on the bubble and drivers below the bubble to keep fans watching. 

The first playoff shakeup was when Kyle Busch, someone who has been tip-toeing the line all year since the playoffs started, washed up the track and hit the wall hard causing a good amount of damage and calling the car “killed”. Busch managed to stay competitive after the damage and at least finish the race finishing 28th. This would have had a way bigger impact on the playoffs but 3 time winner Ryan Blaney crashed out of the race and logged a DNF after getting shoved and hitting the wall ending his race. The other 3 time winner, Martin Truex Jr. has been having issues all playoffs and has fallen well below the line putting him in a must win at Martinsville, something that he has done many times before. 

Above the cutline things are much less interesting. Kyle Larson has yet again dominated and won a race, shocker. This does leave all 3 other championship spots wide open for anyone to take. Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott are both 30+ points over the line and have all but locked themselves in and unless they have a shocker on Sunday, they are in at Phoenix. The interesting spot is the 4th spot, Kyle Busch is the current place holder at 1 point above the line with Blaney 1 below him and MTJ 3 behind him. Brad Keselowski is 6 back but has not been running well enough to really be a threat at this point and has only shown up once this playoffs. A sneaky winner could be Joey Logano, who has been a part of some great Martinsville races, could get himself a shot at the title with a good run this weekend. 

No matter how the race shakes out on Sunday, it will be great to watch as the drivers battle it out under the lights for the final 3 spots in the championship in 2 weeks time.