Allmendinger wins Cup race at Roval; Busch, Wallace, Keselowski, Chastain eliminated from NASCAR playoffs

Here are the driver and owners standings after the Round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

William Byron will begin the Round of 8 as the No. 1 seed with 41 playoff points. Martin Truex Jr. will begin ranked second with 36 playoff points (despite having a best finish of 17th in the first six races of the playoffs).

In the reseeded owner points, the No. 5 Chevrolet of Kyle Larson edged the No. 19 Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. to claim the final spot in the Round of 8 and remain eligible for the owner championship.

Click here for the driver points.

Click here for the owner points.

Click here for the reseeded driver points for the Round of 8.

Click here for the reseeded owner points for the Round of 8.

Here’s the finishing order and statistical rundown from the Roval.

Click here to see where everyone finished.

Click here for the penalty report.

Click here for the cumulative race report.

As of 7:30 p.m. ET, NASCAR had yet to release the postrace points standings.

Here’s what drivers were saying to NBC Sports after Sunday’s Round of 12 cutoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (click here to watch the full complement of postrace interviews):

Kyle Busch (finished third while being eliminated in the Round of 12 in his first season with Richard Childress Racing)

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what we set out to do. That’s what we felt like our road course program had in it. Was for sure a top three. The guys gave me a great piece today. The Lenovo Camaro was pretty fast, just lacked a little bit on the long run, just didn’t quite have the feel of the tire that I was really looking for to be able to turn into the corners and to be able to drive out of the corners and keep pace with the front two there at the end.

“It sucks to be out this early, but let us do Texas over again, and I feel like we’re right there. We’re ready. ... We want to go out on a high and win a few more races. That would definitely be good. Vegas is my home track so I want to go out there and run good.

“Then we’ve got Homestead, which has always been a pretty good track for me, and of course Phoenix, as well. I would love to be the spoiler on that Sunday. That would be fun. We’ve got our work cut out for us, but we’ll keep building and first year at RCR means a lot to me for Richard having me and for the Chevy guys having me, everybody, to get this far.

“Again, rides on me to get to the next round, so I’ve just got to do a better job.”

Bubba Wallace (eliminated in Round of 12 after making the playoffs for the first time)

“(Finishing third at) Texas. That’s what I thought about after we got spun there. This weekend was incredible. Just from the effort from the team and from myself. Just all clicking, right? And it felt really good to be competitive and run upfront, pass cars on road courses and not be passed. There’s a lot to look at. What I analyze is what could I have done and not be in that situation? Could I have been faster and passed another car? How to be better to not put yourself -- when you’re racing around there with squirrels. It is what it is.

“Just didn’t have enough and it wasn’t in the cards. I guess that’s what 30 is. I’m not mad. I’m happy for the team. I’m pumped for our season. It’s not over yet. I’m really excited for next week and Homestead and Martinsville. Phoenix, eh, I might just go on vacation. But we’ve still got four races to go out and do it. I’m proud of the team so I appreciate them.

“We’re putting all of the cards in the right places. Usually, you couldn’t count on the 23 at a road course race, right? I don’t think you can say that anymore and I don’t think I can say I suck at road courses. Back-to-back really good runs at road courses. Finishes were okay, obviously not today. Just got to keep working on your craft. No matter how hard it can get you’ve got to keep working and trying to learn and be better.”

Winning the regular-season title has saved Martin Truex Jr.'s championship hopes from one of the worst slumps in his career.

But the question remains whether Truex can break out of his funk to regain his form and a second championship.

“Feel like we’ve just been slipping through these playoffs by the skin of our teeth,” Truex told NBC Sports after finishing 20th at the Roval. “I don’t know. Today is just another not very good day. The first half of the race felt OK. I get back in traffic and my tires were gone in five laps. I’m not sure what we had going on the second half of the race.

“Thankful we’re through and live to fight another day and have good racetracks finally coming up for us instead of Talladega and the Roval.”

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver advanced despite his sixth consecutive finish outside the top 15 to open the 2023 playoffs. Truex captured the eighth and final spot in the Round of 8 by a comfortable 12 points over Ross Chastain (who was 10th at the Roval).

By virtue of winning the regular-season title (with three victories), Truex earned 15 playoff points that carry through each round on the way to the championship race at Phoenix.

The Round of 8 will feature Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway — three tracks where Truex has excelled and won (though history hardly has been guide in the playoffs).

“We’ll see what we can do,” Truex said. “I know we’re capable of it. We just have to find it again. We’ve lost something. Hopefully, we can find it this week and do what we could do earlier in the year.”

A.J. Allmendinger scored his first victory in the Cup Series in more than two years, punctuating a relatively uneventful Round of 8 finale with an emotional winner’s interview.

Allmendinger spent his cooldown lap in tears and then broke down when asked about why by NBC Sports’ Marty Snider.

“Because you don’t know when you’re going to do it again,” Allmendinger told Snider. “I love all the men and women at Kaulig Racing so much.”

Allmendinger held off a late charge by William Byron, who already had advanced to the Round of 8 but was trying to gain five more playoff points with a win. Kyle Busch finished third, followed by Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano.

Tyler Reddick finished sixth, bumping into the Round of 8 from below the cutline. Other drivers advancing to the Round of 8: Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin.

Eliminated from the playoffs after the Round of 12 were Busch, Bubba Wallace (16th), Bubba Wallace (18th) and Ross Chastain (10th).

Allmendinger kept the checkered flag from the victory, which he said he would be delivering to his wife, Tara, and their newborn son, Aero. He also credited his family and friends for emotional support.

“Those people see how much anguish and how much I put it on my shoulders when I’m struggling,” Allmendinger said. “It just means the world. I hate crying right now, but it’s a freaking Cup race, man! You don’t know when it’s ever going to happen again. Let’s go! Come on.

“This is the only reason you do it. You fight. All the blood, sweat, tears. It’s been such an up-and-down year.”

Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. escaped a scary moment when his No. 47 Chevrolet suddenly caught fire on a Lap 97 restart.

Stenhouse calmly exited the car despite the blaze that left smoke billowing from the cockpit as its rear side panels burned.

A.J. Allmendinger leads with 12 laps remaining under caution. He is trailed by Kyle Busch, who made a cunning move on the restart to pass Ty Gibbs for second.

Busch needs a victory to advance to the Round of 8.

There still are 20 laps remaining at the Roval, but the Round of 8 field essentially seems to be set barring some major developments.

Bubba Wallace missed the backstretch chicane after being caught in an incident started by contact between Daniel Suarez and Austin Cindric on a Lap 87 restart. After serving a stop-and-go-penalty on the track, Wallace fell to 32nd — which will make advancing on points virtually impossible.

Wallace, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Ross Chastain are all at least 30 points out of the final transfer spot into the Round of 8.

A caution flag interrupted a spirited duel for the lead between A.J. Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs.

Allmendinger was leading on a Lap 79 restart, but Gibbs took first on the back straightaway.

Allmendinger reclaimed the lead out of the backstretch chicane and was leading the following lap just as a yellow flag flew for a collision between Erik Jones and Michael McDowell.

Denny Hamlin is happy to have clinched a spot in the Round of 8 after Stage 2.

With 34 laps remaining, the No. 11 Toyota driver lost control entering the frontstretch chicane to trigger the third yellow flag.

Hamlin sustained significant damage in the incident but safely has locked into the Round of 8 by finishing third in Stage 2 after entering the Roval with a 50-point lead on the cutoff line.

He will be among the eight drivers still eligible for the championship next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway despite being credited with a last-place finish at the Roval.

“I overdrove a corner, and that was about it,” Hamlin told NBC Sports’ Dave Burns after exiting the care center. “With the scenarios, if you stay out for a stage, you go to the back and never to be seen again unless you’re Tyler Reddick. We’ve already shifted our focus to Vegas and see what we can do there.”

Ryan Blaney is leading under yellow, followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, William Byron, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott.

The four drivers currently facing elimination on points are: Keselowski, Busch, Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain.

A.J. Allmendinger took the lead from playoff driver Kyle Busch with 51 laps remaining at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

With Busch facing a must-win to advance past the Round of 12, the Richard Childress Racing was leading to begin the final stage. But Allmendinger was able to snatch first by outbraking Busch into the backstretch chicane a few laps after the restart.

Allmendinger returned to full-time driving in the Cup Series this year after a four-season absence when he worked as an NBC Sports analyst and raced full time in the Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing.

With two career Cup series victories on road courses (at Watkins Glen International and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course), Allmendinger was a trendy pick to make the playoffs by stealing a victory. But it’s been a disappointing season for the No. 16 Chevrolet driver, who has only five top 10s in 31 starts.

Chase Elliott unintentionally won the second stage when an ill-timed caution prevented him from making a pit stop.

After leading much of Stage 2, Elliott had planned to stop just before the pits closed with two to go. But just as the 2020 Cup champion was about to enter, the pits closed for Josh Bilicki hitting the wall after contact with Corey LaJoie.

Elliott stayed on track in first rather than be penalized for stopping with the pits closed. He was forced to enter the pits during the ensuing yellow flag.

Christopher Bell finished second in Stage 2, followed by Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr., Michael McDowell and Kyle Busch.

Seeking to end a 29-race winless streak, Chase Elliott snatched the lead from Christopher Bell with a power move heading to the back straightaway.

Though Elliott missed the playoffs (in part because he was sidelined for seven races by a snowboarding injury and another by suspension), his No. 9 Chevrolet still is eligible for the car owner championship.

A victory would advance Hendrick Motorsports into the Round of 8 with a shot at putting a car into the championship round without its accompanying driver.

Last year, Kyle Larson failed to reach the Round of 8, but his No. 5 Chevrolet advanced and made the championship round with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Elliott won at the Roval in 2019-20 and has seven road course victories, most among active drivers. He has finished in the top five in three of the four previous road course starts this year.

It’s been just more than a year since his most recent Cup victory at Talladega Superspeedway.

Tyler Reddick dominated from the pole position at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, leading all 25 laps of Stage 1 to bolster his playoff hopes.

The 23XI Racing driver, who entered the race two points below the playoff cutline, picked up 10 stage points and a playoff point with the stage win.

Meanwhile, it was a tough stage for Brad Keselowski, who was clinging to the final provisional spot in the Round of 8 by two points over Reddick before the race. The Roush Fenway Keselowski driver finished the stage in 18th and still needed to make a pit stop after being penalized for missing a chicane.

Bubba Wallace finished second in the stage, followed by Ross Chastain, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs and A.J. Allmendinger.

Bell is in great shape, having pitted from third before the end of the stage but losing only two spots. In addition to gaining five stage points, Bell will start the second stage in first while the rest of the top 10 pitted.

Reddick restarted the second stage in 24th.

Brad Keselowski’s chances of advancing in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs took a major hit after the 2012 Cup Series champion missed the frontstretch chicane.

Keselowski was ruled out of bounds by NASCAR for putting his tires on the wrong side of the curbing during Lap 16.

Because the Roush Fenway Keselowski driver-owner wasn’t able to serve a penalty immediately with a stop and go on the frontstretch, he had to serve a pass-through penalty in the pits and fell outside the top 20.

Meanwhile, green-flag stops began as the pits were set to close two laps before the stage end on Lap 25. Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson were among the early takers as drivers elected to give up Stage 1 points for track position to start the second stage.

After starting 36th of 37 in a backup car, Kyle Larson is working through the field trying to rebound for a playoff spot.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet has settled into 27th through 10 laps, which leaves him unlikely to gain any points when Stage 1 ends on Lap 25.

But the 2021 Cup Series champion should be well positioned for a top-15 finish that probably would advance him to the Round of 8.

Tyler Reddick led the field to green at 2:34 p.m. ET — and through the frontstretch chicane for the first time — at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

In the previous four races on the road course, starts and restarts occurred with the field using the fronstretch into Turn 1.

But NASCAR has been altering restart zones at its road courses this season, aiming to reduce pileups coming to the green. So the start and restarts (at least two with the return of stage break caution flags) will employ the chicane just before the finish line.

Reddick took the outside for the start and held the lead for the left-hander into the infield with the field following in orderly fashion.

Stories from NBC Sports to help you get ready for today’s Round of 12 cutoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval:

—A new restart zone being used for the first time at the Roval will test drivers, Dustin Long writes.

—With Kyle Larson in a backup car after crashing in practice and Bubba Wallace starting in the top five, the drama already is building for the race, Long writes.

—While many think of Talladega as the biggest wild card of the playoffs, the Roval actually might be even more of an X factor, Dr. Diandra writes.

—Details, schedules for watching the race on NBC and postrace on Peacock