Winners: Kyle Larson (Cup); Riley Herbst (Xfinity); Dylan Cappello (ARCA West)
NASCAR Cup
Kyle Larson Wins at Las Vegas, Clinches Championship 4 Berth
Kyle Larson earned this trophy the old-fashioned way. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver led the most laps and swept both stage wins but still had to hold off a hard-charging, equally motivated Christopher Bell at the start/finish line to claim a dramatic victory in Sunday’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 31-year-old Larson blocked the final charge by fellow playoff driver Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as the two cars approached the checkered flag. Larson ultimately positioned his Chevy in front to claim a 0.082-second win and secure the first of four available positions in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 race at Phoenix in three weeks.
“Thankfully, Christopher [Bell] always races extremely clean. It could have gotten crazier than it did coming to the start-finish line, so thank you to him for racing with respect there,” Larson said. “What a job done by my team. Just a great race car.
“I almost gave it away there in turns 1 and 2. Got sideways and hit the wall and had to fight back from there. I was happy to pull away as much as we did and was hoping that would be enough to maintain, which it was. But I didn’t think they’d be able to get as close as they did at the end. So nerve-wracking.
“This is really cool to get to race for the championship in a few weeks, and really glad I don’t have to stress these next two races,” Larson continued.
Look at how big of a run the No. 20 had coming off of the final corner. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/aDX4aC6nb2
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 16, 2023
Pole: Christopher Bell
Click Here for Race ResultsNext Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, Oct. 22 2:30 PM ET for the 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
NASCAR Xfinity
Riley Herbst Wins First Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Race in Hometown of Las Vegas
It was a fitting venue, a perfect scenario for Riley Herbst to earn his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series race — a dominating 14.9-second victory in the Alsco Uniforms 302 at his home track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Herbst‘s No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford led 103 of the 201 laps of the playoff race, leaving no room for error in this career-making day for the 24-year-old Las Vegas native. It was the most significant margin of victory in the series this season and nearly seven seconds better than the previous best margin of victory for an Xfinity Series race at this track — 8.4 seconds set back in 2002.
More than 60 of Herbst‘s close friends and family members were trackside for this standout showing, and Herbst was understandably emotional as he climbed out of his Ford — earning his first trophy in his 139th series start.
“Oh my goodness, I love this town and I love this team,‘‘ Herbst said, effusively thanking the people — family, team owners and corporate sponsors – who had stuck by him as he made his way up the ranks.
“Oh my goodness, you don‘t know what this means, what this takes off my chest. I can‘t believe it. I love you, Las Vegas. Let‘s go.‘‘
“I‘ve been working on myself and everything I can control and all I can do is all I can do,‘‘ he added. “If there was a caution, there was a caution and we would race them straight up.‘‘
You can just feel the emotion. pic.twitter.com/subJHkiSyX
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 14, 2023
Pole: Josh Berry
Click Here for Race ResultsNext Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, Oct. 21 3:00 PM ET for the Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
NASCAR Trucks
Off Week for the Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs continue on Oct. 21 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the top four drivers in the standings after the race set to decide the Championship in the Nov. 3 season finale at Phoenix.
Ty Majeski is the defending Homestead-Miami race winner.
Can the defending champ keep his title hopes alive?
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 12, 2023
Does @TyMajeski repeat last year’s victory?
Will @CoreyHeim_’s historic top-10 streak continue? pic.twitter.com/3R2TrKKkwB
Pole: N/A
ARCA-West
Dylan Cappello Draws the Winning Hand during the Star Nursery 150 at The Bullring
Before Friday night, Dylan Cappello hadn’t raced in the ARCA Menards Series West since 2015.
Based on his performance during the Star Nursery 150 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, you never would have known it.
Cappello, a veteran racer who works for Front Row Motorsports as the lead engineer for Zane Smith in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, scored his first West Series triumph in dramatic fashion aboard the No. 88 Ford Mustang owned by Mike Naake.
“Man it’s just crazy. This is just kind of a one-off deal, just come out to have fun with family and friends,” said Cappello, who has raced countless times at The Bullring in both a Late Model and a Modified. “It turned into a win. It’s out of control. It’s crazy. I don’t even know what’s happening right now.
“This car is so fast. Mike Naake has a great piece.”
𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥! 👏@dylancappello11 gets the job done and wins the #StarNursery150. pic.twitter.com/5i1cy07I9S
— Las Vegas Motor Speedway (@LVMotorSpeedway) October 14, 2023
Pole: Sean Hingorani
Click Here for Race Results
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