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NASCAR: Kyle Larson Takes the Checkered Flag at Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are winding down to the last few races. Today in Kansas, Kyle Larson took the checkered flag. This is Larson’s NINTH win on the season.

At one point Larson and Kevin Harvick were running hot and fast. It was like watching a game of cat and mouse. The No.4 of Harvick kept making a go at the No.5 of Larson. Then, Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott made their presence known. Elliott took over second place from Harvick. Then the No.9 car was catching up to his fellow Hendrick Motorsports teammate. However, he took it a little too hard and bumped into the wall a couple of times. Larson survived the onslaught and took the win.

This race was exciting from the first stage until the last. When stage three started, things really got intense on the track. However, around lap 70 is when the action on the track really heated up. Coming out of some caution laps and pit stops, the field was four cars wide for fourth place and several drivers made pushes to the front. However, the 5 could not be stopped.

At this point in the playoffs, Kyle Larson has made strong moves and should be considered the favorite for the playoffs title. Not only did he win the regular season, but he has also picked up three wins in a row in the postseason as well. He leads the field in points going into the last Round of 8 race in Martinsville.

Not only has he won Charlotte, Texas, and Kansas all in a row, but he set a record today. Larson has led the most laps in a season, passing Jeff Gordon, since NASCAR switched to a 36-race schedule.

Kyle Larson Wins as Playoffs Head to Martinsville

After the race today in Kansas, things are only getting more intense on the track. There are only a few more chances this season to make a statement. Even drivers not in the playoffs are running out of time to make bold moves. However, Kyle Larson has set himself apart from the rest of the field.

Meanwhile, in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, things are starting to get more clear. In this round, there will be four more drivers eliminated after Martinsville. Next week’s race on Halloween could be a true nightmare for these drivers wanting to advance to the final round.

Ryan Blaney has proved himself to be one of the best drivers in the series. He won the last two regular-season races outright and has raced very well in the postseason. Two of his Team Penske teammates, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano sit below the cutoff. Blaney was taken out of the race due to contact with Austin Dillon in the last stage today.

Elliott is another driver to look out for. He is right there on the bubble with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch just ahead of him. He has it in him to race himself into the top-4 to finish the season. Time will tell. Next week, Halloween, Martinsville. The final Round of 8 race will determine the last four drivers to advance to Phoenix. Stay tuned.