In 2024, the Nashville race weekend was the nineteenth race of the season, and when NASCAR took on ‘Music Metropolis,’ it ended up being one of the consequential races of the yr.
Denny Hamlin was about half-a-lap away from taking the white flag and guaranteeing he would win the Cup race at Nashville, with Ross Chastain an in depth second. Joey Logano, who was winless to date that season, ran 14th.
However when Austin Cindric misplaced management whereas battling Noah Gragson for twenty first, it triggered one of the chaotic finishes of the yr. The unbelievable sequence occasions that adopted finally determined not simply the race winner, however who would turn into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Collection champion … and keep in mind, Nashville wasn’t even a playoff race!
Time beyond regulation restart #1
Time beyond regulation restart
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Pictures
Gasoline was tight and whereas some automobiles selected to pit in the course of the first yellow, the leaders gambled and stayed out for the two-lap sprint. Kyle Larson tried to maneuver Hamlin for the race lead, however missed and hit the apron earlier than taking pictures up the monitor and taking out fellow Chevrolet driver Chastain. A handful of automobiles have been collected within the ensuing chaos. Hamlin was nonetheless answerable for the race whereas Logano now ran fourth.
Time beyond regulation restart #2
There was a little bit of a stack-up on the entrance of the sphere, however a wreck was prevented as one automobile within the again slid by means of the grass. Hamlin escaped with the lead once more, just for one other wreck to interrupt out mid-pack. Harrison Burton bobbled in the course of the sphere and several other automobiles went spinning and crashing on the exit of Flip 2.
Time beyond regulation restart #3
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Pictures
Gasoline was now an actual concern however nobody wished to surrender the monitor place. Because the inexperienced flag flew, Larson’s automobile stalled out and the stack-up that adopted despatched Kyle Busch into the surface wall. He was working inside the highest 5 earlier than that and likewise looking for his first win of the yr. The veteran driver climbed from his automobile and simply threw his arms up in disappointment.
Time beyond regulation restart #4
Logano was now working third to the Toyotas of Martin Truex Jr. and Hamlin, however neither wished to threat one other restart whereas working on fumes. Each Joe Gibbs Racing drivers pitted, giving the result in Logano. On the restart, Chase Elliott in sixth ran out of gasoline, simply as his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Larson did on the restart prior, Fortunately, everybody prevented him this time round. Chase Briscoe nosed forward within the battle for the win, taking the lead from Logano for a second earlier than he snatched it again on the exit of Flip 4.
With the white flag flying, he was able to lastly declare vict… — and we had one other warning.Josh Berry had wrecked and was stopped within the infield.
Time beyond regulation restart #5
Joey Logano, Group Penske Ford
Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Pictures
Nashville 2024 nonetheless stands as essentially the most extra time restarts in NASCAR Cup Collection historical past.
This fifth restart would (fortunately) be the final, as Logano received an excellent pull, with some distinctive names behind him, nevertheless it was Tyler Reddick (who had pitted) that was going to be the actual menace. He surged as much as second and was throughout Logano, however the Penske driver blocked him excessive. This allowed Zane Smith to have clear air on the underside and the rookie driver almost pulled off a shocking upset as he snatched second away and almost reached Logano’s again bumper. But it surely was not fairly sufficient as Logano crossed the road and received the race, lastly ending the occasion.
The highest ten when the primary warning flew for Cindric was as follows: Hamlin, Chastain, Larson, Busch, Gibbs, Wallace, Truex, Reddick, Buescher, Haley.
On the checkered flag, this was the brand new prime ten: Logano, Smith, Reddick, Preece, Buescher, Blaney, Wallace, Larson, Hemric, Gragson.
The occasion ran 31 laps past the scheduled distance.
Why this race mattered a lot
Until you watch NASCAR each week, you are seemingly questioning why this chaotic end so necessary. Properly, Logano was winless all through the whole common season, aside from this one race. With out that single victory, he would not have made the playoffs in any respect.
And as destiny would have it, Logano marched by means of every spherical of the playoffs, even getting eradicated at one level (earlier than a post-race technical infraction for Alex Bowman put him again in), finally reaching the Championship 4. As soon as there, the veteran driver dominated the race and picked up his third Cup Collection championship, beating teammate Ryan Blaney. And with out that easy spin from his different teammate [Cindric] in the summertime of that yr, none of this may have ever occurred.
That proper there’s why successful is so necessary in fashionable NASCAR. One loopy race opened the door for Logano, who had a mean end of 17.1, and he used that chance to launch himself all the best way to the championship.
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