Comments from the eliminated drivers
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Four of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers were eliminated from championship contention following the Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway Sunday (November 10).
Below is a breakdown of how each fared.
No. 9 Chase Elliott
Elliott crashed on lap 165, finishing in last place.
Elliott’s finishes in the Round of 8 were 36th (Martinsville), 32nd (Texas) and 39th (ISM Raceway).
“I feel like we were in a good position to run solid,” Elliott said. “I’m not sure why we had a tire go down. I think that’s what happened, at least; it seemed like it.
“It’s unfortunate. Like I said, these last three weeks have been pretty rough.
“So, hopefully Homestead goes better and we can get prepared good for next season and get a good notebook for next year.,”
No. 12 Ryan Blaney
Blaney finished third as the highest-finishing Ford driver. The 25-year-old driver came up 31 points below the playoff cutline.
“We’ve got to do our homework,” Blaney said.
“We’ve got to start working on that. I’m really proud of the whole group for today, but the whole playoffs as well.
“It stinks that you miss it, but a solid day.”
No . 22 Joey Logano
Blaney’s Team Penske teammate and defending series champion Logano came up seven points short of making the cut.
Logano led 93 laps, finishing in ninth place.
“We scored a ton of stage points and to the point that we could tie the 18 and all I had to do was finish in front of him, which was the goal, and it went bad from there,” Logano said.
“I don’t get it, but it just wasn’t our year I guess. I don’t know what to say.”
No. 42 Kyle Larson
Larson entered the race 23 points behind fifth-place Joey Logano, ultimately finishing in fourth place, 33 points behind the playoff cutline.
“It’s still a good year for us,” Larson said. “It was a little rough in the beginning of the season, but we have rebounded from that, worked hard, got our cars better and our team better. We were battling for a championship.
“We’ll go to Homestead next week, race and try to get a win.”
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
The four drivers who advanced — Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. — will compete for the 2019 title in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Busch, Harvick and Truex have all won one championship, all under the current playoff format.
The Ford EcoBoost 400 is scheduled for Sunday, November 17 at 3 p.m. ET.
SOURCES
Ford Performance
Racing-Reference.info
Team Chevy
Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.