Three Playoff drivers out early in Cook Out Southern 500
Three NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers found issues before the end of Stage 2 in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway
Michael McDowell crashed on the backstretch on Lap 32 in a wreck that took him out of the race.
Michael McDowell has crashed.
He’s the first #NASCARPlayoffs driver out of tonight’s race. TV: NBCSN pic.twitter.com/13C20UpE7U
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 5, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
In almost the exact same spot, Kyle Busch crashed on Lap 126 after making contact with Austin Dillon.
Kyle Busch is OUT!
Austin Dillon gets into the No. 18 car, and “Rowdy” goes to the garage for an early exit at @TooToughToTame. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/j3hvPmPpfn
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 5, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Later in the race, on Lap 201, William Byron blew a right-front tire entering Turn 1 and hit the wall hard. Byron was OK but he was knocked out of the race.
William Byron’s one of many drivers in the #NASCARPlayoffs with issues tonight. pic.twitter.com/WF1D4jWXTK
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 6, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Byron had issues earlier in the race during a Lap 17 incident with teammate Alex Bowman. Both of them continued after the incident.
TROUBLE for Alex Bowman and William Byron!
Bowman hits the wall, and Byron clips him. #NASCARPlayoffs x NBCSN pic.twitter.com/5dz5iuFzS1
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 5, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Byron, Busch and McDowell will finish 34th, 35th and 37th respectively.
Three Playoff drivers out of the Playoff opener is the most since 2018 when four of the 16 Playoff drivers were knocked out of the opener, which was held at Las Vegas. All four DNFs were crash-related then too.
SOURCES:
NASCAR
Racing-Reference.Info
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com