The NASCAR Cup Series Chase has reached its second half with Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, marking a return to the traditional 1.5-mile oval after years on the Roval configuration. The race is the sixth of ten Chase events, with point totals reset under the new format ranging from 2,100 to 2,000 to start the postseason.
Through five playoff races, Kyle Larson has won twice and maintains a 40-point lead over Denny Hamlin in the standings, despite Hamlin earning the pole and posting the fastest lap in Las Vegas before finishing 18th. Larson’s second-place finish in Las Vegas extended his lead and reinforced his strong postseason performance.
The shift back to the oval makes recent Coca-Cola 600 performances more relevant for evaluation, as the Charlotte race now more closely resembles that event. Past winners at Charlotte include Larson, Hamlin, Bell, Blaney, Suarez, and Chastain, with Suarez winning a rain-shortened event in May.
Steve Makinen of VSiN projects top underdogs for the Bank of America 400 as Gibbs, Blaney, Logano, and Byron at +1100 or higher odds, based on his weekly NASCAR simulations. All 16 Chase drivers remain in championship contention as the postseason drama escalates with Charlotte, Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville, and Homestead-Miami remaining on the schedule.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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