Relive the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway that saw several playoff drivers in trouble and an exciting overtime finish.
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00:0010 races to go, the playoffs begin now, it's time to bring the action, Atlanta Motorspeedway,
00:14let's go!
00:15And McDowell has got his front row motorsports teammate Todd Gilliland tucked in nice and
00:26tight behind on the low line.
00:29Just a repeat of two races ago at Daytona.
00:33Whoa!
00:34That's a huge one for Larson!
00:35That car just snapped on him and went straight into the wall.
00:39Hold on, dude, hold on.
00:40Yeah, I don't know if I blew a tire or what.
00:50That just snapped in a split second.
00:58You heard Kyle on the radio, so I don't know if I blew a tire or what.
01:02Cliff Daniels has a look of concern on his face and understandably so.
01:06That was purely violent.
01:10And thankfully Kyle is out of the car.
01:13He's in the corner, everything looks normal.
01:21Back in comes around and then it went to the right.
01:25Now it appears to me, oh, who hit him?
01:28Who was that?
01:29That was Briscoe.
01:30Two playoff drivers.
01:33And fellas, another stark reminder of how thankful we are for the safer barrier.
01:37Oh, yeah.
01:38Wow.
01:39My goodness.
01:40So there it is, the completion of stage one and fourth stage win of this season.
01:45Third here in the ATL for Ryan Blaney and valuable, valuable playoffs points.
01:51And Alex Bowman on the left of your screen in that ally 48 for Hendrick motorsports.
01:56He is driving like he wants to be a champion.
01:58He's got Ricky Stenhouse giving him a nice push at the restart.
02:03Austin Sindrick in that bright day glow yellow machine has got his teammate Ryan Blaney pushing
02:08him.
02:09So team penske forwards go one and two for the time being.
02:12Everybody at this point is just really kind of minding their gas mileage as we see some
02:17debris on the front stretch.
02:18This may mess the whole thing up.
02:19And there it is.
02:20Caution's out.
02:21Debris on the front.
02:22Debris on the front somewhere.
02:25So just the second racing caution outside of the stage break, well, that caution actually
02:31flowed in from Kyle Larson's caution into the stage one.
02:35I remember we said going to the break there was some chaos on pit road.
02:38Well, several cars were involved.
02:41Let's show you a replay, Jeff, of what went down with Tyler Reddick.
02:45Tyler Reddick got in his pit box and everything was fine.
02:49Gets in there, follows Logano, comes in.
02:52A little bit deep in his box would have been difficult to get around Logano, but when he
02:59leaves, 77 car, Carson trying to get in his box, and there's contact, Steve.
03:03There is contact.
03:04This comes back to those gas only's, right?
03:06Kind of gets the whole reference off.
03:08I think that the, you know, the Spire car thought the 45 would be in there longer, maybe
03:13taking tires, but in the end, I think it's up to the 45 to exit clearly.
03:17He kind of exits to the right, and here they are checking the toe.
03:20That's what that aluminum piece of material is for.
03:23They can align the front and rear tires.
03:25We'll have to see if there's any issues on the 45.
03:27You see him shaking it around, getting ready to go green.
03:30Pace car leaves the circuit.
03:31When they get to the line, there will be 41 laps to go in the second stage here of the
03:35Quaker state 400.
03:36On the right-hand side of your screen, it's Austin Sendrick.
03:37Bowman on the outside.
03:38Let's get back to it.
03:39Teammates working well on that low side.
03:40Ryan Blaney pushing Sendrick.
03:41William Byron has been in and around the top five for the majority of this race.
03:42Look at on the high side, the 99 of Daniel Suarez.
03:43The February winner here in Atlanta.
03:44He's going to be in the lead.
03:45He's going to be in the lead.
03:46He's going to be in the lead.
03:47He's going to be in the lead.
03:48He's going to be in the lead.
03:49He's going to be in the lead.
03:50He's going to be in the lead.
03:51He's going to be in the lead.
03:52He's going to be in the lead.
03:53He's going to be in the lead.
03:54He's going to be in the lead.
03:55He's going to be in the lead.
03:56He's going to be in the lead.
03:57He's going to be in the lead.
03:58He's going to be in the lead.
03:59He's going to be in the lead.
04:00He's going to be in the lead.
04:01He's going to be in the lead.
04:02He's going to be in the lead.
04:03He's going to be in the lead.
04:04He's going to be in the lead.
04:05He's going to be in the lead.
04:06He's going to be in the lead.
04:07He's going to be in the lead.
04:08He's going to be in the lead.
04:09He's going to be in the lead.
04:10He's going to be in the lead.
04:11He's going to be in the lead.
04:12He's going to be in the lead.
04:13He's going to be in the lead.
04:14He's going to be in the lead.
04:15He's going to be in the lead.
04:16He's going to be in the lead.
04:18Just go get what you can get.
04:19One more to go in stage two.
04:21It's points gathering here as Logano drops low.
04:24So too does Riddick.
04:29Cedric continues to just dominate the front of the field.
04:36Going to be good points.
04:37Oh, contact between the 22 and the 38.
04:3938 sinking.
04:40The 22 made it through on the bottom.
04:42And Ty Gibbs says thanks.
04:43I'll take that.
04:44I'll grab these stage points.
04:47Really good stage points for Alex Bowman as well.
04:50But it's going to be max stage points for Austin Cedric,
04:53who's now led 90 laps here at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
04:58What a day.
04:59Fifth career stage victory.
05:00Third here at this track.
05:02Well done.
05:03And it's a team Penske 1-2 with Ryan Blaney second in stage two.
05:09All right, get ready to start stage three.
05:11Ross Chastain in the blue on the right.
05:13Michael McDowell who started this race from the pole.
05:16Let's go.
05:17Stage three is underway.
05:27Ricky Stenhouse, that predominantly yellow car,
05:29that Oscar Mayer machine.
05:31The 47 for JTG racing.
05:34He's had a really solid day.
05:36He's got William Byron tucked in behind him.
05:38Ty Gibbs in the all-black 54.
05:42He, like Truex, made their way through from the back.
05:47And Ty's hanging tough at the front.
05:51Oh, we've got a big crash.
05:53And it's John Hundenheimer check.
05:56Down the back stretch.
06:00Fourth caution of the day flies.
06:02Really just getting into a rhythm in stage three.
06:05Yeah, I'm good.
06:09Heavy damage on the 42.
06:13You can see John Hunter is on the top of the racetrack.
06:15The 21 of Harrison Burton on the bottom.
06:17Harrison starts up the racetrack.
06:19But before that happened, John Hunter gets loose.
06:22It just comes around on him.
06:24Contact in the wall.
06:26His day is done.
06:28Very fortunate to slide right across in traffic.
06:32I think that was the 51 of Haley, perhaps,
06:34trying to recover from that penalty.
06:36It's a big impact right there.
06:38We keep talking about the drivability of the race cars.
06:41That shows you he was up there all by himself.
06:44It just simply came around on him.
06:46And a lot of issues on pit road.
06:49We had the 2, the 9, the 99.
06:52Let's see what happens here.
06:54So Suarez is released.
06:56Oh, boy.
06:57Logano comes in.
06:59Riddick is there.
07:00It's a traffic jam.
07:02Suarez got stuck.
07:04Watch this.
07:05Out comes Corey Lejoy.
07:07Chase Elliott's jammed in the middle.
07:09Ricky Stenhouse forced onto the grass.
07:14Now, remember, Ty Gibbs stayed out.
07:17And he will lead this field back to green.
07:198 to go.
07:23In the Quaker State 400.
07:24Let's get back to it.
07:26Bubba Wallace on the inside.
07:27Ryan Blaney pushing him.
07:29Ross Chastain in the mix.
07:35What a move by Ty Gibbs.
07:45Got to the outside of the 23 with that big push off the nose of Chastain.
07:49Now who's going to get the most help?
07:52The 1 car appears to have more Ford momentum.
07:55But the 12 now right to the back of Bubba Wallace.
08:02It's not a championship, Ryan.
08:04We've got an issue here.
08:06Blaney.
08:07Blaney.
08:08And then Truex is involved.
08:10Two playoff drivers.
08:12Remember, I was telling you about all the playoff drivers who had issues.
08:15Add two more to it.
08:17I think it's fortunate that that's all that happened in that.
08:20That could have been huge.
08:23And Chris Buescher, we were just talking about him earlier.
08:35Harrison Burton up high.
08:38Noah Gregson's in there.
08:41That's behind the accident.
08:43Shane Van Gisburg in the wall and Haley.
08:45That's behind the accident.
08:47They were all slowing down.
08:48Here's the accident.
08:50The 12 of Blaney, the 17 of Buescher side by side.
08:53Oh, the 17 gets loose, comes right up the racetrack.
08:57Catches the 12 of Blaney right in the left rear.
09:00The 12 comes down and catches the 19.
09:02A little bit like we saw with Kyle Larson.
09:05When he got loose, he overcorrected.
09:07And honestly, he got saved by that car being on the outside of it.
09:12If he hadn't hit that car, he would have.
09:14Watch this.
09:16So Blaney is on the outside, gets loose.
09:18That slowed him down and made it so the back of the car hit the wall.
09:21That was a fortunate break for Buescher.
09:23Blaney was riding along.
09:24Watch this.
09:25He thinks everything is fine.
09:26And then all of a sudden.
09:28Not fortunate for him.
09:31As the field is coming to green with Kyle Busch,
09:35a two-time winner here in Cup Series competition at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
09:39Let's go back to racing.
09:41William Byron on his outside.
09:43Ross Chastain pushing Busch into turn one.
09:48As they swamp Martin Truex.
09:51His day goes from bad to worse.
09:57You mentioned the issues for the playoff drivers.
10:00Who is going to be on the other side?
10:01Who is going to capitalize?
10:03Who is going to make this take the pressure off the rest of the round?
10:06Can it be William Byron or Chase Elliott?
10:08Or maybe Alex Bowman?
10:09Remember, a win and you advance.
10:11Well, look.
10:12Three Hendrick Chevys all together.
10:15William Byron, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman.
10:19They lost their teammate Larson earlier in this race in stage one.
10:23Hood three wide.
10:25Losing momentum.
10:26Caution.
10:27Yellow, yellow, yellow.
10:28It's yellow debris.
10:31Whoa.
10:36A piece of signage on the track or something has brought out the caution
10:41with 11 to go.
10:49Where did it come from?
10:50Oh, there it is way up high on the fence.
10:53Yeah, that's unfortunate.
10:55The lights are off on the pace car.
10:57Ready to go.
10:58It will be a five-lap sprint to determine who wins this Quaker State 400.
11:04Are you ready?
11:06Who's going to have it?
11:11Wow.
11:12Did Suarez go too early?
11:16As he takes off, Ty Gibbs.
11:20Good stuff.
11:21He forces his way through.
11:22Chris Gale told us they're the best on fuel, and he is on the gas hard.
11:26But here comes Suarez being pushed by Logano.
11:29Now Suarez to the low side.
11:32The winner earlier in the year here in Atlanta feels he's got another good chance.
11:39Gibbs comes back.
11:40Busch goes on the low side.
11:41Watch the eight.
11:42Three wide across the line with four to go.
11:51Caution is out.
11:53And it's Noah Gregson.
11:55You see what happens.
11:56There's a stackup.
11:57Looks like the 21 of Harrison Burton got into Sindrick and then came down, got the 10,
12:03pitched the 10 of Noah Gregson around right here.
12:06It's just kind of beating and banging.
12:10And Noah gets the worst end of the deal.
12:12But as I was saying, that's a run that you wouldn't see at Daytona or Talladega.
12:15You would, but it may take two miles.
12:17Here in Atlanta, a quarter mile.
12:19I mean, these cars go from slowing down to speeding up just so quickly.
12:23They know that they're about to see something special, but just how special will it be?
12:29Let's go back to racing to finish this one off.
12:32Logano and Suarez.
12:35How big is that push from Blaney for his team Penske teammate?
12:39And then the track house boys are working together.
12:42Chastain is pushing Suarez.
12:46Don't take your eyes off the 20 of Christopher Bell either.
12:49First to the Hendrick Chevys is the 48 of Alex Bowman.
12:54Logano ahead.
12:58Suarez fighting back.
13:02Here they come to the white flag.
13:04Logano gets another little shove from Ryan Blaney.
13:08And the two Penske's clear Suarez.
13:13But Daniel's not giving up.
13:16It's Joey Logano clearly out in front.
13:20But is there a late run?
13:22Remember how this finished.
13:23Chastain into the wall, but he's able to keep it going.
13:27Has Suarez got something special like he did in February?
13:31They're crashing into the wall.
13:34Potion comes out of the checker.
13:37They're flying everywhere and Hamlin is involved.
13:41Joey Logano prevails in this first playoff race.
13:45This is how it all went down coming to the checkered flag.
13:52That was the Chastain hit first of all.
13:54But watch further back.
13:55Well, it continues on with Chastain.
13:57Right there there's contact.
13:59And this is where they all get stacked up.
14:01Nowhere to go.
14:04I think this is a push gone wrong with the 1.
14:07Yeah, the 9 kind of got caught from whoever was behind him.
14:10As you pointed out, pushes kind of stacked up.
14:13And then the 47 is pushing the 23 who gets turned around.
14:17And then the 11 gets in.
14:18I mean, it's just chaos back there.
14:20Everybody in the gas.