Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola will start today’s opening playoff race from the rear of the 40-car field because of issues before Sunday’s race..
NASCAR stated that Harvick will go to the rear because of an unapproved adjustment to the No. 4 car. Almirola was sent to the rear for unapproved adjustments. Larson went to the rear because of a transmission change.
Larson’s crew chief, Chad Johnston, told NBC Sports that the No. 42 team found an issue with reverse gear.
“Reverse gear was chewed up pretty good on it so we went ahead and changed it,’' Johnston said. “We had some issues there in happy hour backing out of the garage, and when he came in after that last run, we tried to run it and noticed that it wouldn’t stay in reverse, it kept kicking out. We kind of knew there was a hint of something wrong there but we didn’t know until we took it out today.
“It’s all in the tailshaft, so if a piece of that makes its way into the rest of it, you’re better off to change it.’'
Larson, making his first Chase appearance, was to have started eighth.
In Larson’s last three races, he’s won at Michigan, finished third in the Southern 500 at Darlington and placed second last weekend at Richmond.
Today’s race airs at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
