On Monday’s NASCAR America, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty and Nate Ryan talked about how Sunday’s outcome impacted the playoffs.
Ryan noted that Larson’s elimination with a blown motor -- the first since he began driving full-time for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014 -- was further exacerbated that CGR uses Hendrick Motorsports engines.
And while Larson is eliminated, along with teammate Jamie McMurray in a crash in the race, the two remaining playoff drivers from the Hendrick camp advanced.
“I think Chip Ganassi Racing and Kyle Larson will put a happy face on it and say, ‘Look, we won four races this season with Hendrick Motorsports horsepower, this thing can happen at any time,’” Ryan said. “But I think that if you ask them honestly, privately, they would probably say that, ‘Yeah, that stinks a little bit.
“‘We have the engine failure and the team that’s supplying us with the engines, both of their drivers -- Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott -- advance’ on a day when it appeared Kyle Larson may have had a faster car than both of them.”
Check out more of what our analysts had to say in the video above.
