A look at the winners and losers from the Round of 12 opening race at Texas Motor Speedway.
WINNERS
William Byron — He entered the Round of 12 tied for the most points in the Cup Series. He had a quiet race early but worked his way into the top five by staying out after the caution for JJ Yeley crashing. Byron then took advantage of a battle between Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe. He took the lead before winning for the first time at Texas. He also scored Hendrick Motorsports’ 300th Cup win.
Ross Chastain — He was below the cutline at the start of the Texas race. He overcame throttle issues and some bad restarts to finish second. Chastain scored his second top-five finish of the playoffs and moved to 12 points above the cutline.
Brad Keselowski — He started the race third, just behind teammate Chris Buescher, and went on to deliver a solid outing at Texas. Keselowski scored four stage points and crossed the finish line in sixth. He jumped from below the cutline to eight points above heading to a track, Talladega, where he has six career wins.
Chris Buescher — A 14th-place finish was a “disappointment” for Buescher but he used the Texas race to score 15 stage points. This helped him move to 22 points above the cutline with two races remaining in the Round of 12. He is third in the standings behind Byron and Denny Hamlin.
#NASCAR … Chris Buescher was headed to a strong finish until the end. He placed 14th and left disappointed with the result. pic.twitter.com/iXXlVxCCXZ
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) September 24, 2023
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
Bubba Wallace — He started from the pole and set a career-high with 111 laps led. He missed out on the stage 1 win due to pit strategy. Teammate Tyler Reddick stayed out on old tires and won the stage while Wallace finished 10th after pitting for fresh tires. This was a nine-point swing. He finished stage 2 in ninth after struggling with handling late. Wallace had the lead on the final restart at Texas but finished third while Byron won. He did not secure a spot in the Round of 8 but left Texas only two points below the cutline.
#NASCAR … “Just gave it away there,” Bubba Wallace on losing the lead on the final restart. pic.twitter.com/3N62azNrUQ
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) September 24, 2023
LOSERS
Ryan Blaney — He didn’t appear to have a car capable of winning early at Texas. His team made adjustments and put him in position for 11 points in the first two stages. A speeding penalty dropped him to the rear of the field during the final stage. Blaney was then caught up in a multi-car crash that brought out the final caution. He finished 28th.
Martin Truex Jr. — He entered the Round of 12 with an opportunity to rebound after struggles in the Round of 16. Truex showed speed early but began struggling with handling after spinning at the end of stage 1. He finished 17th and fell to 19 points above the cutline.
Kyle Larson — He had the best car at Texas, a track where he won a playoff race in 2021. He led 99 laps and won stage 2 but ended the day 31st. Larson got loose and spun into the wall while battling Wallace for the win. He went from having an opportunity to win his way into the Round of 8 to sitting two points above the cutline.
Kyle Busch — A four-time Texas winner, Busch had an opportunity to win and lock up a spot in the Round of 8. He had speed and used it to secure a top-10 starting position. The situation changed late in stage 1. He spun suddenly after voicing concerns about a possible flat tire and made hard contact with the outside wall. Busch drove around the track in reverse and returned to his pit stall. He finished 34th after the DVP (Damaged Vehicle Policy) clock expired. Now he is 17 points below the cutline.
