Relive the Bank of America ROVAL 400 from the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, including hard racing between Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott and a fierce battle between Kyle Busch and AJ Allmendinger for the win in the closing laps.
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00:00 >> Rick, you called it.
00:22 The outside lane for Tyler Reddick a big advantage.
00:25 No wheel spin.
00:26 He's easily clear in the turn one.
00:31 >> Side by side for second.
00:33 Bubba Wallace trying to come up there and challenge the 20 of Christopher Bell.
00:36 But it's Bell that has moved out to that second spot.
00:40 And now Bubba Wallace on the inside trying to get third and secure that position.
00:46 Daniel Suarez fighting him for the spot.
00:50 >> You can see how tight this racetrack is.
00:52 It's actually an elevation change.
00:53 They're actually going downhill right now.
00:57 Approaching this corner.
00:58 Heavy left-hander.
00:59 This is what will put them on NASCAR turn one, the oval.
01:03 And it is a very difficult racetrack.
01:05 You see Ty Gibbs already trying to get underneath Joey Logano.
01:14 >> Upwards of over 150 miles an hour.
01:15 Now down the back stretch to a heavy braking zone.
01:18 >> Yeah, really the heaviest really on the series -- or excuse me, on the circuit.
01:22 The back stretch and the front stretch.
01:24 Pretty equal but heavy, heavy braking.
01:26 Funneling down.
01:27 Really single thread through the back stretch.
01:29 You have a chance to go too wide into the front stretch.
01:31 You better get it sorted out by exit.
01:34 With that and a good car, though, this makes you nervous.
01:36 >> Yeah.
01:37 >> Right in front of him.
01:38 >> Now we'll see if he gets turned around.
01:41 He does.
01:42 So caution will not come out.
01:44 >> He's running 27th.
01:48 >> Now that -- that is what you're concerned about.
01:51 I don't think Kyle Larson will make a huge mistake driving.
01:54 Right in front of him you see the back get light.
01:56 Then he turns in underneath the 78.
01:58 That's a combination, Jeff, I think of curbing and the 78 all stacked up.
02:04 His option was to kind of spin himself out or to spin Hammond and the 78 out.
02:08 >> That's a very difficult braking zone.
02:11 You're turning the car.
02:12 You're coming off of the NASCAR corner banked.
02:15 Now you're going to a flat surface.
02:16 The car doesn't want to brake well.
02:19 He got committed.
02:20 I'm making this pass right here.
02:22 Got deeper into the chicane and he just couldn't make it work.
02:25 >> Out in front, it's Reddick.
02:27 He's LED every lap.
02:28 24 laps completed so far.
02:30 Coming up on the 25th, the green and white checkered flag for winning the stage.
02:35 It will give him a playoff point.
02:37 It will give him ten stage points.
02:41 That is very important for a driver who came into this race two points below the cut line.
02:48 They're playing the points game.
02:50 Tyler Reddick as he comes out of turn 17 sees the green and white checkered flag and he
02:54 wins stage one.
02:57 >> Will be on the inside of this right hander.
02:59 Suarez on the outside.
03:00 We're back to racing.
03:01 >> Contact right there.
03:02 Suarez into the side of the 20 car.
03:03 >> True true.
03:04 >> True true.
03:05 >> True true.
03:18 Turn one cleanly.
03:19 Now into three they go.
03:22 Bell easily clearing it out front.
03:24 A little bump in the banking between chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez.
03:28 Elliott trying to take second away.
03:30 Look at the lead.
03:31 It is heating up.
03:32 Here comes chase Elliott.
03:34 He looks to the inside of bell.
03:36 Elliott now trying to take that top spot away.
03:39 >> Got great momentum right here.
03:43 Christopher bell has a decision to make.
03:45 Actually he doesn't.
03:46 Chase Elliott just powered by him.
03:49 >> Decision was made.
03:50 >> I thought bell could side draft him and slow him down and try to enter this corner
03:54 next to him.
03:55 Chase was having none of it.
03:56 >> A little bit of action on the back straightaway.
04:02 Harvick has the tires locked completely up trying to get into that rear chicane.
04:08 Did it right.
04:09 Served a penalty.
04:10 Came to a complete stop.
04:11 He did come to pit road to put tires on it.
04:14 A little bit of contact there with Truex and Harrison.
04:18 >> The 78 goes around.
04:19 We saw the 9 of chase Elliott.
04:21 He was about ready to come to pit road.
04:23 Pit road is now going to be closed because the caution has come out and chase Elliott
04:27 crossed the start/finish line with two laps to go on the stage.
04:31 >> Chase was coming to pit road but you saw him dive back on to the racetrack just as
04:35 we were returning.
04:37 That's because pit road closed.
04:38 We saw that happen to Kevin Harvick a few weeks ago.
04:41 You can't pit on a closed pit road.
04:43 This is going to be an awful break for chase Elliott.
04:45 He's going to lose the track position.
04:46 Let's see what happened to the 78.
04:47 >> Josh Bielicki just coming off of pit road.
04:52 Just seven car of joy there.
04:55 I don't know if Josh didn't expect him to be there.
05:02 Big contact.
05:03 Car gets into the wall.
05:04 >> Looks like Corey got in a little hot and got into it.
05:07 >> I think he was passing the 78.
05:11 He's allowed to hit this box.
05:12 He's good.
05:13 He's definitely fine.
05:14 He could drive over that box and return to the track with no penalty.
05:17 >> Chase was trying to run as long as he can before pitting before the end of the stage.
05:22 That's why he was coming with two to go as a leader.
05:24 He has that opportunity.
05:25 He wanted to come in and service his car.
05:27 All the cars behind him in the running order, Bell, Hanlon, Reddick, Larson, Chastain, they
05:32 have playoff implications.
05:33 They're going to try to stay out and get points.
05:36 Really then Elliott would come back on the racetrack probably in eighth or ninth.
05:39 He was going to cycle pretty good.
05:40 Then the caution for the end of the stage when the other car is pitted, he reassumes
05:44 the lead.
05:45 He's looking really good.
05:46 Now because he wasn't unable to come to pit road and service his car, good news is you
05:50 win the stage.
05:51 The bad news is there are roughly 20 to 25 cars that have already serviced their vehicles.
05:57 They're going to stay on the racetrack.
05:58 Chase Elliott is going to restart well outside the top 20.
06:01 The same is going to be the same for Bell and Hanlon and Reddick.
06:04 I think Kyle Busch currently in tenth is going to become the race leader through this cycle.
06:09 The difference is all those playoff cars, they knew this bad break was coming, but their
06:13 reward is at least a few points that they so desperately need to advance.
06:17 Maybe not as much for Hamlin who's in third, who's already won.
06:21 >> By the way, Hamlin has now advanced.
06:23 >> Excuse me.
06:24 I say already won.
06:25 He had enough points to advance.
06:26 I keep trying to give him a win.
06:27 That's the second time today I'm trying to give him a win in this round.
06:29 >> He appreciates it.
06:30 >> Yeah.
06:31 >> You see there, chase Elliott winning the stage.
06:33 Denny Hamlin clinching.
06:36 >> Busch and Gibbs, door to door.
06:37 >> A flag back in the air.
06:38 >> Busch easily clearing Gibbs.
06:39 Here comes allmendinger.
06:40 >> He's got a lot of power.
06:41 >> He's got a lot of power.
06:42 >> He's got a lot of power.
06:43 >> He's got a lot of power.
06:44 >> He's got a lot of power.
06:45 >> Busch clearing Gibbs.
06:46 Here comes allmendinger.
06:47 Side by side for second.
06:54 Allmendinger a great move on the outside of Gibbs.
06:56 He takes that second spot.
06:58 >> That was big right there.
06:59 We saw Busch beat allmendinger.
07:00 Allmendinger got it back on the racetrack.
07:01 >> Here comes allmendinger again.
07:02 Kyle Busch said coming from the organization of Joe Gibbs to where Richard Childress racing
07:15 was when I entered the organization.
07:16 If I could bring them a championship, it would be huge.
07:17 Right now he's got his hands full.
07:18 Allmendinger to the inside for the lead.
07:19 >> What does Kyle Busch do right here?
07:20 Does he concede the spot or does he take the fight to allmendinger?
07:21 A little bit of contact there.
07:22 Kyle Busch concedes the spot.
07:23 >> Still there.
07:24 Clear.
07:25 Clear in line.
07:26 >> Says, hey, you're faster than I am right now.
07:27 I'm going to keep working on my car.
07:28 I'm not going to quit.
07:29 Right now I just can't hold you up.
07:30 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:31 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:32 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:33 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:34 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:35 >> He's got a lot of power.
07:56 >> Busch fighting to get back up front.
08:24 >> The caution is out.
08:26 Denny Hamlin, because the points he earned in stage one and stage two have guaranteed
08:31 him a spot in the round of eight.
08:33 But it looks like his day is definitely not getting any easier.
08:38 >> Blaney gets in.
08:39 I'm sorry.
08:40 Hamlin gets in really deep, loses control, makes contact, spins.
08:43 Here comes the 42 of Rockefeller.
08:45 Boom, right there in the right rear.
08:48 That's what damages the 11 car.
08:50 >> Denny is out of control.
08:54 That contact, that's where the damage came from.
08:58 >> Allmendinger into the gas again.
09:02 Another great restart by Gibbs.
09:03 He's not able to stay to the inside as they go into one.
09:07 >> I like the position of the 8 of Kyle Busch.
09:10 If he can stay there, he'll be drivers right inside for turns three and four.
09:16 Can he stay to the inside of the 54?
09:18 He is.
09:19 The 54 threw it into three hard.
09:23 There's contact.
09:24 Kyle Busch got into the back of the 54.
09:27 More contact made.
09:32 >> Kyle Busch has got to go.
09:33 He knows he needs that track position into the back of the 54, the 24 into the back of
09:38 the 8.
09:39 >> 54 bottles him up there.
09:41 16 out to five car length lead as they go back onto the big track.
09:48 >> Loretta, the 45 purple car with jump man in the hood taking a look at the 24 of William
09:53 Byron.
09:54 What a year for William Byron.
09:55 He's already advanced but here he is inside the top five.
09:59 >> Oh, big contact there.
10:02 Cendric is going to go around.
10:06 >> Cendric was having a good day.
10:09 Bubba Wallace.
10:10 >> Missed the chicane.
10:11 He came to a stop.
10:12 >> Keep digging straight.
10:13 >> That is a lot of spots he lost.
10:14 >> Ten laps to go.
10:15 >> Roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, green, green, green.
10:21 >> Busch was sideways on this restart.
10:24 Now he's got pressure on the outside from the 24.
10:27 Here comes William Byron.
10:31 Kyle Busch spun the tires.
10:35 Getting up to speed and now he's going to drop another spot.
10:38 Byron takes second away.
10:40 Now the white flag in the air.
10:42 One more time around.
10:48 >> This is what colleague racing wanted to see A.J.
10:51 Allmendinger do in 2023 with seven road courses on the schedule.
10:56 Allmendinger, as strong as he is on road courses, they wanted to see him be competitive in every
11:03 single road course.
11:05 >> William Byron, three car lengths behind.
11:07 Going to try to use every braking zone to his advantage.
11:13 Try to carry as much speed as he can.
11:15 Go to the throttle a little quicker than he's been able to.
11:17 As he pushes the car, asking for more, the car won't give it to him.
11:20 You can see the 16 got away from him right there.
11:23 That was just simply William Byron trying to get more speed.
11:27 >> That is the breathing room that A.J.
11:29 Allmendinger was looking for as they head down the back stretch, Rick, into that chicane.
11:34 >> This time, William Byron carried more speed in the braking zone.
11:38 This time, Allmendinger has a little bit of a gap.
11:40 >> Byron knows there are five playoff points out there.
11:44 He's going to be aggressive these final turns.
11:47 But Allmendinger still with a 5.6 car length advantage now.
11:53 Allmendinger's last win was at the Indianapolis road course back in 2021.
11:58 That's 50 starts ago.
12:01 And now, A.J. Allmendinger out of the final turn.
12:04 He wins at the Charlotte roll pool.
12:07 >> Woo!
12:08 Yeah!
12:09 >> Love you, brother.
12:10 Love you, man.
12:11 >> Good job, buddy.
12:12 >> Awesome job, everyone.
12:13 Awesome job.
12:14 >> Allmendinger, he's got a little bit of a gap.
12:15 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:16 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:17 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:18 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:19 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:20 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:21 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:22 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:23 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:24 He's got a little bit of a gap.
12:25 (whooshing)
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