NASCAR: Kyle Larson’s early elimination illustrates that anything is possible

By Asher Fair | Oct 24, 2017

KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 22: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet, drives to pit road after a blown engine during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 22, 2017 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Kyle Larson, a favorite to qualify for the NASCAR championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, did not even make it out of the Round of 12.

There were three NASCAR Cup Series drivers who many people pegged as favorites to advance to the championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway as the final four drivers eligible to win the 2017 championship. Those drivers were Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch.

Truex Jr. and Busch are still alive in the championship hunt; in fact, they are the top 2 drivers in the standings right now. Larson, however, did not even make it out of the Round of 12, the second round of the playoffs, which goes to show just how unpredictable NASCAR is and illustrates how anything is possible.

Kyle Larson entered the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs tied for the series lead in wins having won four races in the the regular season. Only Martin Truex Jr. had matched that total in the regular season. Larson entered the playoffs in 2nd place in the standings, stage points and playoff points.

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But even after a lackluster start to the Round of 12 for Larson, which featured him finishing in 10th place at Charlotte and 13th place at Talladega, he still entered the final race of the round at Kansas Speedway in 3rd in the standings 29 points above the cut line for the Round of 8, so things looked good for him.

But then engine issues hit him in the Kansas elimination race, and Larson was forced to end his race early with just a 39th place result and immediately fell underneath the cut line for the Round of 8. He needed to hold his breath and wait for other Round of 12 drivers to suffer some kind of misfortune so that he could end up in the top 8 and advance to the next round.

Other Round of 12 playoff drivers certainly suffered misfortune over the course of the remainder of the race. Jimmie Johnson spun out a number of times, and Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray were knocked out in a huge wreck. Kyle Busch also lost a lap after he pitted right before AJ Allmendinger spun out, sending him to the back of the pack for the restart.

But not enough misfortune happened to other Round of 12 playoff drivers to allow Kyle Larson to advance to the Round of 8, as he was the first driver below the Round of 8 cut line in 9th place when the race ended.

So now one of the season-long favorites to race for the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway is eliminated and will not even have a chance to qualify for the championship finale in the Round of 8. It just goes to show that anything is possible in NASCAR no matter how much of a “sure thing” some drivers may seem to be as far as the playoffs go.

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The next NASCAR Cup Series race will be the 33rd race of the 2017 season and the seventh race of the playoffs held at Martinsville Speedway to open up the Round of 8. It will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, October 29th at 3:00 PM ET. While drivers like Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will continue battling for the championship, Kyle Larson will not be, showing just how unpredictable NASCAR is and how nothing can be taken for granted…ever.