South Point 400
Christopher Bell started the South Point 400 from the pole and did all but dominate the day as he led 155 laps.
Once again, Playoff drivers faced trouble throughout the day.
After losing a tire in practice and hitting the wall, Ryan Blaney was relegated to a backup car. Kyle Larson had debris stuck in his grill early into the second stage, forcing another run down pit road.
Chase Elliott made contact with another car and along the way, they collected Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric. Additionally, Tyler Reddick got caught in the melee and took Jumpman for a wild ride.
TYLER REDDICK FLIPS!
Reddick and Chase Elliott both crash. Reddick was able to drive his car to pit road but is done for the day. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/kBjgRp4TC0
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 20, 2024
Finally, during the Stage 2 caution, Denny Hamlin had to return to pit road to fix a loose wheel.
When all was said and done, Reddick and Bell were stage winners, while Joey Logano went on to win the race.
Rich MARvelous Move of the Race
This week, we’re spotlighting a handful of drivers who punched above their weight. We did this for Atlanta last month. However as a “superspeedway”, it’s almost anyone’s game. At Vegas, a mile-and-a-half track, it’s a bit more impressive for these drivers to show up and show out.
P17 – Justin Haley
I hesitated on this one because he’s had flashes of brilliance this season. However, only a few weeks into a ride-swap with Corey LaJoie, finishing the day top 20 is quite impressive considering he is still getting to know his team.
Despite the top 20, Haley expressed his frustration over the finish on X, stating the car “was fast all day. We had a tire issue at the end that dropped us back. Showed speed and executed as a team.”
P15 – Harrison Burton
Harrison Burton snagged his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona earlier this season. This was a feel-good story for the driver who had recently received the news he would not be driving the famed No. 21 in 2025. Despite this, Burton’s average finish in 2024 has been 25.8, so a top 20 certainly helps that stat. It’s also worth noting, his finish at LVMS marked back-to-back top 20s for Burton.
P14 – Corey LaJoie
Corey LaJoie typically is in contention for a win at superspeedways. However, LVMS has not always been kind to LaJoie, where he has tallied an average finish of 24.6. His P14 finish marked just his second top 15 at the 1.5-mile track.
It also helped make up for his engine failure on Lap 3 last week at the ROVAL. Consider it another penny stacked.
P9 – John Hunter Nemechek
While John Hunter Nemechek does have four top 10s to his name in 2024, he wraps up Las Vegas with another top-10 finish. This puts an end to an abysmal run of finishes of 21st or worse which started in Darlington.
Was there a move that stood out to you in the South Point 400?
Thank you to Rich Mar Florist for sponsoring the Rich MARvelous Move of the Race. Give them a follow on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X) to stay up-to-date with all the Team Rich Mar NASCAR happenings. Be sure to check out their website for all your floral needs.
