NASCAR at Charlotte live race updates, results, highlights from the ROVAL 400

NASCAR at Charlotte live race updates, results, highlights from the ROVAL 400

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There will likely be chaos Sunday as 39 cars line up for the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 12.

The Bank of America ROVAL 400 on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course will be the last opportunity for 11 of the 12 playoff drivers to advance to the Round of 8. Denny Hamlin qualified after his win in Las Vegas two weeks ago. He leads the playoff standings with 3,116 points. Kyle Larson dropped to second after suffering a crash at Talladega. He trails Hamlin by 19 points.

Chase Elliott, who is seventh in the standings, has won on Charlotte’s 2.28-mile course each of the past two years. Another win by him Sunday would give Hendrick Motorsports the perfect boost. The team has earned just one win in the playoffs (Larson) and two Hendrick drivers face elimination. William Byron and Alex Bowman are both outside the top eight.

As the playoffs become more competitive, chaos ensues. Monday’s weather-shortened race at Talladega, which was won by non-playoff driver Bubba Wallace, increased the likelihood of chaos Sunday at Charlotte.

Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights from NASCAR’s playoff race Sunday. Follow for complete results from the Bank of America ROVAL 400.

MORE: Watch today’s NASCAR race with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR at Charlotte live updates, highlights from ROVAL 400

All times Eastern.

2:56: Blaney, Logano and Elliott extend their lead from the pack with eight laps to go in the first stage.

2:53: Keselowski is pushed by Alex Bowman and spins out. He’s able to get going again from the back.

2:49: Ryan Blaney takes the lead coming off the caution. Joey Logano and Chase Elliott fight for second in the pack.

2:44: Joey Logano takes the lead during caution followed by Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.

2:42: Bell gets a penalty for speeding on pit road.

2:41: Christopher Bell comes into pit road early for tires with no fuel. Hamlin leads the pack into pit road ahead of the competition caution.

2:38: Almirola takes a hit and goes for a minor spin, but goes to the back of the pack.

2:32: Denny Hamlin takes an early lead. Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski battle for second.

2:30: The Roval 400 race is underway.

2:20: Engines are fired ahead of the green flag.

2:10: The flyover kicks off the starting procedures at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

1:45: Drivers are being introduced ahead of this afternoon’s race. Here’s one of the most popular in Charlotte.

1:30: NASCAR confirms that Garrett Smithley is headed to the rear after multiple tech failures.

NASCAR start time today

  • Time: 2 p.m. ET
  • TV channel: NBC
  • Live stream: NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App, fuboTV

The green flag for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled to drop at 2:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch NASCAR at Charlotte

  • TV channel: NBC
  • Live stream: NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App, fuboTV
  • Radio: PRN

NBC’s programming will begin at 1 p.m. ET with the network’s “Countdown to Green” prerace show, hosted by Marty Snider with analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Rick Allen will handle the play-by-play call of the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte will provide analysis.

Snider, Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman will be the pit reporters. Rutledge Wood will provide additional reporting during the race.

NASCAR Cup playoff standings

Denny Hamlin moved into the lead in the standings with a seventh-place finish at Talladega. He passed Kyle Larson, who dropped to second after a 37th-place finish brought on by a wreck. Larson also lost a lot of his cushion between his place and the playoff cut line. He’ll enter Sunday 22 points ahead of ninth-place driver Kevin Harvick.

The playoff bubble has a lot of pressure on it after Talladega. The difference between sixth place (Ryan Blaney) and ninth (Harvick) is just 15 points. Between the bunched standings, the fact that 11 of the 12 drivers are still fighting for a Round of 8 spot and the Roval’s history of wrecks, Sunday promises more chaos before NASCAR reduces the playoff field by four drivers.

Pos. Driver Points
1 Denny Hamlin 3116
2 Kyle Larson 3097
3 Joey Logano 3096
4 Brad Keselowski 3095
5 Martin Truex Jr. 3095
6 Ryan Blaney 3090
7 Chase Elliott 3084
8 Kyle Busch 3084
9 Kevin Harvick 3075
10 Christopher Bell 3056
11 William Byron 3040
12 Alex Bowman 3032

NASCAR starting lineup at Charlotte

Here is the complete NASCAR starting lineup for Sunday’s playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Bank of America ROVAL 400. Playoff drivers are denoted by a “P” next to their names.

Start pos. Driver Car No. Team
1 P-Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
2 P-Brad Keselowski 2 Team Penske
3 P-Joey Logano 22 Team Penske
4 P-Christopher Bell 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
5 P-Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
6 P-Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
7 P-Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
8 P-Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick Motorsports
9 P-Kyle Busch 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
10 P-Kyle Larson 5 Hendrick Motorsports
11 P-William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
12 P-Alex Bowman 48 Hendrick Motorsports
13 Kurt Busch 1 Chip Ganassi Racing
14 Austin Dillon 3 Richard Childress Racing
15 Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing
16 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Racing
17 Erik Jones 43 Richard Petty Motorsports
18 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
19 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
20 Anthony Alfredo 38 Front Row Motorsports
21 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
22 Chase Briscoe 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
23 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
24 Ryan Newman 6 Roush Fenway Racing
25 Daniel Suarez 99 Trackhouse Racing
26 Corey LaJoie 7 Spire Motorsports
27 Ross Chastain 42 Chip Ganassi Racing
28 Quin Houff 00 StarCom Racing
29 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
30 Matt DiBenedetto 21 Wood Brothers Racing
31 Ryan Preece 37 JTG Daugherty Racing
32 Cody Ware 51 Petty Ware Racing
33 AJ Allmendinger 16 Kaulig Racing
34 Garrett Smithley 53 Rick Ware Racing
35 Scott Heckert 78 Live Fast Motorsports
36 Joey Hand 52 Rick Ware Racing
37 Josh Bilicki 15 Rick Ware Racing
38 Justin Haley 77 Spire Motorsports
39 Timmy Hill 66 Motorsports Business Management


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