Overview

• A crash with 31 laps remaining between William Byron and a pitting Ty Dillon triggered the decisive caution, with both drivers offering conflicting accounts about pit-entry signaling.
• Byron’s wreck ended a strong run in second, left him 36th at the finish, and dropped him 15 points below the cutline to start the Round of 8 stretch run.
• Hamlin’s crew chief Chris Gayle called for four tires on the final stop, enabling a charge from 10th to pass Chase Briscoe with four laps left as two-tire gambles by Briscoe and Joey Logano faded.
• Kyle Larson led a race-high 129 laps, won a stage, finished second, and leaves Las Vegas 35 points above the cutline.
• Hamlin is the lone driver locked into Phoenix as Christopher Bell sits 20 points above the cut, Briscoe holds +15, Logano is 24 points back, and Ryan Blaney is 31 down after an early tire failure; the win ties Hamlin with Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time list and came with visible emotion given his father’s illness.