NASCAR Playoffs 2022: Bubba Wallace beats the Denny Hamlin down doubters with 2nd Cup Series win in Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas
- Bubba Wallace claimed a dramatic win at the same track in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, the second event in the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
On Lap 225, during the last round of green-flag pit stops at the 1.5-mile track, Wallace reclaimed the lead. Denny Hamlin, the driver of Wallace's vehicle, pursued him vainly for the next 43 circuits.
Wallace won for the second consecutive week, crossing the finish line exactly one second before Hamlin. Wallace was not vying for the drivers' championship. After trailing Erik Jones to the finish line last Sunday at Darlington, Hamlin finished second for the second consecutive playoff race.
The first driver to secure a spot in the Round of 12 of the Playoffs based only on points is Christopher Bell, who finished third. The remaining 15 championship candidates must secure a spot in the top 12 or risk being eliminated.
On lap 252 of the final 267, Hamlin overtook Bell to take over the second spot. Hamlin was 2.066 seconds down with 10 circuits to go but couldn't close the gap any more than the final one second.
The 2022 NASCAR playoffs field will be cut from 16 to 12 drivers after next Saturday’s race (7:30 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM) at Thunder Valley.
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Nascar.com
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