During Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Kansas, Zane Smith’s car flipped after crashing into the wall at the end of Turns 3 and 4. On the first lap of a two-lap extended restart triggered by Carson Josevar’s spin, John Hunter Nemechek pinned Smith’s car against the outside wall. Smith’s vehicle got trapped between Nemechek’s car and the wall, causing the front to lift off and slide sideways before flipping onto the track and coming to a stop. Fortunately, Smith was able to exit the car on his own once safety crews arrived.
The incident led to a red flag, halting the race for NASCAR’s post-crash procedures. When the race resumed, Chase Elliott surged from fifth to first on the final lap to secure the victory. Denny Hamlin made a significant move from fourth to second on the penultimate lap, challenging Bubba Wallace, who drives for Hamlin’s 23XI Racing Team. On the last lap, Hamlin attempted to pass Wallace at Turns 3 and 4 but veered onto the track, causing Wallace to hit the wall. This collision slowed both drivers, allowing Elliott to make a decisive inside move to win. Christopher Bell finished third, followed by Chase Briscoe, while Wallace fell to fifth just before the checkered flag.
Hamlin expressed disappointment after the race, saying, “It was really disappointing. I really wanted it. For me, the win would have been my 60th. The team did an excellent job with the car; it was fast and gave me everything I needed, even the restart I wanted. I just couldn’t finish it off in the last corner.”
Wallace, however, was notably critical of his teammate, who is also his boss. Hamlin leads the playoff cutoff standings by 27 points going into next week’s second-round final at the Charlotte Roval, while Wallace also holds a 27-point lead behind him. Wallace said, “Two years ago, I might’ve said something dumb, but he’s an idiot for that move. I don’t care if he’s my boss; we’re trying to win, and I hate that we lost it for Chevrolet.”
Fan Take: This dramatic finish highlights the intense rivalries and high stakes of playoff racing in NASCAR, where split-second decisions can make or break a championship run. It also raises questions about team dynamics in 23XI Racing, making this a storyline fans will be watching closely as the playoffs continue.
