Keselowski, who just isn’t within the Chase, rallied to complete twenty third on the lead lap, whereas Hocevar got here residence eleventh and left Darlington 89 factors again of championship chief Denny Hamlin in twelfth.
With WWTR’s flat floor and comparatively slower corners adopted by the half-mile bullring of Bristol Motor Speedway the place beating and banging has been the norm through the years, there are definitely some alternatives forward for Keselowski to precise some revenge.
Hocevar seemingly denied any wrongdoing after the race, however Keselowski fired a warning shot that Hocevar higher “be careful.” He’s removed from the one driver to get ticked off by Hocevar, however the subsequent two weeks, particularly, may very well be attention-grabbing to see if he backs his feedback up.
Will Workforce Penske proceed to grasp the shorter, flatter tracks like WWTR?
The Workforce Penske trio of Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric have struggled to discover a steadiness on the intermediates this season. Whereas all three got here away with top-13 finishes on the 1.33-mile Darlington Raceway, they’ve clearly been a step behind the Toyotas.
That has not been the case when the collection visits quick tracks and comparable layouts to WWTR’s flat 1.25-mile floor. Two of Blaney’s three wins this season got here at a pair of flat, one-mile ovals (Phoenix, New Hampshire), whereas Logano discovered victory lane on the 0.625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway and 0.75-mile Richmond Raceway.
Cindric has not gained this season, however he and Logano have a win apiece at Gateway. Blaney, in the meantime, has three top-six finishes within the 4 races contested there. If any crew can sluggish the Toyotas down momentarily on Sunday, its Workforce Penske.
How does Denny Hamlin reply to Darlington adversity?
Hamlin entered the Chase because the No. 1 seed and arguably in the perfect place he has ever been in going into the postseason to finally claim his first Cup Series title. These expectations encountered some adversity on Sunday night time.
Hamlin obtained along with Michael McDowell off Flip 4 and ultimately fell a lap down earlier than some technique and well timed cautions helped him salvage an 18th-place end. He additionally scored a complete of 16 factors within the opening two levels, so it might have been a lot worse for the four-time 2026 winner.
Nonetheless, his 25-point lead getting into the Chase was trimmed to 12 by Bell and his pursuit of that elusive title turned a lot nearer than he would have favored. Hamlin’s general physique of labor this season suggests the title still runs through him over the following 9 weeks, however the early setback at Darlington served as a reminder that he has some stiff competitors greater than able to enjoying spoiler if he isn’t cautious.
