Matt Kenseth spoiled Chase Elliott's hopes at a first career win and Championship 4, passing the No. 24 on the final lap to win his first race of the season. Kenseth was eliminated from the playoffs in the Round of 12 and does not have a ride for next season.

The win is the 39th of Kenseth's career and potentially the last. The No. 20 driver is being replaced by Erik Jones at Joe Gibbs Racing last season and has explained he has no plans to run in the Daytona 500 next season.

"Everybody dreams of going out a winner." Kenseth said to NBC after the race. 

Brad Keselowski earned the final spot in the Championship 4 on merit despite finishing 16th. He will join Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the final race of the NASCAR season.

Elliott finished second, but due to his 27th-place finish at the Martinsville opener, he was not in position to get in on points even with a second-place finish on Sunday. The runner-up result was his fourth in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Elliott got his revenge on Denny Hamlin late in the final stage, racing him hard and putting him into the wall. A few laps later, Hamlin lost control and wrecked his car, putting an end to his championship hopes. Hamlin spoiled Elliott's first career win at Martinsville just a few weeks ago. 

Can-Am 500 results

  1. Matt Kenseth
  2. Chase Elliott
  3. Martin Truex Jr.
  4. Erik Jones
  5. Kevin Harvick
  6. Jamie McMurray
  7. Kyle Busch
  8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  9. Aric Almirola
  10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  11. Ty Dillon
  12. Joey Logano
  13. Clint Bowyer
  14. Austin Dillon
  15. Paul Menard
  16. Brad Keselowski
  17. Ryan Blaney
  18. Daniel Suarez
  19. Kasey Kahne
  20. Ryan Newman
  21. Kurt Busch
  22. Michael McDowell
  23. AJ Allmendinger
  24. Landon Cassill
  25. Danica Patrick
  26. DJ Kennington
  27. Matt DiBenedetto
  28. David Starr
  29. Jeffrey Earnhardt
  30. Joey Gase
  31. Corey LaJoie
  32. Derrike Cope
  33. David Ragan
  34. Kyle Weatherman
  35. Denny Hamlin
  36. Cole Whitt
  37. Chris Buescher
  38. Trevor Bayne
  39. Jimmie Johnson
  40. Kyle Larson

BOLD - advanced to the Championship 4

Stage 1: Hamlin and Elliott battle again

Kyle Larson won Stage 1 at a sold-out Phoenix Raceway. Denny Hamlin, who finished the stage second, was the top points getter of all the Round of 8 drivers. Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson also collected points. Hamlin led 42 of the first 75 laps. 

Playoff competitors Ryan Blaney and Hamlin started on the front row with the No. 21 creating separation early. Chase Elliott caught up on lap 12, taking the lead from his fellow Round of 8 first-timer Blaney.

On lap 27, Hamlin and Elliott began shuffling in and out of the lead while Blaney fell back in the pack. The No. 11 eventually won the early battle, passing Elliott who then dropped to third behind Larson. 

Larson went on to pass Hamlin with less than 10 laps to go in the stage. After a short battle, the No. 42 Chevrolet pulled away from Hamlin's Toyota and drove on to take the green-and-white checkered. It was a clean first stage, with no caution flags flying except the one to signal the end of the stage.

Stage 1 results:

  1. Kyle Larson
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Chase Elliott
  4. Kevin Harvick
  5. Matt Kenseth
  6. Kyle Busch
  7. Erik Jones
  8. Martin Truex Jr.
  9. Ryan Newman
  10. Jimmie Johnson

(Ryan Blaney 14th, Brad Keselowski 18th)

BOLD - indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 driver

Stage 2: Hamlin wins as Johnson is eliminated

Denny Hamlin led every single lap in Stage 2, holding off Matt Kenseth at the end to collect 10 more points. Truex, Busch, Harvick and Elliott also placed in the top 10. Keselowski moved up to 13th while Blaney finished 11th. Johnson was eliminated after bringing out the yellow on the final lap. 

The No. 11 regained the lead from Larson on pit road in between stages and held it on the restart. Larson had to take his car to the garage just over 20 laps into Stage 2 with engine problems. The No. 42 now has four-straight DNFs including the one that shockingly knocked Larson out of the Round of 12.

Jimmie Johnson went into the wall on the final lap of the stage and had to bring his car into the garage. That eliminated him from playoff contention and a shot at a record eighth championship in 2017. 

Stage 2 results:

  1. Denny Hamlin
  2. Matt Kenseth
  3. Erik Jones
  4. Martin Truex Jr.
  5. Kyle Busch
  6. Kevin Harvick
  7. Jamie McMurray
  8. Ryan Newman
  9. Chase Elliott
  10. Clint Bowyer

(Ryan Blaney 11th, Brad Keselowski 13th, Jimmie Johnson into the garage)

BOLD - indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 driver

Final Stage: Elliott gets revenge on Hamlin

Hamlin again started the stage from the lead and pulled away from the field. Elliott started to make a run around lap 190, moving up to seventh place while Blaney and Keselowski lingered near the 10th position.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first car to come down pit road in lap 228 after blowing his front tire. Shortly after Trevor Bayne went hard into the wall bringing out the caution. The No. 6 driver could be heard on the radio saying "that hurt so bad" to his crew chief.

Kenseth beat Hamlin off pit road after the No. 11 stalled coming out of his box. The No. 20 held the lead on the restart but a caution quickly came out for debris on the race track. Keselowski was the lone playoff driver to come down pit road under yellow to get fresher tires for the next run.

Hamlin, Kenseth and Truex battled for the lead on the restart. After a couple laps, Kenseth assumed the top position and began pulling away from the others. Elliott began making a run inside the top five but Chris Buescher went spinning into the wall, bringing out the caution flag.

An unusual red flag came out after the safer barrier caught on fire. The race was stopped until track officials were able to put the smoke out.

Keselowski and Blaney stayed out as most of the leaders came in under yellow in an attempt to make it to flip track position. On the restart, Kenseth took the lead but Elliott quickly moved to second before Cole Whitt crashed and brought out another caution.

Kenseth took the lead on the restart as Elliott dropped behind Hamlin setting up for a revenge match. At Martinsville, Hamlin spoiled Elliott's first career win by wrecking him and Elliott returned the favor, shoving Hamlin into the wall and passing him. A few laps later, Hamlin went hard into the wall on his own as a result and saw his championship hopes come to an end.

It was a battle that fans had been waiting for weeks to see. An unresolved conflict from Martinsville that finally ended at Phoenix. Fittingly, Elliott took the lead on the restart after Hamlin's wreck.

Matt Kenseth went on to pass Elliott just laps later and drove on to win the race, clinching Brad Keselowski's spot in the Championship 4 on merit.

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