Kevin Harvick passed Martin Truex Jr. with 10 laps to go to win his second race of the season and clinch his spot in the Championship 4 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Despite forfeiting the lead, Truex also clinched a spot at Homestead on merit. 

The victory was Harvick's first of his career at the track.

Truex and Harvick join Kyle Busch as drivers racing for a championship in late November, leaving only one spot open for Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott or Jimmie Johnson. Given no non-contender driver has won in the playoffs, next week's race at Phoenix is most likely a must-win for the aforementioned drivers.

With Harvick's win, CBS Sports has correctly predicted three of the four drivers in the Championship 4. Harvick was our pre-playoffs prediction to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson would have to win next week in order to achieve a perfect bracket. 

AAA Texas 500 results

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

BOLD -- indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 driver

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 standings

POSITION

DRIVER

CAR #

POINTS

BEHIND

WINS

1.

Martin Truex Jr. (advanced)

78

4168

LEADER

7

2.

Kyle Busch (advanced)

18

4118

-50

5

3.

Kevin Harvick (advanced)

4

4112

-56

2

4.

Brad Keselowski

2

4111

-57

3

5.

Denny Hamlin

11

4092

-76

2

6.

Ryan Blaney

21

4092

-79

1

7.

Chase Elliott

24

4062

-106

0

8.

Jimmie Johnson 

48

4060

-108

3

Stage 1: Prominent Playoff drivers in trouble

Harvick won Stage 1 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday after passing Kyle Larson with 16 to go. Truex, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney were among the other NASCAR Playoff drivers to earn stage points while Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson finished a lap down.

During driver introductions, Hamlin was met with a barrage of boos following his feud with Chase Elliott last week. Elliott, posterized as "The People's Champion" in Texas, heard nothing but loud cheering when he was introduced.

Hamlin shot to the lead as the green flag flew, while Elliott began charging up through the field. The No. 24 team failed to run a qualifying lap on Friday, forcing Elliott to start from the 34th position however it only took him 25 laps to crack the top 15.

Keselowski made contact with rival Kyle Busch right off the bat. Both had to come down pit road only one lap into the race to repair damage, each in a hole early on. Busch already clinched his spot in the Championship 4 with a victory at Martinsville last week, while Keselowski entered the race third in the points.

Larson showed off his speed on the 1.5-mile track, taking the lead roughly 45 laps into the race from Hamlin after starting 11th. The No. 42 driver was knocked out of the playoffs in the Round of 12 cutoff race.

Green-flag pit stops began approximately 50 laps into the race. Front Row Motorsports drivers David Ragan and Landon Cassill each suffered speeding penalties as Larson cycled back to the lead. Jimmie Johnson took an extra pit stop to make adjustments, putting him multiple laps down.

Harvick took the lead from Larson on Lap 69 and drove on to win the first stage.

Stage 1 results

  1. Kevin Harvick
  2. Martin Truex Jr.
  3. Denny Hamlin
  4. Kyle Larson
  5. Kurt Busch
  6. Erik Jones
  7. Matt Kenseth
  8. Ryan Blaney
  9. Austin Dillon
  10. Daniel Suarez

BOLD -- indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 driver

Stage 2: Larson dominates in spoiler role

Larson won Stage 2 over playoff contenders Harvick, Blaney, Truex, Elliott and Hamlin. Keselowski was the only other playoff driver to finish on the lead lap. Kyle Busch finished in position to earn the free pass while Johnson continued to struggle three laps down.

Hamlin won the race off pit road to start Stage 2, but lost the lead to Larson only a few laps in after going high on the track. Not much later, Daniel Suarez got loose and spun out into Kasey Kahne, bringing out the caution. The yellow gave Keselowski the free pass, putting him back onto the lead lap.

Kyle Busch took the opportunity to come down pit road and make adjustments to repair damage suffered on the first lap of the race.

Larson continued to pull away from the field, and lapped Johnson for the third time with 40 laps to go in the Stage. The No. 48 team chose to pit after the Suarez and Kahne crash when they could have stayed out and gained position.

Joey Logano got green-flag pit stops going with less than 30 to go in the stage, however the No. 22 was penalized for speeding. Hamlin was the first of the playoff drivers to come down after battling inside the top 10 with none other than Elliott himself.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead briefly before pitting late in the stage for fuel and tires. It was certainly a memory for NASCAR and Junior fans, given Texas was the site of his first victory back in 2000.

Kasey Kahne was the last of the drivers to come to the pits with less than 10 laps to go in the stage. Larson cycled back to the lead followed by Harvick, Blaney, Elliott and Truex in the top five. Kyle Busch was able to work his way back into the top 10 before pitting with seven laps in the stage.

Larson drove on to win the stage with nearly a five-second lead on Harvick.

Stage 2 results:

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

BOLD -- indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 driver

Final Stage: Harvick makes the pass to clinch

Matt Kenseth started the Final Stage as the race leader but the caution quickly came out as Clint Bowyer got into the back of Cassill and spun him out. The yellow got Kyle Busch back onto the lead lap.

Truex took the lead from Kenseth upon the second restart. Kenseth got the green flag pit stops going on lap 225 with Truex pitting from the lead only one lap later. Larson and other leaders shortly followed suit. Kurt Busch had to come back down pit road a second time after reports of a loose wheel.

Shortly after green flag stops began, Michael McDowell went spinning, bringing out the yellow flag. Kyle Busch was the leader at the time of the caution, as he had yet to pit. It was a huge break for Rowdy, who was able to come down pit road without losing any laps.

Truex and Kenseth battled upon the restart, however Ray Black Jr. got loose and went hard into the Turn 1 barrier, bringing out the sixth caution of the day. Dale Jr. chose to bring his car into the garage on the caution, citing brake issues and a loose wheel on the radio. He was able to bring it back out 30 laps later.

Truex assumed the lead on the restart but could not create much separation from Kenseth and Harvick. Black again spun out with 65 to go, bringing out another caution. Jeffrey Earnhardt also went spinning as part of the yellow.

Hamlin won the race off pit road after taking only two tires and led the field to green. Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch again had to bring his car into the pits immediately after suffering a flat left-rear tire. 

Larson saw his hopes of a spoiler run at Texas come to an end with about 50 laps to go when he hit the wall twice and his No. 42 Chevrolet went up in flames. Needless to say, the caution came out signaling the third consecutive DNF for Larson. The red flag also flew to suspend the race for track cleanup.

Johnson was pushed to the rear of the field on the restart due to an uncontrolled tire violation. If it was of any question throughout the race, the penalty all but ensured next week's Phoenix race as a must-win for the seven-time NASCAR champion.

Truex took the lead from Hamlin on the restart. Harvick eventually made the pass on Hamlin for second place with 28 laps to go in the race. Harvick later passed Truex with less than 10 laps to go and drove on to win the race.

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