NASCAR Playoffs at Darlington results: Kevin Harvick picks up eighth win of the year, advances to Round of 12

Harvick's win came after the races leaders crashed in the closing laps

Kevin Harvick held off Austin Dillon to earn his series-leading eighth win of the season, claiming the playoff opener at Darlington. Harvick gained the lead with under 15 laps to go after Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott made contact while racing for the lead. 

Truex dominated most of the race, sweeping the stages, but blew a tire after contact with Elliott and finished 22nd. Elliott, who was leading with less than 20 to go, finished 20th. 

"I hate it," Elliott said to NBC after the race." We needed a little pace there to extend our lead instead of playing defense, but regardless I thought we were in a good spot. I ran the bottom in three and four to see if there was anything left down there, that's what kind of gave him the run and then he just slid up in to my left front, I felt like and on we went."

"I hate it for the 9 team," Truex said to NBC. "Obviously, it was nothing intentional, just two guys going for the win and not enough room for both of us there. If it was my fault, I apologize. I really felt like I had the position to get in there to one. That's how it goes, and we'll see what goes on from here."

Elliott, like the race winner Harvick, benefitted from a debris caution in the Final Stage. Both were scheduled to make one more pit stop than Truex, so the yellow flag essentially leveled the playing field at the right time. 

"My crew chief tonight basically kept us in position to win this race," Harvick said. "Strategy and making the right calls was 100 percent what kept us in the race tonight."

Harvick has now punched his ticket to the Round of 12, which he was likely to make on points regardless. Dillon, Joey Logano, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer were amongst the other playoff drivers to finish in the top 10. Ryan Blaney finished 24th, last among the playoff drivers -- two spots behind Truex Jr., who led 196 laps. 

The four drivers on the outside looking in heading into the next race at Richmond are Bowyer, Cole Custer, Matt DiBenedetto and Blaney in that order. Blaney lost 10 playoff points before the race due to an improperly mounted ballast during inspection and then raced without his crew chief, Todd Gordon, who was hit with a one race suspension.

Dillon, who finished second moved up to eighth in the points while Kyle Busch secured a seventh place finish to ascend to two spots above the cut line. Aric Almirola, considered a dark horse by a handful of drivers entering the playoffs, is currently holding onto the final spot. Almirola finished the race ninth. 

Fans were in attendance at Darlington to witness Harvick's second Southern 500 victory. After doing a victory burnout, Harvick was presented the checkered flag by a young fan, and told him to hold onto it as a keepsake. Harvick had previously refrained from celebrating without fans in the stands. 

"It felt really good, that's the first race that I've won this year that anybody's been here," Harvick said after the win. "It felt really really good to have some cheering fans in the grandstands and be able to experience that again."

Harvick is now ninth on the all-time wins list with 57. Next up is Dale Earnhardt at 76.