Nine shocking playoff moments when Cup drivers pulled desperate moves

When Ross Chastain ran over Denny Hamlin and reversed across the finish line on Sunday at the Charlotte Roval, it was just the latest in a lengthy history of desperate drivers doing desperate things when faced with playoff elimination.

Chastain has done it before, as we all know his famous ‘wallride’ from the 2022 season. But other drivers, including former champions, have done everything from intentionally wrecking rivals to damaging their own cars in an attempt to get keep their title hopes alive.

In the first year of the elimination-style format, Keselowski restarted third with just a few laps to go. In an attempt to win his way into the championship finale, the Penske driver forced it up the middle, making contact with Jeff Gordon. That resulted in a cut tire and a spin for Gordon. Ultimately, neither driver advanced into the final four that year. After the race, a wild pit road brawl unfolded as Kevin Harvick shoved Keselowski towards a furious Gordon. Once he got hold of Keselowski, the fight was on in one of the wildest playoff moments in NASCAR history.

Ryan Newman walls Kyle Larson to make inaugural Championship 4 (2014)

The four drivers for the 2014 Sprint Cup: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Ryan Newman, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: NASCAR Media

Also in the first season of the playoffs, Newman was hoping to upend the system by making it all the way to the finale without winning a single race during the 2014 season. He needed one spot in the Round of 8 cutoff race at Phoenix, and so, he purposely pushed Larson into the outside wall and punched his ticket to the finale. Newman ended up second in points, nearly winning the title without even winning a race.

Kevin Harvick stays out with a failing engine…at Talladega (2015)

Talladega restart crash

Photo by: Getty Images

In 2015, Harvick’s engine was failing him in the Round of 12 cutoff race at Talladega. Originally, he pulled out of line, but after a quick incident pushed the race to its final GWC restart (before infinite overtime rule), Harvick made a different decision that raised eyebrows. He stayed in line, and then drifted to the right, making contact with Trevor Bayne and igniting a race-ending crash that saved his playoff hopes. Some drivers claimed he did it intentionally, but Harvick denied that and nothing came of it. He went on to finish second in the championship standings.

Kyle Larson drags destroyed race car into next round (2018)

In the 2018 Round of 16 cutoff race at the Roval, Jimmie Johnson was going to advance if he finished second, but he really wanted that checkered flag. A desperate move into the frontstretch chicane ended with both himself and race leader Martin Truex Jr. spinning. Johnson was in by one point even after that, but not everyone had crossed the line. While Jeffrey Earnhardt sat stalled out on the frontstretch, the completely destroyed No. 42 of Larson came barreling through the final corners far behind the field, smashing into the wall as he was unable to turn. He slammed the wall again at the exit of the chicane, dragging his car across the line and eliminated Johnson. Larson was eliminated in the following round.

Joey Logano moved Truex to win the battle, and later the war (2018)

Also in 2018, Logano was in position to win his way into the Championship 4, but he needed to find a way around Truex. Instead, he decided to go through him, running over Truex and winning the race in a contact-filled finish that left the defending champion furious. “He may win the battle, but he ain’t winning the damn war,” warned Truex. In truth, he won both as Logano went on to beat Truex in the finale and claim his first of three Cup titles.

Kevin Harvick intentionally wrecks Kyle Busch, and himself (2020)

Watch: Elliott wins, Harvick spins Busch and comes up short

In an incident close to what we saw this past weekend at the Roval, Harvick was facing Round of 8 elimination at Martinsville despite winning nine races that year. He needed one point, and unfortunately for Kyle Busch, he was directly in front of Harvick. Exiting the final corner, Harvick intentionally turned Busch, but wrecked himself in the process. While Busch did a complete 360-degree spin and continued, Harvick’s playoff run ended as he crashed into the inside wall.

Ross Chastain’s wallride that stunned the NASCAR world (2022)

Watch: See multiple angles of Chastain’s last-lap move to advance at Martinsville

The most famous desperation move in the history of the playoffs belongs to Chastain himself. In 2022, he needed a couple more points in the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville, but there was no one close enough. That’s when he decided to upshift entering the final corner, planting his car against the outside wall and shattering the track record as he rode along it in a spectacular move seen across the world. F1 World Champions were praising him for his last-lap heroics as Chastain passed five cars including Hamlin himself, vaulting himself into the championship race. He later said that he let go of the wheel as his vision began to blur. The dangerous maneuver, dubbed the ‘Hail Melon,’ helped him end the year second in the championship standings, but it was later banned for safety reasons.

Christopher Bell penalized as manufacturer shenanigans unfold (2024)

In 2024, manufacturers got a bit too involved in the Round of 8 elimination race as a Chevrolet blockade formed behind William Byron. Soon after, the Toyota of Bubba Wallace started to fade. Christopher Bell needed one spot, and passed Wallace entering the final corner. However, in the chaos of the moment, he drifted out into the outside wall. While he gained no ground after hitting the wall, the fact that he rode against it forced NASCAR to penalize him. After a lengthy wait, Bell was thrown out of the Championship 4, giving the final spot to Byron. Later in the week, NASCAR issued large penalties to Wallace, as well as the Chevrolets of Austin Dillon and Chastain for their role in the controversial finish.

This one needs no refresher, but we’ll give you one anyway. Chastain came back from two unforced errors on pit road, remaining in contention for the final transfer spot in Sunday’s Round of 12 elimination race. However, once Hamlin passed him in the hairpin on the final lap, he was going to lose on a tiebreaker. Entering the final chicane, Chastain jumped over the curbing and nailed the back of Hamlin’s car, spinning both cars out. He immediately threw it in reverse and backed across the line. While he was successful in passing Hamlin, Chastain several other spots in the process and was eliminated by four points.

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– The Motorsport.com Team