Can-Am 500 highlights, stage results: NASCAR Playoffs at Phoenix

The final race before the NASCAR Cup Series championship takes place in Phoenix. Stay up to speed with Can-Am 500 highlights and stage results.

It could be redemption or bust for Kevin Harvick and his 2018 NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes at ISM Raceway in Phoenix. Harvick blew away the field at Texas last week only to see his guaranteed spot in the Championship 4 wiped away by a post-race inspection violation.

Fortunately for him and the 4 team, they brought the fastest car to Phoenix, and started the Can-Am 500 from the pole. That might be enough to prevent Kurt Busch or any other playoff drivers from sneaking up and knocking him out of the title hunt, which would be shocking after how well Harvick performed during the regular season.

For everyone else other than Kyle Busch and Martin Truex, the Can-Am 500 presents a win and you’re in opportunity, a chance to sneak into the hunt at Homestead, where just about anything could potentially happen. Could Chase Elliott or Aric Almirola come up big when it matters most?

Stage 1

To no one’s surprise, Harvick jumped out to an early lead, but Elliott has the faster car after about 20 laps, and he was able to close in on the back of the leader, taking a lower line through some of the turns. A battle for P1 never truly materialized, though, as Harvick was able to get through lapped traffic a little bit better than Elliott.

Harvick’s cruise to a stage win ended abruptly with less than five laps to go as his 4 slowed thanks to a flat tire. With his right-front pancaked, Harvick was forced to head to his pit while pit road was closed, handing the stage win to Elliott.

Stage 1 results

1. Chase Elliott
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Kurt Busch
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Kyle Larson
7. Kyle Busch
8. Erik Jones
9. Alex Bowman
10. Austin Dillon

Stage 2

Another driver who wasn’t already assured of a spot in the Championship 4, Kurt Busch, got out in front of Elliott on the restart to begin Stage 2. Harvick was trapped a lap down after his misfortune, but he was able to quickly pass several cars to be in position to take the free pass if and when a caution flag flew.

That came along pretty quickly. Joey Logano spun out to bring out the yellow, putting the 4 right back on the lead lap. However, at the front is was Kurt Busch and Elliott who got away during the restart, followed by Ryan Blaney. Neither Logano nor Daniel Suarez were able to return after taking too much damage in the incident that brought out the caution, meaning Logano’s Martinsville win becomes the only reason he will race for the championship at Homestead.

Another playoff contender soon was done in by a blown tire. Clint Bowyer blew a left-rear, sliding him into the outside wall and ending any chances of a title for the 14. While the leaders all headed to pit road, Harvick elected to stay out for track position.

And Kurt Busch had an unbelievably bad break as well. NASCAR cited him for passing the pace car before entering pit road, sending him to the back of the pack.

Martin Truex Jr. took the lead on the restart, with Kyle Busch closing in fast and Harvick in third despite older tires. Kyle Busch was able to make the pass and take over the lead with six laps left in the stage. He held on for the stage win with no problem, and Harvick fell to only fourth before the green and white checkers came out.

Stage 2 results

1. Kyle Busch
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Kyle Larson
6. Austin Dillon
7. Chase Elliott
8. Ryan Blaney
9. William Byron
10. Aric Almirola

Final stage

While Kyle Busch shot out to a lead in the final stage, the drama promised to come for the fourth and final Championship 4 berth. With Harvick hanging in the top 10, Elliott moved up to third and was turning in excellent lap times with 112 laps to go.

About 30 laps later, Elliott passed the 18 to take over the lead, sending Kyle Busch in for a green flag pit stop. He led every lap of the stage until Elliott caught him. Almirola also came in, with Harvick following close behind. While the 4 was getting its service, Tanner Berryhill went around in his 97 car, bringing out a caution and potentially trapping Harvick a lap down — though he could take a wave-around regardless.

Incredibly, Elliott was called for speeding on pit road, sending him to the tail end of the field. And it wasn’t long before another caution came out, this time caused by Harvick himself.

On the restart, Kurt Busch and Harvick, teammates at Stewart-Haas Racing, ended up battling each other and others in a very tight points battle. Three non-playoff drivers — Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Erik Jones — paced the field in the top three spots.

Another caution could shake things up, of course, and one came with just under 50 laps to go when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ended up colliding with the outside wall. Kurt Busch chose to stay out while both Kyle Busch and Harvick came into the pits.

The biggest blow to drivers outside the Big 3 took place on the ensuing restart. Denny Hamlin got extremely loose, sliding up the track and knocking Kurt Busch into the wall. When he bounced off the wall, his 41 came back down and smashed into the 9 of Elliott. Truex also had to slam on the brakes hard to avoid being collected.

Erik Jones led the cars back to green, but Kyle Busch assumed the lead in short order. With Truex and Harvick now safe on points, the only threat to them making Homestead was if Almirola somehow won the race.

To have a chance for that, he neeed another caution, which he got when Alex Bowman’s 88 Chevrolet spun out, flames spitting from its rear. That suggested a lengthy cleanup as oil was definitely spilling from the car.

Once the race went green, Almirola and Harvick battled for second place behind race leader Kyle Busch. It didn’t matter, though, as Berryhill ended up in the outside wall with 17 laps remaining, necessitating at least one more restart.

That would be the final one, and though there was some intrigue between Almirola, Harvick, Keselowski and Larson, Kyle Busch was never seriously challenged, winning his eighth race of 2018 and ensuring that it’s the Big 3 plus Logano going for the championship at Homestead.