The new rule that helped Kail Larsen secure the number 1 seed for the NASCAR Cup playoffs

Despite winning the regular season championship, William Bayron After the marks reset, the top seed will not enter the NASCAR Cup playoffs. Instead that honor will go to him Hendric motorsports Teammate, Kyle Larsen,

Both drivers are tied as 2,032 points, and since Larsen has more winning (two by Bayron), they are placed above the standing for the beginning of 16 rounds.

But the path of Larsen to become top seeds included surprising assistance from one of the new rules of NASCAR this year – the bonus point which also posts the fastest lap in each race to the driver.

Larsen has been awarded the fastest lap bonus in four separate races this year: Circuit of the US, Canasus Speedway, Mexico City and Watkins Glenn.

In two of those races, the number 5 hendric motorcycles Chevrolets returned to the track after actually needed to be repaired, and stripped the fastest lap bonuses despite finishing several laps.

While those four additional points may not seem significant, they actually finished the regular season three points from the team partner. Chase eliet (Who has zero fastest lap bonus). As a result of securing the third in standing on Elliot, now they have an additional playoff bonus point, which is reaching its total 32. He will take through every round of the playoffs, even after the round reset.

It also gives him the distinction of being the top seeded driver entering the southern 500 in Darlington Racewe.

Larsen is one of the eleven separate cup drivers to be awarded the ‘Xfinity Fest Lap’ bonus this year. Denny Hamlin The highest on six is, but it was not enough to create a different in the position of its final points after Detona.

Other drivers with many fastest lap bonuses this year: Michael McDowell (3), AJ Allmander (3), Tyler radic (2), Babba Wallace (2), and William Bayran (2).