NASCAR at Charlotte 2020 Results: Chase Elliott Wins, Playoff Field Is Cut to 8

The NASCAR playoff field is down to eight.

As Charlotte Motor Speedway largely avoided inclement weather that was closing in on the area, defending race winner Chase Elliott took the lead with 18 laps to go and held on to it to win his fourth consecutive road race to tie Jeff Gordon's record.

Elliott entered Sunday fourth in the playoff standings, with 44 points on eighth-place Joey Logano (who finished second at Charlotte). He refused to let his standings position affect his focus. 

"My opinion is to push as hard as possible and try to put yourself in the best position to win each week as you can do, and I think the points and things of that nature will be what they're going to be if you're giving it your best shot," he told NASCAR.com's Chase Wilhelm on Friday.

Elliott stole an early lead, but Clint Bowyer, who was racing to secure his place in the Round of 8, overtook him at Lap 14. But after switching to slick tires at a pit stop to combat the weather, it was Ty Dillon who won the first stage in Charlotte.

In an effort to keep his season alive, 2018 Roval winner Ryan Blaney—who finished eighth last year—won the second stage, after finishing seventh in the first. But the former winner skidded to the grass on a wide turn and fell from the lead, finishing fifth.

Bowyer, who placed 10th, was not alone in racing for his 2020 season Sunday. Kyle Busch, who finished 30th after pitting for fuel in the last laps, entered the race one spot below the threshold needed to advance to the next round, and the defending Cup Series champion has not won a race in 2020.

Busch made a bold decision to stay out ahead of a restart with 20 laps to go, having not pitted since Lap 64. He held a brief lead but dropped back below the cut line after one lap.

It was a different story for the older Busch brother, who sat in second place with one win, five top-fives and 16 top-10 finishes heading into Sunday's race. 

Kurt Busch (fourth place on Sunday) told the Charlotte Observer back in September that he would be trying to get enough points in the next two races to clinch a bout in the final four. 

"There's not going to be any consequences the next two weeks," Kurt Busch said. "But still, we want to gain points. We want to put some points in our pocket from the stages and the finish at Talladega and the Roval just to build up towards the season end."

After a victory at Talladega last week, Denny Hamlin, who finished 15th, also clinched a berth in the Round of 8.

Updated Standings

Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon and Aric Almirola were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday. 

1. Kevin Harvick

2. Denny Hamlin

3. Brad Keselowski

4. Chase Elliott

5. Joey Logano

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Alex Bowman

8. Kurt Busch 

The NASCAR playoffs resume on Oct. 18, with the Round of 8 getting underway with the Hollywood Casino 500 at Kansas Speedway.