WINNERS
Kevin Harvick — Wins the Texas playoff race for the third consecutive year and collects his 49th career victory, tying team owner Tony Stewart for 14th on the all-time wins list. Harvick’s win sends him to the championship race in Miami for the fifth time in six years.
Stewart-Haas Racing — Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez gave the team a 1-2-3 finish.
Joey Logano — Until Sunday, Logano, the reigning series champion, had yet to score a top-five finish in the playoffs. He hadn’t finished better than eighth in the playoffs. But his fourth-place finish Sunday, along with problems for his competitors, has him holding the final transfer spot by 20 points heading to ISM Raceway.
John Hunter Nemechek — Making his first career Cup start, he finished 21st, placing ahead of Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski. And he also finished ahead of his father Joe Nemechek, who placed 29th. Sunday marked the first time in 14 years that a father and son raced against each other in a Cup race.
LOSERS
Brad Keselowski — Mistake led to a crash and ended his day in 39th place. Keselowski said afterward: “I was getting passed and swung for the fence and I hit it. It just sucks. I am kind of embarrassed to do that. I was just trying to make something happen for my team and swung too hard.”
Chase Elliott — He was all but in a must-win situation Sunday and he hit the wall nine laps into the race. “Today was very self-inflicted,” said Elliott, who finished 32nd. “I made a mistake. Really no excuse for. That was all on me today. We’ll just go on to Phoenix and try to get a win.”
Denny Hamlin — He got loose in the traction compound and spun into the infield grass. When his car hit a paved section, it launched and landed back in the grass, tearing up the front of the car and ruining Hamlin’s day. He finds himself 20 points outside the final transfer spot.