NASCAR results at Richmond: Kyle Larson rallies for win as playoff field set

Some desperate drivers ran up front at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night, doing anything they could to score the victory they needed to qualify for the NASCAR playoffs starting next weekend.

In the end, they all went home disappointed, as Kyle Larson — already safely qualified for the postseason — claimed the checkered flag.

It's Larson's fourth victory of 2017, and his fifth career win.

"I got the greatest team out here and definitely the best pit crew — they were money all night," Larson told NBCSN.

"This is incredible to have four wins with still 10 races left in the season."

The race set the 16-driver field for the NASCAR playoffs (see playoffs listing below), which begins next Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.

Martin Truex Jr., the series leader heading into the playoffs, appeared to be sailing to an easy victory with a handful of laps remaining when a caution came out to set up overtime. In the round of pit stops before the restart, Larson's Chip Ganassi Racing team got him off pit road first, with Truex just behind him.

Larson bolted out to the lead on the first lap of overtime, and when Denny Hamlin and Truex tangled on the second lap, sending Truex into the wall, Larson won the race.

Five drivers desperately needing a win to qualify for the playoffs, Joey Logano, Erik Jones, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Daniel Suarez, all raced in the top 10 late in the race chasing the checkered flag. Larson's victory ruined their efforts.

The race's third stage featured a bizarre incident. After a caution for Danica Patrick's spin, NASCAR opened pit road. But as cars dove down the track to hit the pits, they found an ambulance blocking the entrance. Several cars were damaged in the incident.

"Well, we're all just kind of coming to pit road and I see an ambulance sitting there," Matt Kenseth told NBCSN. "Not really sure why pit road was open with an ambulance sitting there."

Earlier in the race, Truex won the second segment to pick up yet another stage win, his series-leading 18th of the season. He now enters the postseason with 53 playoff points, 20 points ahead of second-place Larson. Kyle Busch won the first stage.

NASCAR playoffs field:

1. Martin Truex Jr. 2,053 2. Kyle Larson 2,033 3. Kyle Busch 2,029 4. Brad Keselowski 2,019 5. Jimmie Johnson 2,017 6. Kevin Harvick 2,015 7. Denny Hamlin 2,013 8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2,010 9. Ryan Blaney 2,008 10. Chase Elliott 2,006 11. Ryan Newman 2,005 12. Kurt Busch 2,005 13. Kasey Kahne 2,005 14. Austin Dillon 2,005 15. Matt Kenseth 2,005 16. Jamie McMurray 2,003

Finishing order for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond

1. Kyle Larson 2. Joey Logano 3. Ryan Newman 4. Kurt Busch 5. Denny Hamlin 6. Erik Jones 7. Daniel Suarez 8. Jimmie Johnson 9. Kyle Busch 10. Chase Elliott 11. Brad Keselowski 12. Kasey Kahne 13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 14. Jamie McMurray 15. Kevin Harvick 16. Michael McDowell 17. Aric Almirola 18. Ryan Blaney 19. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 20. Martin Truex Jr. 21. Austin Dillon 22. Ty Dillon 23. Danica Patrick 24. Clint Bowyer 25. Trevor Bayne 26. AJ Allmendinger 27. David Ragan 28. Paul Menard 29. Corey LaJoie 30. Reed Sorenson 31. Matt DiBenedetto 32. Chris Buescher 33. Cole Whitt 34. Jeffrey Earnhardt 35. Gray Gaulding 36. Derrike Cope 37. B.J. McLeod 38. Matt Kenseth 39. Landon Cassill