Larson, Berry advance to Clash after messy LCQ at Bowman Gray

Kyle Larson and Josh Berry survived the demolition derby that was the Last Chance Qualifying race to advance into Sunday night’s Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Larson led the most laps, 36, and led Berry across the finish line. The race restarted for the final time with 10 laps to go, with Larson taking the lead from Berry for the final time with four laps to go. Austin Dillon finished third.

There were nine cautions in the 75-lap race. Some of the most eventful included Berry spinning Ty Gibbs and Justin Haley, and then later getting into Erik Jones.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun Bowman Gray favorite Burt Myers with 14 laps to go. Stenhouse hit Myers on the frontstretch, sending Myers spinning through the grass and across the track before hitting the Turn 1 wall.

Under the caution for Myers, fellow Bowman Gray favorite Tim Brown pulled behind the wall. Brown’s car needed repairs to the right rear. But with only green flag laps counting, Brown stayed on the lead lap and rejoined the race.

On lap 62, Gibbs was spun by Haley. Gibbs attempted to show his displeasure with Haley under caution, hitting the right side of Haley’s car, but it sent Gibbs airborne.

The incident between Berry and Jones occurred on lap 65. Jones was leading the race when he, Berry and Larson came off Turn 4 three wide. As Jones fought to control his car, more contact from Berry spun him in front of the field.

Berry was the leader for the final restart. Cole Custer restarted outside Berry but had a damaged car he was trying to fight to the finish. Larson restarted third.

The top two finishers from the Last Chance Qualifying race advanced into the Clash.

Ryan Blaney and Team Penske chose to use the provisional (as the highest driver from the 2024 points not locked into the Clash) after changing the radiator, amongst other parts, after discovering problems earlier in the day. Blaney ran 23 laps before pulling off the track during the Last Chance Qualifying race.

Cook Out Clash starting lineup:

1. Chase Elliott

2. Chris Buescher

3. Denny Hamlin

4. Tyler Reddick

5. Brad Keselowski

6. Chase Briscoe

7. Joey Logano

8. Christopher Bell

9. Noah Gragson

10. Shane van Gisbergen

11. William Byron

12. Ryan Preece

13. Kyle Busch

14. Bubba Wallace

15. Carson Hocevar

16. Austin Cindric

17. Ross Chastain

18. Daniel Suarez

19. Alex Bowman

20. Todd Gilliland

21. Kyle Larson

22. Josh Berry

23. Ryan Blaney

Those who failed to qualify for the Clash: Austin Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek, Michael McDowell, Zane Smith, Stenhouse, Haley, Ty Dillon, Brown, Cody Ware, Custer, Garrett Smithley, Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger, Jones, Riley Herbst, and Myers.

The green flag for the Clash is after 8 p.m. ET on Fox.