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NASCAR Monday Mash-Up: Roval heats up Playoff debate

JHby: Jonathan Howard10/06/25Jondean25
Connor Zilisch NASCAR Roval
Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

A wild weekend at the Charlotte Roval. Tripleheader action with NASCAR Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series races going down. This weekend has thrown gasoline on the raging debate about the NASCAR Playoffs or the season-long points format of old.

Instead of talking about the three winners from this weekend, we are talking about the format, the cutline drivers, and everything else about the race. Meanwhile, two drivers have won 10 races this season, and no one is discussing it. The third winner won his fifth race of the season.

So, the NASCAR Playoffs are taking heat. But what does that mean for the near future? It’s hard to tell. Let’s cover the elimination weekend for Xfinity and Cup before we move on to Las Vegas this week.

Truck Series race starts with leaders being wrecked

Perhaps the most Truck Series thing happened in the Truck Series. Grant Enfinger wrecked Layne Riggs and Corey Heim in Turn 1, Lap 1.

It was a moment that looked like it could have changed the NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs completely. In a way it did. More on that in a moment.

Matt Crafton loses his mind on the radio

While he is retiring after this season, Matt Crafton is still just as passionate. Crafton lost his mind on the radio after getting spun out by Bayley Currey.

“Make sure you tell [TJ Bell] … F**K YOU YOU STUPID MOTHERF**KER,” Crafton said on the radio, via Brett Winningham of Speedway Digest. To his credit, Crafton kept his hands to himself after the race as he scolded Currey on pit road.

Corey Heim sets NASCAR Trucks win record at Roval

As for the winner, it was Corey Heim. Tape and BearBond all over the truck, it didn’t matter. Heim was going to win this race no matter what.

Brent Crews dominated but wasn’t able to hold Heim off late in the race with a flat tire and the overtime restart. Heim raced off ahead of the field as everyone else hit each other for second. 10 wins, NASCAR Truck Series record.

Team owners file declarations in NASCAR filing

Meanwhile, late on Friday night, multiple team owners submitted declarations as part of NASCAR’s latest filing in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit. It was a significant moment.

23XI Racing and Front Row believe the statements support their case. So, the trial is very much on the table and we are likely going to be headed for a trial on December 1.

Butterbean Queen claims ARCA championship

Over in Toledo, Ohio, Butterbean Queen clinched the ARCA championship. He only had to make an attempt to start in the race, and that meant making a lap in practice.

Butterbean finished P2 in the race. Max Reaves, the teenage phenom, ended up taking the win for himself. Didn’t rain none on Butterbean’s parade.

Connor Zilisch gets 10th win of NASCAR season

Not just one but two 10-win drivers, and they both did it at the Roval. Connor Zilisch cruised to the win on Saturday night, and it wasn’t even close.

10 wins and a lot of momentum for Zilisch right now. He is getting it done on ovals, road courses, and everywhere else. Can anyone stop Zilisch?

Kyle Busch wrecked on Lap 1 at Roval, told to retire

The hits keep coming, literally, for Kyle Busch. It appeared that the entire NASCAR Cup field made it through Turn 1 on Lap 1. Well, almost everyone…

Kyle Busch got put into the wall with some help from Carson Hocevar. It was a long day for the 8 team as they raced laps down all afternoon.

Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell test SVG

Early in the race and then later on in Stage 3, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell put the pressure on Shane van Gisbergen. At one point, Larson was beating and banging against the 88, mostly to prove a point.

Of course, SVG ran away with the race in the end. It sure was nice to see him have to sweat it out for a few laps, at least.

Chastain wrecks Hamlin for NASCAR Playoffs spot

Almost an entire lap after SVG finished, Ross Chastain came across the line…backwards. Chastain tried to pull off the Hail Melon 2.0, but it didn’t work and, honestly, caused more negativity than the wall ride at Martinsville.

No one particularly like the move. He had to wreck Hamlin to do it. It was unnecessary in the first place. And it has led, as well as the other two races this weekend, to a newfound conversation about the NASCAR Playoffs.

Shane van Gisbergen makes NASCAR history again

In the end, it was Shane van Gisbergen in Victory Lane. Five wins on the year and five straight road course wins. He is the first driver since 1982 to win two races by 15+ seconds in a single season, too.

SVG continues to do amazing things on the track. Too bad we were talking about Logano and Chastain finishing P20 and P21.