Chase Briscoe of Huntersville-based Joe Gibbs Racing captured the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, earning his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season.
Briscoe held off Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick in the closing laps to secure the win.
The victory moved Briscoe to sixth in the Cup Series points standings.
Following the race, Briscoe said stage points played a key role in his team's effort to gain ground in the championship race.
"Stage points are extremely critical, and especially in our situation, every point is going to matter," Briscoe said. "It does for everybody, but when you're trying to cut into a gap, you have to outscore guys, and we were able to do that."
Larson continues to lead the Cup Series standings at the halfway point of the championship chase, holding a 40-point advantage over Denny Hamlin.
NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend for the Bank of America 400.
