As anticipated, the opening race of the NASCAR Cup playoffs actually jostled the order of issues within the championship standings. Most notably, prime seed Kyle Larson shockingly crashed on his personal within the first stage of the race. The end result erased half of his factors cushion, leaving him tenth within the standings and simply 15 factors away from the cut-line. Denny Hamlin is one other title contender who endured a dreadful day, using within the again in hopes of avoiding a wreck — solely to be within the race-ending crash on the ultimate lap. He is now simply two factors up.
However these drivers are nonetheless *above* the elimination zone. 4 drivers discover themselves within the pink and shall be pressured to make floor over the subsequent two weeks, together with two champions of the game.
Brad Keselowski is one level under the cut-line, so his scenario will not be almost as dire as a number of the others right here. He entered the playoffs because the eighth seed, however now sits thirteenth — simply behind playoff debutant Ty Gibbs. Nevertheless, Keselowski has notoriously struggled at street programs within the Subsequent Gen period with Watkins Glen simply forward. His most up-to-date finishes on tracks that go each left and proper are all thirteenth or worse. The drivers he’s chasing have had way more success at street programs as of late, so the RFK Racing co-owner is in a much more precarious place than the factors scenario at present suggests. The 2012 NASCAR Cup champion might want to step it up this weekend or face a possible must-win at Bristol.
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing, King’s Hawaiian Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Harrison Burton’s heroic drive at Daytona was a beautiful second for the Wooden Brothers, however in reality, nobody ever thought the No. 21 would go very far on this title struggle. He was final in factors amongst full-time drivers earlier than that win, and whereas Atlanta was a chance for him to realize floor, he misplaced it as an alternative. He was collected in a last-lap crash, leaving him with a Thirty first-place end and 16 factors behind the opposite contenders. It is unlikely he’ll have the ability to make up that floor within the weeks forward now that Burton has fallen behind.
Harrison Burton, Wooden Brothers Racing, DEX Imaging Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photos
This 12 months is Martin Truex Jr.’s final shot at a second Cup title after asserting his plans to retire from full-time racing on the finish of 12 months. Sadly, the misfortune that has plagued him since a disastrous 2023 playoffs because the common season champion has continued into 2024. However this time round, he was the underside seed within the playoffs, leaving him no margin for error. His automotive was broken in a mid-race incident at Atlanta, forcing him to limp round for the rest of the race. The driving force of the No. 19 is now 19 factors out, but it surely’s not all dangerous information. The Spherical of 16 ends with Watkins Glen and Bristol, that are each tracks the place he has loved notable success. Whereas the gods of fortune say to anticipate extra dangerous luck for MTJ, previous showings at these tracks inform us to be careful for the 2017 champ as he could down, however not out simply but.
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Auto-Homeowners Insurance coverage Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Chase Briscoe blasted into the playoffs with a sensational win within the Southern 500 at Darlington, however luck wasn’t on his aspect at Atlanta both. When Larson misplaced management, he could not clear the wreckage and collided with the again of Larson’s Hendrick Chevrolet. Like Larson, his race was instantly over. In contrast to Larson, he did not get pleasure from 40 playoff factors to assist soften the blow. He is now final, 21 factors behind the sphere. With Stewart-Haas Racing closing its doorways at season’s finish, the JGR-bound driver is their final shot at NASCAR glory, however this underdog story could also be over simply because the playoffs have gotten underway.
Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing, Mahindra Compact Tractors Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photos
