The NASCAR Cup Collection playoffs are formally underway with Joey Logano turning into the primary driver to advance to the second spherical by successful Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Many playoff contenders discovered hassle and completed poorly at Atlanta. With the Watkins Glen Worldwide street course on faucet Sunday and the chaotic Bristol Motor Speedway quick observe after that to shut out the primary spherical, huge names discover themselves beneath extra strain than they’d like.
1. Tyler Reddick (Final week: 1)
The regular-season champion held on to the highest spot regardless of a comparatively quiet day for him in Atlanta. Reddick completed sixth as he goals to maintain his momentum going within the playoffs. He needs to be a risk at Watkins Glen due to his road-course prowess.
2. Ryan Blaney (Final week: 4)
Blaney did not win in Atlanta, however he ran arguably probably the most spectacular race. Regardless of being concerned in a late accident, he battled again to complete third and scored probably the most factors. That additionally provides him the lead within the playoff standings and a large cushion of 45 factors above the cutline to make the following spherical. It is protected to say the defending champ can be a troublesome out as soon as once more.
3. Christopher Bell (Final week: 5)
Bell has quietly gone 3-3-4 in his finishes prior to now three races. He had a run in Atlanta that mirrored his Daytona efficiency two weeks in the past, ending within the high 5 regardless of not being seen many of the race. Bell battled from behind after beginning on the rear of the sector, however he ran a methodical race and was in rivalry on the finish, and that is what mattered. He sits second within the playoff standings and needs to be in stable place to enter Bristol feeling protected about advancing to the following spherical.
4. Kyle Larson (Final week: 2)
Larson’s day ended prematurely Sunday after a hard crash close to the tip of the primary stage whereas operating inside the highest 5. He appeared to have the pace to compete, however whereas indisputably probably the most gifted driver in NASCAR, Larson tends to crash out of races. That is his lone weak spot. Fortunately for him, the playoff factors he has amassed imply he is nonetheless 15 markers to the nice with two sturdy tracks for him to shut out this spherical.
5. Chase Elliott (Final week: 6)
As has been the story of his season, Elliott ran a quiet race close to the again of the highest 10 and completed there, too (eighth). That places him 24 factors to the nice with regard to advancing to the following spherical, and even higher information for him is that he’ll be one of many favorites in Watkins Glen on Sunday. Elliott hasn’t received on a street course since 2021, however this might be the week that adjustments.
6. William Byron (Final week: 7)
Like Elliott, Byron ran inside the highest 10 all race however by no means appeared to be a favourite for the win. He completed ninth, incomes himself a stable factors day and popping out 33 markers protected within the race to advance. Byron received at Watkins Glen final season, and one other displaying like that this yr may assist him re-establish himself as a title risk.
7. Joey Logano (Final week: 10)
May the Logano even-year magic be taking place but once more? He got here into the playoffs as a relative afterthought and instantly reminded the sector of his presence by successful. That strikes him via to no less than the second spherical, the place he’ll probably be a risk at Talladega. If he could make it via there, the third spherical consists of one other of his finest tracks (Martinsville). Be careful for that No. 22 crew.
8. Denny Hamlin (Final week: 3)
Yikes. Simply yikes. That was, no exaggeration, one of many worst race weekends of Hamlin’s profession. It began by posting the slowest lap of any driver in qualifying and by no means acquired significantly better. He rode behind the pack all race earlier than crashing on the final lap and ending twenty fourth. He is solely two factors above the minimize line, and given his weak spot on street programs, there’s an opportunity he’ll be coming into Bristol in two weeks with a risk of elimination.
9. Kyle Busch (Final week: 8)
After back-to-back second-place finishes, Busch cooled off ever so barely with a seventh in Atlanta. He prolonged his top-10 streak to 4, and although he nonetheless sits twentieth in factors, he is creeping nearer each week to the battle for “better of the remainder” honors. Watkins Glen can be his subsequent probability to lastly earn a win in 2024 — he is finished that there twice already.
10. Ty Gibbs (Final week: 12)
Talking of drivers searching for their first win of the season (on this case his first ever)… it appeared for some time that this would possibly lastly be the week for Gibbs. He led 37 laps and was up entrance late within the going earlier than a particles warning arrange a collection of restarts, with the second-year driver falling all the way in which to seventeenth. That leaves him just one level forward of Brad Keselowski for the ultimate switch spot to the following spherical. However on the brilliant aspect, he needs to be sturdy at each Watkins Glen and Bristol, the place he earned a pair of top-fives in 2023.
11. Ross Chastain (Final week: 13)
Chastain missed the playoffs and introduced a brand new clean-shaven look to the observe. It appeared that no matter voodoo magic he was attempting to work paid off. He completed thirteenth however was close to the entrance all race, He and teammate Daniel Suarez confirmed the most effective pace Trackhouse Racing has proven all season. He performed spoiler for the title contenders within the championship race a yr in the past, and maybe Chastain can equally finish his 2024 season on a sizzling streak regardless of being out of the image.
12. Bubba Wallace (Final week: 9)
Regardless of being one of many higher superspeedway racers within the discipline, Wallace did not make a lot noise in Atlanta apart from a short stint through which he acquired close to the entrance on pit technique. He completed twenty ninth after being concerned within the last-lap accident, scoring his worst end since Loudon 9 races in the past. He additionally dropped to nineteenth in factors, 19 behind Chastain and 14 behind Chris Buescher to be the chief of the non-playoff pack.
13. Brad Keselowski (Final week: 11)
Keselowski is one other superspeedway ace who did not have the run he hoped for Sunday, ending a mediocre nineteenth. Due to that, he is some extent behind Ty Gibbs within the race to advance to the following spherical. Making issues worse is that he is prone to wrestle at Watkins Glen as a result of street programs aren’t his factor. He may have a giant night time in Bristol to advance within the playoffs.
14. Alex Bowman (Final week: not ranked)
Bowman is the primary of three playoff drivers who enter the rankings this week after having sturdy performances to assist their case of advancing to the following spherical. With rumors circulating that he may probably be out at Hendrick Motorsports subsequent season, Bowman appeared to make use of the noise as gasoline as he had one in every of his strongest runs of the yr, ending fifth. That offers him a 27-point cushion over Keselowski.
15. Daniel Suarez (Final week: NR)
The winner from the primary Atlanta race this yr could not sweep the season, however he got here one spot away from it with one other nice run on a observe the place he is scored 5 top-10s in six races for the reason that reconfiguration. He is 22 factors forward of Keselowski within the playoff standings, and given Suarez’s road-course capacity, he needs to be in good place to shock lots of of us by advancing out of the primary spherical.
16. Austin Cindric (Final week: NR)
Rounding out this week’s listing is Cindric, who led probably the most laps in Atlanta with 92. He had the dominant automobile within the second stage however had hassle on pit street, and was solely capable of make it again to tenth whereas his teammates completed first and third. Nonetheless, the stable factors day places Cindric in a tie with Bowman for sixth within the playoff standings, so if he can keep away from hassle the following two weeks, he may discover himself surviving for no less than three extra races within the championship hunt.
Dropped out: Chase Briscoe, Martin Truex Jr., Chris Buescher
