THE NASCAR Cup Series The playoffs are getting closer and closer, and there is only one playoff spot left to win.
One race left until the 10 races playoffs begin September 3 at Darlington Raceway, meaning there is only one chance left for a winless driver to grab the last remaining spot. Sixteen drivers will compete in the playoffs and 15 spots have now been claimed. Sunday race at Watkins Glen – won by William Byron.
It’s truly become a win-and-you’re-now scenario, but one driver could still find his way to the playoffs. If there is no new winner next weekend in the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway, the final playoff spot would go to the top winless driver with the most points in the standings.
Two former Cup champions – Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski – clinched their playoff berths Sunday at Watkins Glen, despite going winless this season.
A look at what’s next, who’s already in, who’s on the bubble and who needs a win to have a chance to run for the 2023 championship:
The remaining race of the regular season
■ Saturday August 26: Daytona International Speedway (2.5 mile oval)
- The most recent winners: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (February 19, 2023); Austin Dillon (August 28, 2022)
Drivers who clinched a playoff spot
These are the 15 drivers who have locked in their spots (with regular season points and playoff points in parentheses).
- William ByronHendrick Motorsports — 5 wins (785 total points, 28 playoff points)
- *Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs Racing — 3 wins (861, 20)
- *Kyle BuschRichard Childress Racing — 3 wins (688, 17)
- Denis HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing — 2 wins (822, 15)
- *Kyle LarsonHendrick Motorsports — 2 wins (721, 13)
- Chris BuescherRFK Racing — 2 wins (695, 11)
- Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing — 1 win (695, 10)
- Tyler Reddick23XI Racing — 1 win (683.9)
- Ryan BlaneyTeam Penske — 1 win (694, 8)
- *Joey LoganoTeam Penske — 1 win (666, 8)
- Christopher BellJoe Gibbs Racing — 1 win (752.7)
- Michael McDowellFront Row Motorsports — 1 win (553.7)
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty Racing — 1 win (566.5)
- *Brad KeselowskiRFK Racing — 0 wins (697, 3)
- *Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas Racing — 0 wins (693, 1)
*-Truex (2017), Busch (2015, 2019), Larson (2021), Logano (2018, 2022), Keselowski (2012) and Harvick (2014) have all won championships.
Drivers on the playoff bubble
These drivers haven’t won a race this season, but one of them could secure the final playoff spot with points if a winless driver doesn’t take the checkered flag at Daytona.
■ 16. Bubba Wallace23XI Racing (590 points, 0 playoff points) — Winner in each of the last two seasons, Wallace sits 32 points above the cut line and is in excellent position to make the playoffs for the first time.
■ 17. Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing (558, 0) — The best rookie this season, Gibbs is 32 points below the cut line and scored six top-10s this year.
■ 18. Daniel SuarezTrackhouse Racing (547, 0) — A playoff driver last season, Suarez’s only Cup Series victory came on a road course — at Sonoma in 2022. He currently sits 43 points below the cut line but he could be in a good position to make a move after his third-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and another road race on the schedule.
Notable drivers who can only make the playoffs with a win
■ 19. AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing (518, 0) — The veteran driver’s two best chances probably came in the previous two weeks — on the road courses at Indianapolis and Watkins Glen. Allmendinger sits 72 points below the cut lineand now the road course ace will try to surprise the peloton and win on an oval.
■ 20. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports (494, 0) — A playoff driver in each of the last five years, it may seem surprising to see Bowman so low in the standings, despite missing three races this season while recovering of an injury. He currently sits 96 points below the cut line.
■ 21. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports (489, 1) — While it may seem shocking to see the 2020 champion here, Elliott’s position is due in part to the fact that he has missed seven races this season (six for injury, one for suspension). NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Seats 101 points below the cut line.
■ 22. Austin CindricTeam Penske (476 points, 1 playoff point) — Sitting 114 points below the cut lineCindric hasn’t been on a winning path since opening the 2022 season by winning the Daytona 500. But with the regular season finale also at Daytona, Cindric remains a threat to score a win.
■ 25. Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas Racing (413, 1) — Seated 177 points below the cut lineAlmirola, who has made the playoffs five times, hasn’t been on winning lane since the summer 2021 race at New Hampshire, but one of his three career victories came at Daytona .
■ 28. Erik JonesLegacy Motor Club (375, 0) — Sitting 215 points below the cut lineJones last won the 2022 playoff opener at Darlington, despite not being a playoff driver.
■ 29. Austin DillonRichard Childress Racing (369, 0) — Sitting 221 points below the cut lineDillon looks to repeat his feat from last season when he won the regular season finale at Daytona to advance to the playoffs.
■ 31. Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas Racing (324, 0) — Sitting 266 points below the cut lineBriscoe, a playoff driver last season, has not won since the March 13, 2022 race at Phoenix.
