After Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson dominated the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, four more drivers have been eliminated from the postseason – Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez and Chase Biscoe. Now, the remaining eight postseason contenders must adjust their focus as the Playoff spotlight turns to the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway for this Sunday’s South Point 400 on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90), the seventh race of the Playoffs and the first race of the Round of 8.
This season’s Round of 8 contenders include four former NASCAR Cup Series Champions (Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano), and all eight drivers have previously competed in the Round of 8 in their careers. Interestingly, seven of the eight have previously earned a spot in the Championship 4 Round in their careers, the lone exception looking to make the Championship Four for the first time, is 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick.
Heading into this weekend at Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Kyle Larson sits atop the Playoff standings, up +33 points on the Championship 4 Round cutoff. In Larson’s rearview mirror are Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell in second, up +13 points on the next round’s cut line, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick in third, up +10 on the cutline and Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron is fourth, up four points on the cutoff.
The four drivers within striking distance below the Championship 4 Round cut line in the Playoff standings are Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in fourth, back four points from the cutoff, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is ranked sixth, eight points behind the Championship 4 cutoff, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott is seventh, nine points back from the cutline and Team Penske’s Joey Logano is in the eighth and final spot, just 11 points behind Byron in the final transfer spot to the Championship 4 Round.
Of the eight drivers vying for the Championship 4 Round this season, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in the eighth spot in the current standings, has the most experience in the final round. He is tied with Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick for the series-most Championship 4 Round appearances with five each.
2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings Outlook | |||||||
Following the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course – October 13, 2024 | |||||||
Round of 12 – Race No. 6 of 10 | |||||||
Rank | Driver | Vehicle | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff |
1 | Kyle Larson | 5 | 4,052 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 33 |
2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | 4,032 | 3 | 10 | 32 | 13 |
3 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 4,029 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 10 |
4 | William Byron | 24 | 4,023 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 4 |
5 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | 4,019 | 2 | 4 | 19 | -4 |
6 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | 4,015 | 3 | 6 | 15 | -8 |
7 | Chase Elliott | 9 | 4,014 | 1 | 1 | 14 | -9 |
8 | Joey Logano | 22 | 4,012 | 2 | 2 | 12 | -11 |
Since the introduction of stage racing in 2017 in the NASCAR Cup Series, drivers that move on to the Championship 4 Round average an eighth-place finish and 39.5 points per race in the Round of 8. Also, since the 2017 season, 57.1% of drivers to move onto the Championship 4 Round have won in the Round of 8. Plus, the eventual champion has won 70% of the time in the Round of 8.
Las Vegas Clinch Scenarios: First chance to earn a spot in the Championship Four
With the conclusion of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, the postseason drivers get their points reseeded once again and are now confronted with trying to earn their spot in the final round.
This weekend’s South Point 400 (Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will jump start the Round of 8; the first of three races (Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami and Martinsville) the contenders will have to navigate through for a spot in the Championship 4 Round.
Already Clinched
No drivers have clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round.
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano
-NASCAR
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