We’re already at the midpoint of the regular season, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.
With 13 races in the books, just 13 remain until the NASCAR Cup Series playoff grid is set at the conclusion of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend. There are still over three months until the start of the playoffs, and there are still eight playoff spots up for grabs. Who’s sitting pretty at the moment, and who will be sweating bullets until they score a win or build enough of a cushion?
Below are the point standings following the conclusion of Sunday’s (May 12) Goodyear 400 at Darlington. Eight drivers (bolded in red) have scored a win this season, so their spots are guaranteed. All the drivers in blue are currently above the cut line, while all the drivers in black are currently below it.
| Driver | Points | Playoff Cut |
| Kyle Larson | 486 | (2 Wins) |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 456 | +140 |
| Denny Hamlin | 447 | (3 Wins) |
| Chase Elliott | 437 | (1 Win) |
| William Byron | 400 | (3 Wins) |
| Tyler Reddick | 396 | (1 Win) |
| Ty Gibbs | 390 | +74 |
| Ryan Blaney | 371 | +55 |
| Alex Bowman | 365 | +49 |
| Ross Chastain | 358 | +42 |
| Brad Keselowski | 344 | (1 Win) |
| Chris Buescher | 331 | +15 |
| Kyle Busch | 324 | +8 |
| Chase Briscoe | 322 | +6 |
| Christopher Bell | 320 | (1 Win) |
| Bubba Wallace | 316 | -6 |
| Joey Logano | 292 | -30 |
| Daniel Suarez | 263 | (1 Win) |
| Noah Gragson | 239 | -77 |
| Austin Cindric | 232 | -84 |
Given how Joe Gibbs Racing has performed this season, both Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs look to be locks. They’ve already established huge points cushions, and both are knocking on the door of a win with a combined 672 laps led this season.
That brings the total up to 10, and unless we get any upset winners in the next 13 weeks, the current playoff battle looks to be eight drivers vying for six spots: Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and Joey Logano.
Blaney, Bowman and Chastain look to be in good shape with their performance this season, but not even last year’s Cup champion has enough of a cushion for me to consider him a lock.
Also surprising is the potential for some big names to miss out. This has not been the year for Logano or Busch, with the former a half race below the cut line and the latter just barely above it. Having those two miss the playoffs? Almost unprecedented. Sure, Logano may have missed out in 2017, but that hasn’t made his performance this year any less shocking.
Get ready and buckle up these next three months, because it’s going to be an entertaining show.
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