Motorsports

Go time for Cup Series with 10 races left in the regular season

The regular season is quickly winding down in the NASCAR Cup Series as there are 10 races left before the 16-driver postseason field is locked in. Trackhouse Racing has as many drivers locked into a postseason berth as Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing while Team Penske has already qualified all three of its teams, […]

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The regular season is quickly winding down in the NASCAR Cup Series as there are 10 races left before the 16-driver postseason field is locked in. Trackhouse Racing has as many drivers locked into a postseason berth as Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing while Team Penske has already qualified all three of its teams, plus its satellite partner Wood Brothers Racing.

Shane van Gisbergen became the 10th different winner with his triumph in Mexico City and guaranteed Trackhouse two of its three cars will be in the postseason. What van Gisbergen also did was move the playoff grid cutline. Ryan Preece went from sitting in a playoff spot to the outside looking in. And while the points deficit for Preece and those behind him isn’t insurmountable, the emphasis on winning has increased.

The drivers locked in with a win:

1. William Byron

2. Christopher Bell

3. Josh Berry

4. Kyle Larson

5. Denny Hamlin

6. Austin Cindric

7. Joey Logano

8. Ross Chastain

9. Ryan Blaney

10. Shane van Gisbergen.

The rest of the grid entering Pocono Raceway (Sunday, 2pm ET):

11. Chase Elliott +146

12. Tyler Reddick +123

13. Bubba Wallace + 57

14. Chase Briscoe +39

15. Alex Bowman +22

16. Chris Buescher +19

Those sitting below the cutline:

17. Ryan Preece -19

18. Michael McDowell -43

19. AJ Allmendinger -45

20. Kyle Busch -50

There has to be a feeling of déjà vu for some of these drivers. Briscoe, for instance, did not make the postseason in 2024 until the 11th hour when he won the final regular season race. In doing so, he knocked out Chris Buescher.

Bowman, meanwhile, is again fighting around the bubble. It was the same story this time one year ago until he won the Chicago street course and locked himself into the postseason.

Busch missed the postseason in 2024. It will be more of the same if Richard Childress Racing cannot find itself back in the winner’s circle.

And then when you look at the drivers who are the most comfortable above the cutline, at least for now, it’s a surprise that Elliott, Reddick and Wallace have not won a race. Elliott had a win at this time last year, as did Reddick. But those two teams have been hot or cold on any given weekend.

Wallace, meanwhile, looked primed to win with his group the first two months of the season. They, too, have cooled off a bit. But sitting above the cutline is still a much better position for Wallace than he usually finds himself in as the regular season winds down.

Berry and van Gisbergen are two drivers who were not in the 2024 postseason who have claimed spots this season. On the other hand, Daniel Suarez, Brad Keselowski and Ty Gibbs are three drivers who are not currently in the picture after being playoff drivers last year.

And so here is what is to come over the next 10 weeks:

  • Pocono Raceway (2024 winner: Blaney)
  • Atlanta Motor Speedway (*2024 winner: Logano)
  • Chicago street course (2024 winner: Bowman)
  • Sonoma Raceway (2024 winner: Larson)
  • Dover Motor Speedway (2024 winner: Hamlin)
  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2024 winner: Larson)
  • Iowa Speedway (2024 winner: Blaney)
  • Watkins Glen (*2024 winner: Buescher)
  • Richmond Raceway (2024 winner: Austin Dillon)
  • Daytona International Speedway (2024 winner: Harrison Burton)

* Atlanta and Watkins Glen were playoff races in 2024 and not in the regular season.



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