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NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture: Chase Elliott needs win at Watkins Glen

nick gray, nashville tennessean
·2 min read

The NASCAR Cup Series has an uncertain playoff picture with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

That will always be the case with the current format that guarantees a playoff spot with a win, but the pressure will be on for Chase Elliott on Sunday at Watkins Glen and next weekend at Daytona.

The sport's most popular driver still needs a win to make the playoffs, and with Michael McDowell's win at Indianapolis last week, getting into the postseason on points is very unlikely.

His teammate Alex Bowman is also in the same situation, both with injury absences earlier this year. Hendrick Motorsports is likely to have two teams out of the playoffs, barring a win.

Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Bubba Wallace will not want to see a different driver win a race over the next week. A repeat winner on Sunday will lock Harvick and Keselowski into the playoffs as wild cards. A new winner will force Wallace into, most likely, a must-win situation at Daytona and put Harvick and Keselowski's playoff future into question.

Here's the Cup Series playoff picture with two regular season races remaining:

NASCAR Cup Series points standings and playoff picture

Before Watkins Glen; 2 regular season races remaining; a win clinches a playoff berth

Clinched playoff berth

1: William Byron (4 wins)

2. Martin Truex Jr. (3 wins; regular season points leader)

3. Kyle Busch (3 wins)

4. Denny Hamlin (2 wins)

5. Kyle Larson (2 wins)

6. Chris Buescher, (2 wins)

7. Ross Chastain (1 win)

8. Christopher Bell (1 win)

9. Ryan Blaney (1 win)

10. Joey Logano (1 win)

11. Tyler Reddick (1 win)

12. Michael McDowell (1 win)

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1 win)

Wild card picture

Currently in on points

14. Kevin Harvick, +145 points ahead of 17th place

15. Brad Keselowski, +143

16. Bubba Wallace, +28

Outside looking in

17. Daniel Suarez, -28 points behind 16th place

18. Ty Gibbs, -49

19. Chase Elliott, -80

20. Alex Bowman, -80

21. AJ Allmendinger, -87

22. Austin Cindric, -105

23. Justin Haley, -145

24. Aric Almirola, -154

25. Ryan Preece, -157

26. Corey Lajoie, -173

27. Todd Gilliland, -181

28. Erik Jones, -193

29. Austin Dillon, -198

30. Harrison Burton, -221

Playoff clinching scenarios

  • Either Kevin Harvick or Brad Keselowski will clinch a playoff berth with a win. Both will clinch a playoff berth on points if there is a repeat winner.

  • Martin Truex Jr. can clinch the regular season championship and the 15 playoff point bonus if he has a 56-point lead over second place through Sunday's race. Coming into Sunday, Truex leads Denny Hamlin by 60 points.

  • Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez, Ty Gibbs, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric, Justin Haley, Aric Almirola, Ryan Preece, Corey LaJoie, Todd Gilliland, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Harrison Burton, Chase Briscoe and Ty Dillon can clinch a playoff berth with a win. Along with Harvick and Keselowski, those are the playoff-eligible drivers still not locked into the postseason.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture, scenarios: Bubba Wallace needs a good day