Twelve drivers have advanced to the next round of the Playoffs

Following the dramatic conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway, four competitors were eliminated from the postseason; including last season’s Cup Series champion and Team Penske driver Joey Logano, veteran Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick in his final season before retirement, 2023 DAYTONA 500 winner and JTG Daugherty Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and veteran Front Row Motorsport’s driver Michael McDowell.

Now, the remaining 12 postseason contenders that have advanced to the second round of the Playoffs, prepare for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the first race of the Round of 12.

One caveat to note, is this season’s Texas Motor Speedway Playoff race has been shortened by 100 miles, from 500 to 400, which could play a role on Sunday.

 

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Outlook Following Race No. 29
Rank	Driver	Points	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts	+ / - Cutoff
1	William Byron (P)	3,036	5	8	36	25
2	Martin Truex Jr. (P)	3,036	3	6	36	25
3	Denny Hamlin (P)	3,032	3	7	32	21
4	Kyle Larson (P)	3,023	3	4	23	12
5	Chris Buescher (P)	3,021	3	1	21	10
6	Kyle Busch (P)	3,019	3	2	19	8
7	Christopher Bell (P)	3,016	1	4	16	5
8	Tyler Reddick (P)	3,014	2	4	14	3
9	Ross Chastain (P)	3,011	1	5	11	-3
10	Brad Keselowski (P)	3,011	0	5	11	-3
11	Ryan Blaney (P)	3,008	1	3	8	-6
12	Bubba Wallace (P)	3,000	0	0	0	-14
13	Joey Logano	2,071	1	3	8	Eliminated from the Playoffs
14	Kevin Harvick	2,071	0	1	4
15	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	2,068	1	0	5
16	Michael McDowell	2,059	1	2	7

 

Round of 12 Clinch Scenarios: Texas Motor Speedway
Following an intense NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 elimination-race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Playoffs rerack as the Round of 12 gets underway at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend with the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 on Sunday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

With this weekend’s race being the first of the Playoffs’ Round of 12, the clinch scenarios are quite simple.

Already Clinched
No drivers have clinched a spot in the eight-driver field of the next round.

Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Martin Truex Jr., William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace

Heading into this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, the entire NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 field is only separated by 36 points. Currently Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. are tied atop the reseeded postseason points with 3,036 points each, but Byron holds the tiebreaker of better finishes in the Round of 16. Last season’s Texas winner and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick currently sitting in the eighth and final transfer spot on points to the Round of 8 and holds a three-point edge on Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain in the ninth position – the first spot outside the next round’s cutoff.