After trips to Watkins Glen International this weekend and Daytona International Speedway the following one, the NASCAR Cup Series regular season will come to an end and the 2023 playoff field will be set.
So far, the only drivers who have qualified for one of the 16 playoff spots are those who have won at least one regular-season race so far. The 13 already in the postseason are:
For everyone else, there are two options to making the postseason: Win one of the next two races and automatically be locked in or sneak in based on points in the standings. With 13 different race winners already, that leaves three vacant playoff spots. So if there are two different first-time winners this season at Watkins Glen and Daytona, only one driver will make the playoffs based on points.
Previous NASCAR Cup Series champs who currently are not locked into the playoffs include Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski.
Martin Truex Jr. currently leads the regular-season standings, and that’s important because the regular-season champ earns an extra 15 playoff points. The rest of the top-10 regular-season finishers also receive playoff points on a sliding scale, giving them a little playoff advantage from the start.
1
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 830
Projected playoff rank: 1
Projected playoff points: 2035
2023 wins: 3
Top-5 finishes: 9
Laps led 828
2
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Regular season points: 726 (-104)
Projected playoff rank: 2
Projected playoff points: 2030
2023 wins: 4
Top-5 finishes: 8
Laps led: 810
3
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 770 (-60)
Projected playoff rank: 3
Projected playoff points: 2025
2023 wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 8
Laps led: 374
4
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Regular season points: 698 (-132)
Projected playoff rank: 4
Projected playoff points: 2019
2023 wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 10
Laps led: 624
5
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Regular season points: 660 (-170)
Projected playoff rank: 5
Projected playoff points: 2017
2023 wins: 3
Top-5 finishes: 8
Laps led: 226
6
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Regular season points: 676 (-154)
Projected playoff rank: 6
Projected playoff points: 2014
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 6
Laps led: 463
7
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 709 (-121)
Projected playoff rank: 7
Projected playoff points: 2014
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 5
Laps led: 259
8
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Regular season points: 665 (-165)
Projected playoff rank: 8
Projected playoff points: 2012
2023 wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 5
Laps led: 229
9
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Regular season points: 666 (-164)
Projected playoff rank: 9
Projected playoff points: 2010
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 4
Laps led: 344
10
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 653 (-177)
Projected playoff rank: 10
Projected playoff points: 2009
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 7
Laps led: 312
11
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Regular season points: 639 (-191)
Projected playoff rank: 11
Projected playoff points: 2008
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 7
Laps led: 251
12
Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Regular season points: 542 (-288)
Projected playoff rank: 12
Projected playoff points: 2006
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 2
Laps led: 75
13
Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Regular season points: 677 (-153)
Projected playoff rank: 13
Projected playoff points: 2006
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 6
Laps led: 108
14
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Regular season points: 675 (-155)
Projected playoff rank: 14
Projected playoff points: 2006
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 5
Laps led: 253
15
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Regular season points: 542 (-288)
Projected playoff rank: 15
Projected playoff points: 2005
2023 wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 2
Laps led: 24
16
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 560 (-270)
Projected playoff rank: 16
Projected playoff points: 2000
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 4
Laps led: 159
17
Daniel Suárez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 532 (-298)
Projected playoff rank: 17
Projected playoff points: N/A
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 3
Laps led: 35
18
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Regular season points: 511 (-319)
Projected playoff rank: 18
Projected playoff points: N/A
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 1
Laps led: 10
19
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet*
Regular season points: 480 (-350)
Projected playoff rank: 19
Projected playoff points: N/A
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 6
Laps led: 39
Elliott did not compete in seven races in the 2023 NASCAR season due to injury.
20
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet*
Regular season points: 480
Projected playoff rank: 20
Projected playoff points: N/A
2023 wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 4
Laps led: 75
Bowman did not compete in three races in the 2023 NASCAR season due to injury.
