Beyond the Flag
Fansided

NASCAR: Playoff Picture After Second Pocono Race

By Asher Fair

LONG POND, PA - JULY 30: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Caramel Toyota, races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton's 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 30, 2017 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
LONG POND, PA - JULY 30: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Caramel Toyota, races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton's 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 30, 2017 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

We are now 21 races into the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. As Watkins Glen approaches, how does the current playoff picture look?

More from NASCAR

With 21 races down, there are still five races for NASCAR drivers to lock up a spot for themselves in the playoffs. Which drivers have the best chance of doing so with the new playoff format? Here is the current playoff picture.

NOTE: This list does not include drivers who are mathematically eliminated from getting into the playoffs based on points.

In order to be still eligible to qualify for the playoffs based on points, a driver must be within 270 points of the 16th place driver. This leaves just 25 drivers who are not eliminated, of which 13 have clinched a spot in the playoffs. Another three are currently in the playoff picture, and the final nine are on the outside looking in.

Playoff Picture

  1. Martin Truex Jr., #78, Furniture Row Racing, Toyota – 3 wins (-)
  2. Jimmie Johnson, #48, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet – 3 wins (-)
  3. Kyle Larson, #42, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet – 2 wins (-)
  4. Brad Keselowski, #2, Team Penske, Ford – 2 wins (-)
  5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #17, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford – 2 wins (-)
  6. Kevin Harvick, #4, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford – 1 win (-)
  7. Kyle Busch, #18, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota – 1 win (-)
  8. Denny Hamlin, #11, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota – 1 win (-)
  9. Ryan Blaney, #21, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford – 1 win (-)
  10. Kurt Busch, #41, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford – 1 win (-)
  11. Ryan Newman, #31, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet – 1 win (-)
  12. Kasey Kahne, #5, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet – 1 win (-)
  13. Austin Dillon, #3, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet – 1 win (-)
  14. Chase Elliott, #24, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet – 616 points (+39)
  15. Jamie McMurray, #1, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet – 615 points (+38)
  16. Matt Kenseth, #20, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota – 594 points (+17)
  17. Clint Bowyer, #14, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford – 577 points (-17)
  18. Joey Logano, #22, Team Penske, Ford –1 win*, 525 points (-69)
  19. Erik Jones, #77, Furniture Row Racing, Toyota – 469 points (-125)
  20. Daniel Suarez, #19, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota – 464 points (-130)
  21. Trevor Bayne, #6, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford – 406 points (-188)
  22. Dale Earnhardt Jr., #88, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet – 378 points (-216)
  23. Paul Menard, #27, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet – 363 points (-231)
  24. Ty Dillon, #13, Germain Racing, Chevrolet – 360 points (-234)
  25. Michael McDowell, #95, Leavine Family Racing, Chevrolet – 326 points (-268)

*=encumbered victory

NEXT: NASCAR Stage and Playoff Points

Be sure to check back with Beyond the Flag after every Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race for an updated playoff picture! Also be sure to follow me on Instagram as well as Beyond the Flag on both Instagram and Twitter. Also, don’t forget to follow along with Beyond the Flag for the latest news, opinions, and analysis stemming from a number of different motorsports series. You don’t want to miss any of it.

Home/NASCAR