NASCAR: Ranking the 16 playoff drivers in 2017

By Asher Fair | Sep 14, 2017

RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 09: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 Mountain Dew Chevrolet,, Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 DOW Chevrolet,, Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Caramel Toyota, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Hurricane Harvey Relief Toyota, Ryan Newman, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 McDonald's Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, Kasey Kahne, driver of the #5 Great Clips Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Ford, Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fastenal Ford, and Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, pose for a photo after making the playoffs following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway on September 9, 2017 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

8 of 9

MARTINSVILLE, VA – APRIL 02: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

#4 and #3

KYLE BUSCH. #4. Kyle Busch was a factor at the front of the field in pretty much every race in the regular season. Ever since he broke his win drought of over a year at Pocono, he has been on a roll. He won two of the last six races of the regular season and didn’t finish lower than 10th place in any of the other four. Let’s not forget that he is, in fact, a former champion of the sport, as he won the title in 2015. That season, he drove in just 25 of the 36 races thanks to injuries he suffered in a nasty wreck at Daytona. However, he turned it on when he needed to in the playoffs to win that title, proving that he knows how to win when it matters most, which he could use to his advantage once again in this season’s playoffs.. No. 18. Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota

#3. Jimmie Johnson was in the midst of a 12-race stint of not finishing higher than 10th place until he ended the regular season with a solid 8th place finish at Richmond. However, it’s playoff time now, and that’s when Johnson historically has been at his best. After all, he is one of three 7-time champions of the sport who knows how to win when it matters most. Without the playoffs, he would only have won three of those seven titles. Now that the regular season is officially over and the playoffs are officially upon us, don’t be surprised if the defending champion kicks it up a notch like he has been known to do in recent years.. No. 48. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet. JIMMIE JOHNSON

Home/NASCAR