NASCAR Cup Series: Kyle Larson clinches 2018 playoff berth

While he has not won a race so far in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson has clinched a playoff berth.

With his second place finish in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, the 24th race of the 36-race NASCAR Cup Series season, at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson clinched a berth in the playoffs based on his point total.

Larson, who drives the #42 Chevrolet, currently sits in ninth place in the championship standings and 12th in the playoff picture.

Two races remain on the regular season schedule, meaning that the maximum number of drivers who are currently outside of the playoff picture who could possibly win their way into the playoffs before the regular season ends is two.

The playoff cut line currently sits between the drivers who sit in 15th and 16th place in the championship standings. These drivers are Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

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If two drivers who are currently below the playoff cut line win their way into the playoffs, the playoff cut line would move between the drivers who sit in 13th and 14th place in the championship standings. These drivers are currently Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola and Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson.

Larson sits 236 points above the current playoff cut line, and he sits ahead of Johnson by 125 points, as Johnson sits 111 points above the current playoff cut line.

Because a maximum of 55 points (10 points for winning stage one, 10 points for winning stage two and 35 points for finishing the race in second place) are on the table for drivers who do not win a given race, Johnson can make up a maximum of 110 points (108 points assuming Larson races since even last place finishers receive one point) over Larson over the course of the final two races of the regular season.

Even if Johnson makes up this amount of points over Larson, he would not be able to surpass Larson’s point total. As a result, there is no possible way by which Larson can fall below the playoff cut line no matter how it rises, meaning he has clinched a playoff berth.

Johnson winning either one or both of the regular season’s final two races would not cause the playoff cut line to move since he is currently in the playoff picture.

Nine drivers have clinched playoff berths by winning at least one race so far this season and another three, including Larson, have done so based on their point totals. With two races remaining in the regular season, there are still four playoff positions available, meaning at least two more drivers will get into the playoffs based on their point totals.

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Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada is set to host the first race of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the South Point 400. However, that race is not scheduled to take place until Sunday, September 16. There are still two regular season races, one at Darlington Raceway and one at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that are scheduled to take place before the playoff opener.

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