NASCAR playoff picture sees significant shift at Las Vegas
By Asher Fair
Two of the four NASCAR Cup Series drivers who were below the round of 8 cut line entering the round of 12 have been replaced by drivers who entered the round of 12 ahead of it.
The round of 12 of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs got underway on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the South Point 400.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who won the round of 16 opener at Darlington Raceway to become the first driver to punch his ticket to the round of 12, also became the first driver to punch his ticket to the round of 8 by winning Sunday night’s 267-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) oval in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Even with a 10th place finish, points leader Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports was able to maintain his lead in the point standings with races at Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval remaining in the second round.
However, there were quite a few changes in the playoff picture behind him.
Two drivers, both teammates of Larson, who started the round of 12 above the round of 8 cut line fell below it after experiencing issues that knocked them from the front of the field, and two drivers, who also happen to be teammates, who started the round below it now sit above it.
All in all, only one of the 12 playoff drivers sits exactly where he sat prior to the South Point 400 as we prepare for what should be two more chaotic round of 12 races.
Take a look at the playoff picture following Sunday’s race.
Rank – Driver – Points (Behind)
1 – Denny Hamlin – 3082 (1 WIN) – up 3 spots (up 2 spots on points)
2 – Kyle Larson – 3096 (+57) – down 1 spot (no change on points)
3 – Kyle Busch – 3074 (+35) – up 2 spots
4 – Martin Truex Jr. – 3070 (+31) – down 2 spots
5 – Ryan Blaney – 3063 (+24) – down 2 spots
6 – Chase Elliott – 3061 (+22) – no change
7 – Joey Logano – 3045 (+6) – up 2 spots
8 – Brad Keselowski – 3043 (+4) – up 2 spots
——Round of 8 cut line——
9 – William Byron – 3039 (-4) – down 1 spot
10 – Kevin Harvick – 3036 (-7) – up 2 spots
11 – Alex Bowman – 3030 (-13) – down 4 spots
12 – Christopher Bell – 3018 (-25) – down 1 spot
The next race on the round of 12 schedule is what many consider to be a wild card race: the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This race is set to be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 3. Make sure to start your free trial of FuboTV today if you have not already done so!