NASCAR driver clinches playoff spot without competing

Kurt Busch officially secured a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on Sunday afternoon at Watkins Glen International, despite the fact that he did not compete.

23XI Racing’s Kurt Busch last competed in a NASCAR Cup Series race more than a month ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He has been sidelined since the following week after a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway left him suffering from concussion-like symptoms.

Busch announced before this past Sunday afternoon’s race at Watkins Glen International that he will miss the remainder of the regular season, meaning that he will also not compete in this coming Saturday evening’s regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series driver Ty Gibbs (pictured), who has filled in for Busch behind the wheel of the #45 Toyota in all five of his missed starts so far, is set to fill in again this weekend.

Busch won the race at Kansas Speedway back in mid-May.

But because the possibility remained that there could be more than 16 different regular season race winners, he technically didn’t clinch a playoff spot.

Entering the race at Watkins Glen International, there had been 15 different winners, meaning that with two races left on the regular season schedule, there was still a chance that there could be more winners (17) than playoff (16).

With Busch sitting as the lowest placed driver among the single-race winners in the point standings, he could have technically still missed the playoffs, since the door remained open for two drivers ahead of him in the standings to emerge as new winners.

However, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, who won the race at Auto Club Speedway back in late February, took the checkered flag to win at Watkins Glen International, ensuring that there cannot be more than 16 different regular season race winners.

As a result, Busch has officially clinched his 10th consecutive playoff spot.

Busch has already been granted a playoff waiver by NASCAR for his missed starts, ensuring that those missed starts don’t count against his playoff eligibility.

Now he can continue to rest up and make sure he is ready to compete for a second championship when the four-round, 10-race postseason rolls around in less than two weeks.

The playoffs are scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 4 with the Cook Out Southern 500, which is set to be broadcast live on USA Network from Darlington Raceway beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET.

But first, be sure to begin a free trial of FuboTV and don’t miss the regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, this Saturday, August 27. NBC is set to broadcast the race live from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.