NASCAR: 5 drivers who could fall out of the playoffs
By Asher Fair
The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is underway, and there are several unexpected names toward the top of the standings. Who is at risk of falling out of the playoff picture?
Two races into the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, there are several drivers who aren’t where you’d expect them to be in the point standings.
However, it is still early, and things will surely look a bit more “normal” as the season progresses, especially since one of the two races that has been contested so far is the Daytona 500, which is generally a bit of a wild card.
If the playoffs started now, there would be several unexpected participants. Here are five drivers who could find themselves falling out of that 16-driver field.
NASCAR drivers who could fall out of the playoffs: No. 1 – Corey LaJoie
Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie has quietly had a nice start to the 2023 season. He is one of nine drivers who hasn’t finished lower than 16th place, and he sits in 13th in the standings.
But how long can the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet keep this up? We have seen him start strong before, most notably in 2020, only to eventually drop well outside the playoff picture. His top finish so far this year is 14th place, which doesn’t exactly indicate that he has turned into a contender overnight.
In four seasons as a full-time driver, LaJoie has never finished higher than 29th place in the standings. It’s hard to see him staying where he is, though don’t sleep on him as a potential upset candidate in upcoming superspeedway races.