There are just 152 points left on the table for each NASCAR Cup Series driver over the final two races of the 26-race regular season, and each driver can only make up a maximum of 150 points on any other driver, provided that all full-time drivers run both remaining regular season races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway.
The race winner scores 55 points, the stage one winner scores 10 points, the stage two winner scores 10 points, and another point is awarded to the driver who runs the race's fastest lap. All drivers who compete are guaranteed to score at least one point.
Heading into this past Saturday night's race at Richmond Raceway, eight drivers risked falling outside of that 152-point threshold, after six full-time drivers had already been eliminated.
Three of them were able to stave off elimination, while the other five were officially knocked out of championship contention.
5 more NASCAR Cup drivers eliminated at Richmond
With no more "win and in", drivers need to be inside the top 16 in the point standings to qualify for the postseason when the regular season concludes. The 16th and final playoff spot is currently held by Trackhouse Racing's Shane van Gisbergen, after Team Penske's Austin Cindric passed him for 15th with a season-best third place finish at Richmond,
Kaulig Racing's A.J. Allmendinger and Front Row Motorsports teammates Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith were able to stay alive mathematically, as they sit 125, 139, and 149 points below the cutoff, respectively. They find themselves 22nd, 23rd, and 24th in the point standings.
But Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon, 23XI Racing's Riley Herbst, Hyak Motorsports' Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Legacy Motor Club's John Hunter Nemechek, and Hendrick Motorsports' Alex Bowman have all been mathematically eliminated. They find themselves 167, 167, 178, 179, and 227 points out, respectively.
Wood Brothers Racing's Josh Berry, Front Row Motorsports' Noah Gragson, Haas Factory Team's Cole Custer, Kaulig Racing's Ty Dillon, Trackhouse Racing rookie Connor Zilisch, and Rick Ware Racing's Cody Ware had already been eliminated,
In addition to Allmendinger, Gilliland, and Smith, the other five drivers currently below the cut line will all face elimination at New Hampshire, since all of them, can potentially fall to more than 76 points the cutoff even before the regular season finale.
As things stand, the highest among them is RFK Racing's Ryan Preece, and even he is 50 points out. Others include Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain, RFK Racing's Brad Keselowski, Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones, and Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell, who are 63, 78, 81, and 104 points out, respectively.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway's Dollar Tree 301 is set to be shown live on USA Network beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 23.
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