When NASCAR announced a new playoff format, effectively a reversion to the old "Chase" setup that was used from 2004 to 2013 (with several slight modifications), fans knew that the playoff cut line would always be between the 16th and 17th place drivers in points; there is no more "win and in", and thus no more shifting cut line throughout the 26-race regular season.
But there have been quite a few changes at the cut line itself throughout the season's first 11 races, and that remained true this past weekend during Sunday's Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Entering the race, Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Austin Cindric occupied the final two playoff spots, with Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe surprisingly on the outside looking in. After a rough start to the year, Briscoe was sitting in the top spot below the cut line just six months after qualifying for the Championship 4.
Chase Briscoe back into the NASCAR playoff picture
Cindric didn't have a great day, placing 15th. Briscoe didn't have a great day either, placing 23rd. But Logano had an even worse day, falling out of the race entirely due to a pit road incident with Haas Factory Team's Cole Custer.
Logano is now 17th in the point standings, and it's Briscoe who occupies the 16th and final provisional playoff spot, seven points ahead of the driver of the No. 22 Ford. Cindric's gap above the cut line is 13 points.
With just 11 of 26 regular season races down, don't expect these cut line changes to stop anytime soon. This battle should only heat up as the year progresses, and with winning no longer being an automatic ticket into the postseason, every point matters more now than it has at any point since 2013.
Just 33 points currently separate the drivers from 15th to 19th in the standings.
The season's 12th race is the Go Bowling at The Glen, and it is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 10. Live coverage from Watkins Glen International is set to be provided by Fox Sports 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and catch all of the action from the second road course race of the year!
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