NASCAR
Who’s Safe, Who Needs Help Halfway Through the Regular Season?
Heading into Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2024 regular season is halfway complete. Coincidentally, exactly half of the Playoff grid is already decided as well; the opening 13 weeks have seen eight different winners. What does the Playoff bubble currently look like? Which drivers are sitting pretty for the summer stretch and who’s living on a prayer? Here’s a breakdown of the drivers around the Playoff cut line.
Chris Buescher (+15)
Bridesmaid Buescher has become an unwanted nickname for the RFK Racing driver. The No. 17 Ford Mustang has been within eyesight of the last two points wins, plus an All-Star Race victory. This much speed, execution, and versatility on differing track types will pay off with a win before too long.
Had Buescher finished better in Darlington two weeks ago, his points cushion could be double what it is now. Buescher has said the Coke 600 is a race he has circled. After he went airborne at Charlotte two years ago, Buescher may just leave Memorial Day weekend on a winning high. Carrying the banner for Ford, RFK is emerging as championship dark horses. Much like a year ago, one win may open the floodgates for the 17 team.
Kyle Busch (+8)
Inching closer to a year-long winless streak, Kyle Busch has been all over the map in 2024. The 8 team only has five top-10s and 115 laps led through 13 races. Busch’s breakout run was at Dover a few weeks ago, where he started on pole and finished fourth. RCR as an entire company is searching for any sense of consistent performance from either team, with Austin Dillon being 31st in points. Busch barely hangs onto a Playoff berth at the moment, but some of his historically best tracks are coming up. After taking three of the first 15 races in 2023, Busch is left teetering in the eye of the cut line battle.
Chase Briscoe (+6)
Carrying water for Stewart-Haas Racing to date in 2024 is their flagship car, the No. 14 of Chase Briscoe. The fourth-year driver has five top-10s so far, including a season-best fifth two weeks ago at Darlington. These breakthrough runs have Briscoe as the last man currently inside Playoff contention. A six-point buffer is anything but safe however, with the threat of a surprise winner any week.
Darlington was a noticeable step up in all areas for SHR; Briscoe joined teammate Josh Berry in the top-five. This team must continue to chase checkered flags to assert themselves as a true Playoff threat however. If SHR is turning a corner, Briscoe could end up in victory lane again.
Bubba Wallace (-6)
Nearly mirroring his efforts from a season ago, Bubba Wallace lies just outside of the top-16. Team 23 saw back-to-back fifth-place runs to open 2024, and has since earned three more top-10s. As seen over 2023’s summer months, this crew is capable of stringing together enough consistency to remain in the Playoff hunt.
Wallace obviously yearns the taste of victory lane again; his last win is over a year and a half in the rearview mirror. Darlington’s seventh-place showing two weeks ago is a great foundation for 23XI Racing heading into the summer stretch.
Joey Logano (-30)
Two-time champion Joey Logano is in the midst of his worst start to a season since joining Team Penske. The No. 22 is 17th in points, with only three top-10s and 199 laps led. He equaled the laps led total though in the All-Star Race last weekend. Is the Ford crew turning a corner? They have to do something to stop hemorrhaging points, with no top-10s in the last six races. Logano seemed optimistic that whatever his team found for North Wilkesboro can transfer over to other tracks.
Being an even numbered year, history says the 22 will be in the Championship 4. They have a long way to go however between their current year-plus losing drought and another shot at a Bill France Cup.
The Playoff bubble will surely go through many twists and turns over the coming months. Plenty of opportunity is still available for upset winners to turn this picture on its head. A few drivers may think they’re comfortable now; in reality nobody without a win has a certain future. It will be fun to track how this cut line changes over the next 13 weeks in the race to the 2024 Playoffs.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to James Gilbert/Getty Images
