BACK TO GALLERIES
NASCAR Cup Series drivers who turned it up in the playoffs
By RJ Kraft | Published: November 9, 2021 12
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In recent years, drivers have gotten on a roll in the postseason. Has it led to a championship? Kyle Larson won five playoff races en route to the 2021 Cup Series championship. Scroll through to see who else ramped up their performance.
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2004: Jimmie Johnson
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in four races
Outcome: Playoff wins at Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta and Darlington over a five-race stretch got Johnson in striking distance of the championship after finishes outside the top 30 in the two earlier races. His runner-up finish at Miami was not enough to overtake Kurt Busch for the title and Johnson finished second.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in four races
Outcome: Playoff wins at Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta and Darlington over a five-race stretch got Johnson in striking distance of the championship after finishes outside the top 30 in the two earlier races. His runner-up finish at Miami was not enough to overtake Kurt Busch for the title and Johnson finished second.
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2007: Jimmie Johnson
Playoff hot streak: Four wins in a row
Outcome: In some of Johnson's five straight titles, he was the hunter instead of the hunted. This was one of those years as Johnson was chasing teammate Jeff Gordon for the championship. Four wins in a row (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix) saw Johnson set sail for his second of seven championships -- taking the lead for good after the Texas win.
Playoff hot streak: Four wins in a row
Outcome: In some of Johnson's five straight titles, he was the hunter instead of the hunted. This was one of those years as Johnson was chasing teammate Jeff Gordon for the championship. Four wins in a row (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix) saw Johnson set sail for his second of seven championships -- taking the lead for good after the Texas win.
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2008: Carl Edwards
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in last four races
Outcome: The 2008 season was Edwards' best with nine wins, but he was chasing Jimmie Johnson for the title. After two finishes outside the top 25, Edwards was in a big hole with five races left. He proceeded to score top fives in all five races to close out the year and notched victories at Atlanta, Texas and Miami to finish second in the final standings.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in last four races
Outcome: The 2008 season was Edwards' best with nine wins, but he was chasing Jimmie Johnson for the title. After two finishes outside the top 25, Edwards was in a big hole with five races left. He proceeded to score top fives in all five races to close out the year and notched victories at Atlanta, Texas and Miami to finish second in the final standings.
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2009: Jimmie Johnson
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in four races
Outcome: Johnson's teammate Mark Martin took early control of the title race in the 2009 postseason. And then Jimmie got hot -- scoring wins at Dover, Auto Club and Charlotte over a four-race stretch that saw him take the championship lead and never look back en route to his fourth straight title.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in four races
Outcome: Johnson's teammate Mark Martin took early control of the title race in the 2009 postseason. And then Jimmie got hot -- scoring wins at Dover, Auto Club and Charlotte over a four-race stretch that saw him take the championship lead and never look back en route to his fourth straight title.
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2011: Tony Stewart
Playoff hot streak: Five wins in 10 races
Outcome: With just three top fives in the regular season, not many thought Stewart would be a postseason factor. Stewart grabbed two wins to open at Chicagoland and New Hampshire and then closed out the postseason with three wins in the final four races -- Martinsville, Texas and Miami -- to edge Carl Edwards on a wins tiebreaker for his third title.
Playoff hot streak: Five wins in 10 races
Outcome: With just three top fives in the regular season, not many thought Stewart would be a postseason factor. Stewart grabbed two wins to open at Chicagoland and New Hampshire and then closed out the postseason with three wins in the final four races -- Martinsville, Texas and Miami -- to edge Carl Edwards on a wins tiebreaker for his third title.
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2014: Kevin Harvick
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final six races
Outcome: Harvick's knack for turning it on at the biggest moments was apparent during his 2014 championship run. Facing elimination at Phoenix and a spot in the Championship 4 on the line, Harvick blitzed the field. He then went on to win at Miami as the first champion in NASCAR's revamped postseason format where the top finishing Championship 4 driver won the title.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final six races
Outcome: Harvick's knack for turning it on at the biggest moments was apparent during his 2014 championship run. Facing elimination at Phoenix and a spot in the Championship 4 on the line, Harvick blitzed the field. He then went on to win at Miami as the first champion in NASCAR's revamped postseason format where the top finishing Championship 4 driver won the title.
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2015: Joey Logano
Playoff hot streak: Swept the Round of 12 races
Outcome: Over the second half of 2015, Logano went on a tear and that was best illustrated in the Round of 12 where he won all three races -- Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega. He looked to be the favorite before past actions caught up to him at Martinsville and early problems at Texas effectively took him out of the title picture.
Playoff hot streak: Swept the Round of 12 races
Outcome: Over the second half of 2015, Logano went on a tear and that was best illustrated in the Round of 12 where he won all three races -- Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega. He looked to be the favorite before past actions caught up to him at Martinsville and early problems at Texas effectively took him out of the title picture.
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2016: Jimmie Johnson
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final seven races
Outcome: A summer swoon had forecasters casting doubts on Johnson's title hopes. He went out and won the opening race in the Round of 12 (Charlotte), Round of 8 (Martinsville) and the Championship 4 finale (Miami). He led more laps in the postseason (471) than the regular season (266). With his seventh championship, he tied the marks of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final seven races
Outcome: A summer swoon had forecasters casting doubts on Johnson's title hopes. He went out and won the opening race in the Round of 12 (Charlotte), Round of 8 (Martinsville) and the Championship 4 finale (Miami). He led more laps in the postseason (471) than the regular season (266). With his seventh championship, he tied the marks of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.
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2017: Martin Truex Jr.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in first six playoff races
Outcome: With the exception of Talladega, Truex never finished outside the top five in any playoff race. Wins to open the Round of 16 (Chicagoland) and Round of 12 (Charlotte), plus a treasure trove of playoff points set up Truex for a clear path to Miami. And there he took down his eighth win of the season to capture the championship and cap off a storybook season for Furniture Row Racing.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in first six playoff races
Outcome: With the exception of Talladega, Truex never finished outside the top five in any playoff race. Wins to open the Round of 16 (Chicagoland) and Round of 12 (Charlotte), plus a treasure trove of playoff points set up Truex for a clear path to Miami. And there he took down his eighth win of the season to capture the championship and cap off a storybook season for Furniture Row Racing.
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2020: Chase Elliott
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final five playoff races
Outcome: After a long season of domination by front-runners Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, it was Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott winning his first Cup Series title amid a furious charge to Phoenix. Harvick and Hamlin combined for 16 total wins, but Elliott saved three of his five victories for the playoffs — including the last two races — to claim the Bill France Cup.
Playoff hot streak: Three wins in final five playoff races
Outcome: After a long season of domination by front-runners Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, it was Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott winning his first Cup Series title amid a furious charge to Phoenix. Harvick and Hamlin combined for 16 total wins, but Elliott saved three of his five victories for the playoffs — including the last two races — to claim the Bill France Cup.
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2021: Kyle Larson
Playoff hot streak: Four wins in final five playoff races
Outcome: Larson scored as many wins in the playoffs (five) as he did in the regular season (also five). The playoff run included three straight wins at the Charlotte Roval, Texas and Kansas, as well as the title race at Phoenix. He also won three elimination races to earn an impressive five wins in the final eight races of 2021.
Playoff hot streak: Four wins in final five playoff races
Outcome: Larson scored as many wins in the playoffs (five) as he did in the regular season (also five). The playoff run included three straight wins at the Charlotte Roval, Texas and Kansas, as well as the title race at Phoenix. He also won three elimination races to earn an impressive five wins in the final eight races of 2021.