Sizing up five Cup Series drivers’ bids for a Championship 4 debut

The Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is set after a topsy-turvy postseason so far, and the remaining field is full of fresh faces. Three drivers have made it this far and beyond in previous title campaigns, with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin each reaching the Championship 4 round four times, and Chase Elliott making the final quartet twice. Both Logano (2018) and Elliott (2020) have converted those appearances into championships.


But five drivers have never reached the all-or-nothing season finale with a chance to hoist the Bill France Cup, and it's guaranteed at least one of those will make it there in this most parity-powered year. With that quintet eager to make a play at their first Cup Series crown, here's a closer look at the fresher faces still left in the title hunt and their chances of racing for the big hardware Nov. 6 at Phoenix Raceway.

Ross Chastain

Round of 8 seeding: 3rd

Playoff appearance: 1st

How he got here: Though he ruffled the feathers of his competitors through the regular season, Chastain has kept things largely clean in the playoffs. A troubling 37th-place day at the Charlotte Roval didn't block the Trackhouse Racing driver's hopes of advancing, and he made the cut by a scant six points.

Championship 4 outlook: The entire postseason has marked new ground for the playoff-eligible newbie, and Chastain has been making the most of it. He posted top fives earlier this year at Round of 8 tracks in Las Vegas and Martinsville, which could bolster his hopes.

Christopher Bell

Round of 8 seeding: 4th

Playoff appearance: 2nd

Previous-best playoff run: Round of 12 (2021)

How he got here: Faced with the brink of elimination, Bell and the No. 20 team converted in a must-win scenario at the Charlotte road course to narrowly escape the Round of 12. By contrast, Bell enjoyed the most consistent Round of 16 of all, stringing three top-five finishes together to cruise past the first elimination point.

Championship 4 outlook: Few teams have more confidence and momentum than Bell's right now, and the 27-year-old driver said after his Roval rally that the Round of 8 is a favorable one: "For sure, I absolutely think we're capable of winning really all of 'em."

Ryan Blaney

Round of 8 seeding: 5th

Playoff appearance: 6th

Previous-best playoff run: Round of 8 (2017, 2019, 2021)

How he got here: Finishes of fourth (Texas) and second (Talladega) earlier in the Round of 12 gave Blaney the cushion he needed to manage the Roval ruckus. When the smoke cleared, the Team Penske driver was third in the playoff standings – tops among those who advanced to the Round of 8 on points.

Championship 4 outlook: The lack of a scratch in the win column still weighs on the No. 12 team's season, but the recent run of consistency at Martinsville – site of the Round of 8 finale – offers a bright spot. Blaney has the most playoff experience among the five drivers bidding for their first Championship 4 appearance, and a long-awaited win would finally toss that hurdle aside.

William Byron

Round of 8 seeding: 6th

Playoff appearance: 4th

Previous-best playoff run: Round of 12 (2019, 2021)

How he got here: The No. 24 team has begun to turn around its performance after a summertime drought, and Byron has four top-10 finishes in six playoff races so far. The reversal of a 25-point penalty on appeal helped his quest, too.

Championship 4 outlook: This is as deep a playoff path as Byron has charted since joining the Cup Series full-time in 2018. His recent record of notching wins at Homestead-Miami and Martinsville – the last two tracks on the Round of 8 schedule – provides a ready-made avenue to Phoenix.

Chase Briscoe

Round of 8 seeding: 8th

Playoff appearance: 1st

How he got here: Briscoe has flown under the radar during his postseason run, but has embraced the underdog psyche. He was able to exhale after recovering from a late Roval spin and clearing the cut line by just two points.

Championship 4 outlook: As the lowest-seeded driver remaining among the title-eligible eight, Briscoe opens the three-race round with a nine-point deficit to make up. Emulating his Round of 12 consistency might not be enough, but friendly turf awaits when he reaches the finale in Phoenix, site of his first Cup Series win back in March.