Playoff Watch: Post-Indianapolis

By Brad Norman | Published: July 24, 2017 18

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Following Kasey Kahne's Indianapolis win, 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular-season races are in the books. That leaves just six races until the postseason field is set. This is what the playoffs would look like if the postseason started today.

A few reminders:
-- All point totals are reset to 2,000 for the 16 eligible playoff drivers.
-- Drivers earn 5 playoff points for each of their regular-season wins.
-- Drivers earn 1 playoff point for each stage win.
-- The top 10 finishers in the regular-season standings earn playoff points on a sliding scale.

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Missing the cut

With 12 drivers earning wins that count for playoff eligibility through 20 races, there are a handful of big names currently out of the postseason picture. Chief among them are Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano. Remember, Logano's Richmond win was ruled encumbered, so it doesn't count toward playoff eligibility. Bowyer has been fast all year in his No. 14 Ford at Stewart-Haas Racing, but he hasn't won. Others have, so he's nudged down the standings.

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16. Matt Kenseth, 2,004 points

Qualified via: Points
Stage wins: 2
Note: Kenseth is driving better than he has all season, but there has been a glut of first-time 2017 winners in recent weeks. It's pushing him down the standings.

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15. Jamie McMurray, 2,004 points

Qualified via: Points
Stage wins: 0
Note: McMurray is seventh in the regular-season standings, but 15th here because he hasn't won. The playoff bubble is getting smaller, and McMurray is firmly on it.

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14. Chase Elliott, 2,005 points

Qualified via: Points
Stage wins: 2
Note: Finishing 39th at Indianapolis combined with Kasey Kahne's win saw Elliott slip four spots in the postseason picture.

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13. Austin Dillon, 2,005 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Charlotte)
Stage wins: 0
Note: Five drivers would have 2,005 playoff points if the postseason started today, including four with one win. Austin Dillon is one of them.

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12. Kasey Kahne, 2,005 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Indianapolis)
Stage wins: 0
Note: Kahne grabbed a playoff berth with his Brickyard 400 victory, making him the newest clincher with time running out in the regular season.

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11. Ryan Newman, 2,005 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Phoenix)
Stage wins: 0
Note: Newman has had three top-five finishes since his Phoenix victory, including a third-place effort at Indy that helped him jump one spot in the rankings.

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10. Kurt Busch, 2,005 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Daytona 500)
Stage wins: 0
Note: Kurt Busch has failed to finish in three of his last four races, but still clings to playoff eligibility thanks to his season-opening victory.

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9. Ryan Blaney, 2,008 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Pocono)
Stage wins: 3
Note: Three stage wins give Blaney a leg -- and three points -- up on his fellow one-win competitors. Could be a big difference come the playoffs.

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8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 2,010 points

Qualified via: 2 wins (Talladega, Daytona-2)
Stage wins: 0
Note: Stenhouse Jr. won twice on restrictor-plate tracks this year, but has been stealthily speedy on all track types.

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7. Denny Hamlin, 2,013 points

Qualified via: 1 win (New Hampshire)
Stage wins: 2
Note: Hamlin is typically a title contender in this format because of how well he performs at the 10 tracks that comprise the playoffs.

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6. Kyle Busch, 2,014 points

Qualified via: Points
Stage wins: 7
Note: Busch led the most laps at Indianapolis but was (inadvertently) wrecked by Martin Truex Jr. battling for the lead. A win would vault him to a top-three seed.

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5. Kevin Harvick, 2,016 points

Qualified via: 1 win (Sonoma)
Stage wins: 3
Note: Harvick was running up front at the end of Indy, and his No. 4 team seems to have hit on something lately.

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4. Jimmie Johnson, 2,017 points

Qualified via: 3 wins (Texas, Bristol, Dover)
Stage wins: 1
Note: One of just two drivers with three wins, Johnson actually slipped in the playoff standings. He has a lack of playoff points beyond his three victories with just one stage win.

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3. Brad Keselowski, 2,018 points

Qualified via: 2 wins (Atlanta, Martinsville)
Stage wins: 3
Note: Keselowski has quietly positioned himself to challenge Kyle Larson for the No. 2 playoff seed.

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2. Kyle Larson, 2,023 points

Qualified via: 2 wins (Auto Club, Michigan)
Stage wins: 3
Note: Things can change quickly in this format. Larson is the clear No. 2 seed now, but that could shuffle in an instant ... and with a win.

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1. Martin Truex Jr., 2,044 points

Qualified via: 3 wins (Las Vegas, Kansas, Kentucky)
Stage wins: 14
Note: Truex Jr. seems to be the favorite in most races these days; he certainly is the favorite to be the playoff's top seed as well.