X
NASCAR Playoff Watch 2022: How the postseason picture looks
By Zach Sturniolo | Monday, July 4, 2022
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
1 of 18
View Fullscreen
Throughout the regular season, NASCAR.com will examine the playoff picture. Here's how the postseason picture looks through 18 regular-season races (out of 26) after the Cup Series race at Road America.
A few reminders:
-- All point totals are reset to 2,000 for the 16 eligible playoff drivers.
-- Drivers earn five playoff points for each of their regular-season wins.
-- Drivers earn one playoff point for each stage win.
-- The top 10 finishers in the regular-season standings earn playoff points on a sliding scale, starting with 15 points for the Regular Season Champion and ending on one point for the 10th-place finisher.
A few reminders:
-- All point totals are reset to 2,000 for the 16 eligible playoff drivers.
-- Drivers earn five playoff points for each of their regular-season wins.
-- Drivers earn one playoff point for each stage win.
-- The top 10 finishers in the regular-season standings earn playoff points on a sliding scale, starting with 15 points for the Regular Season Champion and ending on one point for the 10th-place finisher.
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
2 of 18
View Fullscreen
*Note that the cutline sits at eighth place in the regular-season standings since that is the lowest non-winner in the provisional playoff field.
On the outside looking in:
Kevin Harvick (11th in regular-season points, minus-20 to eighth; Aric Almirola (12th in regular-season standings, minus-47 points to eighth); Erik Jones (18th in regular-season standings; minus-85 points to eighth); Austin Dillon (19th in regular-season standings, minus-94 points to eighth).
Despite snagging a top-10 finish at Road America, Kevin Harvick was ousted from the playoff grid thanks to Tyler Reddick, the year's 13th different winner. Harvick joins teammate Aric Almirola on the fringe of the playoff grid.
On the outside looking in:
Kevin Harvick (11th in regular-season points, minus-20 to eighth; Aric Almirola (12th in regular-season standings, minus-47 points to eighth); Erik Jones (18th in regular-season standings; minus-85 points to eighth); Austin Dillon (19th in regular-season standings, minus-94 points to eighth).
Despite snagging a top-10 finish at Road America, Kevin Harvick was ousted from the playoff grid thanks to Tyler Reddick, the year's 13th different winner. Harvick joins teammate Aric Almirola on the fringe of the playoff grid.
Buda Mendes | Getty Images
3 of 18
View Fullscreen
16. Christopher Bell: 2,003 points
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 0
Quick hit: Road courses have proven to be Toyota's Achilles' heel in 2022, and Bell is not immune. An 18th-place finish at Road America couples a 27th-place result at Sonoma as his only finishes outside the top 10 in the last eight races.
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 0
Quick hit: Road courses have proven to be Toyota's Achilles' heel in 2022, and Bell is not immune. An 18th-place finish at Road America couples a 27th-place result at Sonoma as his only finishes outside the top 10 in the last eight races.
Getty Images
4 of 18
View Fullscreen
15. Austin Cindric, 2,006 points
Qualified by: Win (Daytona 500)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Cindric is on quite the hot streak, notching his fourth straight top-11 finish courtesy of finishing seventh at Road America. The Daytona 500 winner has a 7.5 average finish in the past four races.
Qualified by: Win (Daytona 500)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Cindric is on quite the hot streak, notching his fourth straight top-11 finish courtesy of finishing seventh at Road America. The Daytona 500 winner has a 7.5 average finish in the past four races.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
5 of 18
View Fullscreen
14. Daniel Suárez, 2,007 points
Qualified by: Win (Sonoma)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Suárez's recent road-course prowess was on display again at Road America, backing his Sonoma victory with a fifth-place finish Sunday. What he needs is consistency, though, as his road results are his lone top 10s in the last six races.
Qualified by: Win (Sonoma)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Suárez's recent road-course prowess was on display again at Road America, backing his Sonoma victory with a fifth-place finish Sunday. What he needs is consistency, though, as his road results are his lone top 10s in the last six races.
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
6 of 18
View Fullscreen
13. Chase Briscoe, 2,007 points
Qualified by: Win (Phoenix)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Briscoe is still searching for better results, but Road America was a good boost for the No. 14 team. Briscoe qualified second and won Stage 1 to earn a playoff point before eventually finishing 14th. He has one top 10 in his last 10 races.
Qualified by: Win (Phoenix)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Briscoe is still searching for better results, but Road America was a good boost for the No. 14 team. Briscoe qualified second and won Stage 1 to earn a playoff point before eventually finishing 14th. He has one top 10 in his last 10 races.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
7 of 18
View Fullscreen
12. Kurt Busch, 2,007 points
Qualified by: Win (Kansas)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: The elevation change at Road America is a good depiction of Kurt Busch's season lately -- plenty of highs, plenty of lows. His 23rd-place finish Sunday is his third result of 18th or worse in the last six races; the other three are podium positions.
Qualified by: Win (Kansas)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: The elevation change at Road America is a good depiction of Kurt Busch's season lately -- plenty of highs, plenty of lows. His 23rd-place finish Sunday is his third result of 18th or worse in the last six races; the other three are podium positions.
Logan Riely | Getty Images
8 of 18
View Fullscreen
11. Tyler Reddick, 2,007 points
Qualified by: Win (Road America)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Reddick finally broke through Sunday with his first career win, becoming the 13th different winner in 18 races this year. Sure, he needs some steadiness, but the victory marks his fifth top five of the year and seventh top 10.
Qualified by: Win (Road America)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Reddick finally broke through Sunday with his first career win, becoming the 13th different winner in 18 races this year. Sure, he needs some steadiness, but the victory marks his fifth top five of the year and seventh top 10.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
9 of 18
View Fullscreen
10. Alex Bowman, 2,008 points
Qualified by: Win (Las Vegas)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Bowman's results have quietly tapered once the calendar turned to June; his 12th-place finish at Road America is his best since May. No cause for concern for the No. 48 team yet, but summer struggles seem real for its driver.
Qualified by: Win (Las Vegas)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: Bowman's results have quietly tapered once the calendar turned to June; his 12th-place finish at Road America is his best since May. No cause for concern for the No. 48 team yet, but summer struggles seem real for its driver.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
10 of 18
View Fullscreen
9. Martin Truex Jr., 2,009 points
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 5
Quick hit: Truex sparked to life at Nashville, but his recent results leave much to be desired. A 13th-place finish at Road America was his fourth finish of 12th or worse in the last five races.
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 5
Quick hit: Truex sparked to life at Nashville, but his recent results leave much to be desired. A 13th-place finish at Road America was his fourth finish of 12th or worse in the last five races.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
11 of 18
View Fullscreen
8. Kyle Busch, 2,011 points
Qualified by: Win (Bristol Dirt Race)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: It's been a miserable three weeks on the final rundown for Kyle Busch. He's finished 21st or worst in three straight races, the first time he's done so since a four-race span in 2016 (Dover-Michigan) when he finished 30th or worse.
Qualified by: Win (Bristol Dirt Race)
Stage wins: 1
Quick hit: It's been a miserable three weeks on the final rundown for Kyle Busch. He's finished 21st or worst in three straight races, the first time he's done so since a four-race span in 2016 (Dover-Michigan) when he finished 30th or worse.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
12 of 18
View Fullscreen
7. Denny Hamlin, 2,012 points
Qualified by: Wins (Richmond, Charlotte)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Hamlin couldn't escape Toyota's trouble on the road courses and wound up 17th at Road America. Since winning at Charlotte, Hamlin has three finishes of 17th or worse and one top 10.
Qualified by: Wins (Richmond, Charlotte)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Hamlin couldn't escape Toyota's trouble on the road courses and wound up 17th at Road America. Since winning at Charlotte, Hamlin has three finishes of 17th or worse and one top 10.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
13 of 18
View Fullscreen
6. Kyle Larson, 2,014 points
Qualified by: Win (Auto Club)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Don't look now, but Larson might be returning to form. His third-place finish at Road America is his second straight top five, which could start spelling trouble for the field.
Qualified by: Win (Auto Club)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Don't look now, but Larson might be returning to form. His third-place finish at Road America is his second straight top five, which could start spelling trouble for the field.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
14 of 18
View Fullscreen
5. William Byron, 2,014 points
Qualified by: Wins (Atlanta, Martinsville)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: Byron's curious slide continues after placing 16th at Road America. A two-time winner this year, Byron has just one top 10 (ninth, Sonoma) and three top 15s since his Martinsville victory in April.
Qualified by: Wins (Atlanta, Martinsville)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: Byron's curious slide continues after placing 16th at Road America. A two-time winner this year, Byron has just one top 10 (ninth, Sonoma) and three top 15s since his Martinsville victory in April.
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
15 of 18
View Fullscreen
4. Ryan Blaney, 2,015 points
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 4
Quick hit: Slowly but surely, Blaney has knocked off his mid-spring dust and returned to the contender he started the season as. His 11th-place result at Road America is his fourth straight top-11 finish and marked another event with laps led by the No. 12 Ford.
Qualified by: Points
Stage wins: 4
Quick hit: Slowly but surely, Blaney has knocked off his mid-spring dust and returned to the contender he started the season as. His 11th-place result at Road America is his fourth straight top-11 finish and marked another event with laps led by the No. 12 Ford.
Jeff Curry | Getty Images
16 of 18
View Fullscreen
3. Joey Logano, 2,018 points
Qualified by: Wins (Darlington, Gateway)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Sunday was not a good day for Joey Logano, highlighted by a move in Turn 5 that sent both him and Bubba Wallace sideways. After some agricultural driving, Logano finished 27th, his fourth finish of 17th or worse in the last six races.
Qualified by: Wins (Darlington, Gateway)
Stage wins: 2
Quick hit: Sunday was not a good day for Joey Logano, highlighted by a move in Turn 5 that sent both him and Bubba Wallace sideways. After some agricultural driving, Logano finished 27th, his fourth finish of 17th or worse in the last six races.
Getty Images
17 of 18
View Fullscreen
2. Ross Chastain, 2,021 points
Qualified by: Wins (COTA, Talladega)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: No, Trackhouse Racing won't sweep the road courses in 2022, but Chastain proved they've still got the speed. His fourth-place finish is his fourth straight top-10 result and ninth top five of the year, topping the series.
Qualified by: Wins (COTA, Talladega)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: No, Trackhouse Racing won't sweep the road courses in 2022, but Chastain proved they've still got the speed. His fourth-place finish is his fourth straight top-10 result and ninth top five of the year, topping the series.
James Gilbert | Getty Images
18 of 18
View Fullscreen
1. Chase Elliott, 2,028 points
Qualified by: Wins (Dover, Nashville)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: Elliott's turnaround is in full force. The 2020 champion backed his Nashville win with a dominant 36 laps led and pole position at Road America before finishing runner-up to Tyler Reddick, 3.304 seconds away from win No. 3 of the year.
Qualified by: Wins (Dover, Nashville)
Stage wins: 3
Quick hit: Elliott's turnaround is in full force. The 2020 champion backed his Nashville win with a dominant 36 laps led and pole position at Road America before finishing runner-up to Tyler Reddick, 3.304 seconds away from win No. 3 of the year.
Presented By: