Three Up, Three Down: Drivers in focus leaving Darlington

And so it ends. The 2024 regular-season finale in the NASCAR Cup Series is in the books, and the 16-driver postseason grid has been cemented following Chase Briscoe’s thrilling victory at Darlington Raceway.

RELATED: Race results | 2024 Cup Series Playoffs field set

With the 16-driver postseason field now established, Atlanta Motor Speedway will act as the Round of 16 opener next Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). See who’s trending upward and who is going the wrong way after Darlington.

THREE UP ⬆️

1. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Started: 3rd

Finished: 1st

What happened: A strong starting position translated to an even stronger finish for Briscoe and the No. 14 camp Sunday, and the Stewart-Haas Racing team pulled out all of the stops to make it come to fruition. From an electric slingshot maneuver to holding off a two-time Cup Series champion in Kyle Busch (more on him in a second), Briscoe did everything that was needed to prevail. And his reward? A postseason berth. What else can you say?

What’s next: It’s playoff time for Briscoe, and Atlanta will be where the No. 14 starts its title hunt. The Georgia venue will be a tricky one for Briscoe, though, as the 29-year-old has not tallied a top-10 finish in seven career Cup Series races there.

2. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Started: 17th

Finished: 2nd

What happened: Middle-of-the-pack marks in practice and qualifying translated through Stages 1 and 2 of Sunday’s contest, but the No. 8 cranked it into gear during the race’s waning laps. After a handful of cautions, Busch found himself on the front row with Briscoe with a chance to clinch a win and a playoff berth. Briscoe and his late-race speed, meanwhile, had other plans, and in the end, Busch was unable to achieve either.

What’s next: Moral victories can still translate to race victories, and while Busch won’t have the opportunity to battle for the coveted Bill France Cup, Atlanta has been kind to the Las Vegas, Nevada, native. With two career Cup wins and 586 laps led in 29 Cup starts, there is another golden opportunity for Busch to find Victory Lane for a 20th consecutive year.

3. Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Started: 19th

Finished: 9th

What happened: Being in the right place at the right time can pay dividends. Such was the case for LaJoie and the No. 7 Sunday evening during the race’s waning portions. Late-race cautions — including a multicar incident that collected Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs — were just what LaJoie needed to be in a position to claim his first top 10 since the season-opening Daytona 500 in February.

What’s next: Atlanta marks a chance for LaJoie to capitalize on Darlington’s exciting finish, and there is potential for the possibility to become a reality. LaJoie holds two prior top fives at the track (spring 2022, spring 2023), accounting for half of his career top-five finishes in the Cup Series.

THREE DOWN ⬇️

1. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Started: 5th

Finished: 36th

What happened: Truex was in a good position to clinch a playoff berth with ease. However, a Lap 3 wreck saw the 2017 Cup Series champion head to the garage early and hope his plus-58 points above the elimination line held. Fortunately for the No. 19 camp, the cushion was enough, and despite the finish, the team clinched a playoff berth at the conclusion of Stage 2.

What’s next: Truex has never won at Atlanta in 29 career Cup Series starts at the facility, but his six top fives and 397 laps led suggest there is potential to make a little noise. It’s a clean slate for the No. 19, and while Darlington wasn’t pretty, Atlanta acts as a pristine opportunity to correct wrongs and perhaps give Truex a chance to begin the playoffs with a bang.

2. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Started: 2nd

Finished: 33rd

What happened: A crisp qualifying session netted the 21-year-old rookie a start on the front row Sunday, his best start in 35 career Cup races to date. A spin coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 314, however, prevented the No. 77 pilot from building on the scorching start to the weekend, with later wall contact ending his day at Lap 334.

What’s next: It’s back to the drawing board for Hocevar and Co., and Atlanta will act as relatively new territory for the young driver. In only one career Cup start at the track there earlier this year, Hocevar finished 19th. He did start the race P35, though, so there is a track record (albeit a small one) of finishing better than the starting peripherals suggest.

3. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Started: 8th

Finished: 30th

What happened: A steady start to the race continued for Byron through Stages 1 and 2 after he finished eighth and fourth in each, respectively. Trouble brewed late for the No. 24 camp as the Chevrolet was one of seven cars involved in a late-race wreck that collected other high-profile contenders, including Bubba Wallace and Ty Gibbs. The end result was his second consecutive race with a finish outside the top 25.

What’s next: Good news, William Byron fans. Darlington might’ve left a sour taste, but Atlanta could prove to be sweeter as Byron possesses two career Cup wins at the track, with the most recent coming in July of 2023.