The second spherical of the NASCAR Cup Sequence playoffs can be crammed with unpredictability.
Kansas Speedway has been some of the dicey of the 1.5-mile tracks, Talladega is probably essentially the most unpredictable racing of any observe and the Charlotte street course configuration has had some tweaks that has groups questioning how they are going to deal with a few the brand new turns.
For the 12 drivers who superior to the second spherical, it will likely be a nerve-wracking affair. They have already got survived one spherical and now it is on to the following.
NASCAR’s model of the playoffs — the place these outdoors the playoffs nonetheless compete every week as effectively — runs over the ultimate 10 races of the season. The primary three rounds include three races, and the 4 winless drivers within the spherical lowest in factors are eradicated, organising 4 drivers who’re eligible for the title within the season finale at Phoenix with the driving force who finishes the perfect (they do not get stage factors) topped the champion.
In every spherical, the advancing drivers’ level totals are reset (2000 within the first spherical, 3000 within the quarterfinal spherical, 4000 within the semifinal spherical, 5000 for the championship) with the playoff factors they earned through the season added to their whole apart from the championship race.
The tracks:
- Opening spherical: Atlanta (winner-Joey Logano), Watkins Glen (winner-Chris Buescher, not a playoff driver), Bristol (winner-Kyle Larson). Superior: Logano, Larson, Austin Cindric, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez. Eradicated from playoff rivalry: Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and Harrison Burton.
- Quarterfinal spherical: Kansas (1.5-mile oval), Talladega (2.66-mile superspeedway), Charlotte (street course).
- Semifinal spherical: Las Vegas (1.5-mile oval), Homestead (1.5-mile oval), Martinsville (0.526-mile oval).
- Championship: Phoenix (1-mile oval).
Here is my playoff rankings primarily based on finest shot to win the title to the worst shot. Final week’s rankings went 1-to-16 however with the sphere now whittled to 12, it’s simply these 12 drivers.Â
1. Christopher Bell (Final Week: 1)
Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota
Place: 2nd, +24 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: sixth
Bell is coming off a strong opening spherical of the playoffs and now this would be the powerful spherical for him. Neither Kansas nor Talladega are nice tracks for him, however he does have a win on the Charlotte street course. The great factor for Bell is he has a 24-point cushion coming into this spherical, so he can most likely top-10 his means into the semifinal spherical.Â
Prediction: Championship 4 however no title (no change)
2. Kyle Larson (LW: 3)
Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet
Place: 1st, +39 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: 1st
Larson carries momentum into this spherical after the win at Bristol and now heads to a spot the place he has two victories, together with within the spring. He additionally was fourth at Kansas a yr in the past. The important thing for Larson is to run effectively sufficient at Kansas (ideally win) and have sufficient of a cushion that if he wrecks at Talladega, he is nonetheless in first rate form coming into Charlotte, the place he has one profession victory.
Prediction: Champion (no change)
3. Chase Elliott (LW: 6)
Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet
Place: seventh, +6 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: third
Elliott has received at every of the three tracks on this spherical, and the second place at Bristol ought to make him really feel like possibly his crew has discovered a little bit bit extra of a groove. That might be fairly harmful for the competitors.
Prediction: Eradicated in semifinal spherical (no change)
4. Ryan Blaney (LW: 4)
Workforce Penske No. 12 Ford
Place: fifth, +11 on playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: Twelfth
Blaney was strong at Bristol with a sixth however this subsequent spherical might be a wrestle. He has back-to-back Twelfth-place finishes at Kansas. He does have three profession wins at Talladega and received the inaugural Charlotte street course race a number of years in the past. However to depend on extra sturdy performances at Talladega and Charlotte — the place calamity can occur extra typically than at different tracks — places the strain on him to have a superb Kansas race.
Prediction:Eradicated in semifinal spherical (change from making the Championship 4)
5. Tyler Reddick (LW: 2)
23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota
Place: third, +20 on playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: twentieth
Reddick received the regular-season title after which had a lackluster opening spherical of the playoffs. However since he received the regular-season title, he did not want that a lot luster and comfortably superior. He received at Kansas a yr in the past and Talladega within the spring this yr, so that ought to give him the arrogance he must construct even a much bigger cushion going into the Charlotte street course. And he is a superb street course racer if he does not construct on that cushion. Whereas he hasn’t performed something to get observed the final three weeks, he is nonetheless a driver to beat.
Prediction:Championship 4 however no title (no change)
6. Denny Hamlin (LW: 7)
Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota
Place: sixth, +7 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: fifth
Hamlin made it out of the primary spherical and now may really feel a little bit extra relaxed. He has 4 profession wins at Kansas and two profession victories at Talladega. He does have only one top-5 end in six begins on the Charlotte street course. He will not be capable to depend on making up six factors on the street course as he did this previous weekend within the elimination race at Bristol, so the following weekend is essential to achieve factors after which Talladega cannot be a repeat of his conservative Atlanta plan.
Prediction: Championship 4 however no title (change from eradicated in quarterfinal spherical)
7. William Byron (LW: 5)
Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet
Place: 4th, +14 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: twenty third
Byron has by no means received at any of the tracks on this spherical and has only a mixed six top-5 finishes throughout the three tracks. And he, in a means, limps into the playoffs with a Seventeenth-place end at Bristol. His adequate-but-not-stellar summer time has continued into the playoffs. He wants to search out that mojo again earlier than it’s too late.
Prediction: Eradicated in semifinal spherical (no change)
8. Alex Bowman (LW: 8)
Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet
Place: eleventh, -7 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: seventh
Bowman had two top-10s within the opening spherical however extra importantly, he scored factors in every of the six phases. If he does that on this spherical, he’ll advance. The final time he was at Kansas, he completed seventh. The final time he was at Talladega, he completed fifth. The final time he was on the Charlotte street course, he completed eighth. If he repeats these numbers, he’ll discover himself within the semifinal spherical.
Prediction: Eradicated in semifinal spherical (change from eradicated in quarterfinal spherical)
9. Joey Logano (LW: 9)
Workforce Penske No. 22 Ford
Place: eighth, +4 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: thirty fourth
Logano has had two weeks of respiratory straightforward after successful Atlanta and now it is again to actuality. He’ll must run higher general than the place he has been working. Or win once more. The latter is perhaps extra doubtless. He is definitely performed it earlier than.
Prediction:Eradicated in quarterfinal spherical
10. Austin Cindric (LW: 11)
Workforce Penske No. 2 Ford
Place: ninth, -4 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: thirty seventh
Cindric has no top-10s at Kansas in his profession, two top-10s at Talladega and none on the Charlotte street course. That would not give anybody a lot confidence. However Cindric has proven the flexibility to step up when it counts so do not depend him out (regardless that the prediction on the following line does).
Prediction:Eradicated in quarterfinal spherical (no change)
11. Daniel Suarez (LW: 12)
Trackhouse Racing No. 99 Chevrolet
Place: tenth, -6 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: twenty seventh
Suarez has no top-5s in his profession on the tracks on this spherical. So if that makes some of us not-too-optimistic about Suarez, that is comprehensible. He’ll doubtless want some profession days to advance. After Bristol, it is exhausting to see that occuring, however he does have the total focus of his group.
Prediction:Eradicated in quarterfinal spherical (no change)
12. Chase Briscoe (LW: 15)
Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Ford
Place: Twelfth, -7 on the playoff cutoff
Might 2024 Kansas End: twenty first
Briscoe says it must be time for individuals to cease doubting him and his crew. He has one top-5 in his profession on the tracks on this spherical. However this can be a crew with nothing to lose and might roll the cube. So there is no doubt that he might advance. Simply doubt that he’ll.
Prediction:Eradicated in quarterfinal spherical (change from eradicated in first spherical)
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Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time masking motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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