1. Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (LOCKED IN)
- Along with his victory in the Southern 500, Hamlin’s topic in the Spherical of 12 is guaranteed. He close to went help-to-help at Richmond too, finishing 2d to teammate Martin Truex Jr.
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Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry FedEx Ground
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
2. Martin Truex Jr. – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (LOCKED IN)
- Truex used to be already in a sturdy topic entering Richmond, but a victory at the Virginia short track routinely locked him into the next spherical of the playoffs. Truex now has four victories this season, with Larson being the excellent driver with more.
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Slip winner Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry
Photo by: Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
3. Kyle Larson – No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (LOCKED IN)
- The dominant driver on the 365 days might perchance presumably simply now no longer indulge in a plot shut at some stage in the playoffs (yet), but he has easy been ready to lock himself into the next spherical on functions by myself.
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Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro HendrickCars.com
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
4. Joey Logano – No. 22 Workers Penske Ford (+40pts)
- Logano moved a further 19 functions a long way from the reduce line with a fifth-topic procure at Richmond, inserting him in a really safe topic sooner than Bristol. The used Cup series champion shall be a two-time winner at the Bristol short track.
Joey Logano, Workers Penske, Ford Mustang Shell Pennzoil
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
5. Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Workers Penske Ford (+28pts)
- Blaney’s tenth-topic procure at Richmond gave him a 28-level cushion above the reduce line, inserting him in a somewhat safe topic. Even easy, we saw Kurt Busch’s 26-level buffer exclusively evaporate after an incident at Richmond. And naturally, Bristol is a track where the rest can walk spoiled at any moment.
Ryan Blaney, Workers Penske, Ford Mustang Attain Auto Parts
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
6. Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (+25pts)
- The always consistent Kevin Harvick performed eighth at Richmond, collecting his 18th top-ten in 28 races this season. He’s the top likely driver in the championship standings and not using a plot shut in 2021, and one other quiet bustle at Bristol favor to be more than ample to lock him into the Spherical of 12.
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Hunt Brothers Pizza, Joey Logano, Workers Penske, Ford Mustang Shell Pennzoil
Photo by: Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
7. Walk Elliott – No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (+19pts)
- A 15-level set at Richmond used to be needed in getting the reigning series champion a long way from the drop zone, but he is now no longer out of the woods yet. He did well to rebound from a pit road error, but a mistake love that at Bristol might perchance presumably cost him loads of laps and halt his title hopes. He’s by no formulation won at the eminent short track, but Elliott does indulge in the excellent average procure there amongst all active drivers. Fancy so many others on this list, he appropriate must lend a hand his nostril clear and halt out of pains Saturday evening.
Walk Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Kelley Blue Book
Photo by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
8. Christopher Bell – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (+17pts)
- Bell finds himself in a an identical topic to Elliott. He moved further a long way from the reduce line after a top-5 procure at Richmond, pushing himself out of the rapid trouble zone. But what Bell lacks is abilities. He has by no formulation been on this topic earlier than, and handiest has two old Cup starts at Bristol.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry DEWALT Salute First Responders
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
9. Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Workers Penske Ford (+13pts)
- Keselowski has been very quiet in the outlet spherical of the playoffs with finishes of seventh and 13th. The consequences are ample to lend a hand his head above water, but the outgoing Penske driver will favor to verify that one other solid exhibiting or else he might perchance presumably rapid drop into the elimination zone.
Brad Keselowski, Workers Penske, Ford Mustang Western Notable particular person
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
10. Kyle Busch – No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (+8pts)
- Busch used to be ready to procure himself help above the reduce line at Richmond, but it used to be one other frustrating bound for the 2-time Cup Sequence champion. He used to be leading late in the working when a speeding penalty at some stage in the closing discontinue derailed his efforts.
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry M&M’s
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
11. Aric Almirola – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (+3pts)
- Almirola managed now to no longer transfer in any respect at Richmond, easy 11th in the standings and appropriate three functions above the reduce line. His buffer is largely nonexistent and stage functions will seemingly be needed to verify that he avoids elimination at Bristol.
Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield/Tuesday’s Young folks
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
12. Kurt Busch – No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (+0pts)
- Kurt Busch used to be the excellent loser at Richmond. Working interior the tip 5 in the outlet stage, a tire failure despatched him into the skin wall and his 26-level cushion evaporated in an instantaneous. Now he involves Bristol on the threshold of elimination. The excellent upside would be that Bristol is a track that has long been dominated by the Busch brothers. Kyle leads the topic with eight wins there, adopted closely by elder brother Kurt with six.
Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Monster Vitality wrecks
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
13. Alex Bowman – No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-0pts)
- Bowman’s predicament remains unchanged after Richmond. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has three wins this season, but a disastrous originate to the playoffs has kept in a unsafe topic entering Bristol. It is necessary that he step it up, or his playoffs might perchance presumably very seemingly be over.
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Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Ally
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
14. Tyler Reddick – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (-5pts)
- Reddick has performed well to halt interior placing distance of the reduce line after two races, but he’s going to favor to procure more if he desires to flee elimination at Bristol. The lone RCR driver in the postseason has finishes of 18th and 15th, which indulge in handiest kept him in the discussion thanks to peril befalling his opponents. He’ll favor to camouflage some more lumber this weekend, or he’s going to seemingly be eliminated.
Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield/Tuesday’s Young folks, Tyler Reddick, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Childress Vineyards
Photo by: Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
15. William Byron – No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-18pts)
- A DNF at Darlington and a 19th-topic procure at Richmond has place Byron is what’s presumably to be a must-plot shut effort at Bristol. Sadly, or now no longer it’s now no longer one amongst his handiest tracks. Very finest one top-ten in six stars and an average procure of 20.7 is now no longer a comely assign for the Hendrick driver, who will desire a handy guide a rough automobile and loads of luck on Saturday evening.
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Liberty University
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
16. Michael McDowell – No. 34 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford (-38pts)
- McDowell’s possibilities of advancement were always in doubt. The shock Daytona 500 winner and underdog of the playoffs crashed out at Darlington and struggled at Richmond. He would indulge in pull off yet one other upset plot shut to place him from sure elimination.
Michael McDowell, Entrance Row Motorsports, Ford Mustang Love’s Drag Stops and Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Shavelogic
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
