Yahoo Autos Larson seeded first in Cup Series playoff field after Darlington
After one last summer surprise winner, the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are set.
Chase Briscoe won his way into the postseason Sunday night at Darlington Raceway. In doing so, Briscoe kicked out Chris Buescher, who was sitting on the bubble entering the Southern 500. Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain also missed the postseason.
Briscoe’s victory puts one Stewart-Haas Racing driver into the playoffs. It is Briscoe’s second appearance in the postseason.
The summer stretch saw drivers like Joey Logano go from the cutline to winning his way into the playoffs in Nashville. Alex Bowman did the same in Chicago. Austin Dillon won his way in – for three days — before it was taken away by NASCAR. Harrison Burton and Briscoe capped things off in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Kyle Larson goes into the postseason as the No. 1 seed while Tyler Reddick claimed the regular-season championship. Burton and Ty Gibbs are two first-time drivers in the playoffs.
The reseeded 16-driver playoff grid heading into the first round at Atlanta Motor Speedway is:
1. Kyle Larson: 2,040 points
2. Christopher Bell: 2,032 points
3. Tyler Reddick: 2,028 points
4. William Byron: 2,022 points
5. Ryan Blaney: 2,018 points
6. Denny Hamlin: 2,015 points
7. Chase Elliott: 2,014 points
8. Brad Keselowski: 2,008 points
9. Joey Logano: 2,007 points
10. Austin Cindric: 2,007 points
11. Daniel Suarez: 2,006 points
12. Alex Bowman: 2,005 points
13. Chase Briscoe: 2,005 points
14. Harrison Burton: 2,005 points
15. Ty Gibbs: 2,004 points
16. Martin Truex Jr.: 2,004 points
The first round of the postseason consists of Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Bristol Motor Speedway.
