NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12: Drivers remaining after Bristol elimination race

Four drivers have had their dreams in the NASCAR Playoffs come to an end. The Round of 12 has been solidified after Bristol. There were some shocking moments and others that weren’t so shocking. Two former champions found themselves eliminated after 500 laps around the half-mile track.

Coming into this race, Martin Truex Jr., Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Michael McDowell were all under the cutline. However, only two of those drivers would end up eliminated by the time the race was over.

Denny Hamlin was the top non-winning driver ahead of Bristol. He was able to pick up the win and advance himself to the next round with some additional playoff points. The NASCAR Playoffs aren’t easy to get through, but Hamlin looks ready for another Championship 4 appearance.

The big surprise tonight, Joey Logano wrecked out early and Kevin Harvick had no speed form the start. That led to both of those cars falling down in the standings, and ultimately, being eliminated.

Drivers Eliminated
Joey Logano
Kevin Harvick
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Michael McDowell

The issue with Stenhouse Jr. and McDowell is that they had too big of a deficit to make up to begin with. Both drivers had good races, McDowell was P6 at the end. However, he got himself into a must-win situation and he couldn’t get it done in the end.

Drivers Remaining:
William Byron +25
Martin Truex Jr. +25
Denny Hamlin +21
Kyle Larson +12
Chris Buescher +10
Kyle Busch +8
Christopher Bell +5
Tyler Reddick +3
Ross Chastain -3
Brad Keselowski -3
Ryan Blaney -6
Bubba Wallace -14

NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12

So, coming out of the Round of 16, Martin Truex Jr. jumps back up to the top of the standings. Points reset to 3000 at this time, and playoff points are then added from the entirety of the season.

Bubba Wallace still has no wins and no stage wins therefore he has no bonus points. He’s the lowest at 3000. As it goes up, you get more points. Byron and Truex Jr. are both in a great spot to contend for this NASCAR Playoffs championship. Hamlin is right there, though.

We need to keep an eye on that gap moving forward. As the Round of 12 goes to 8 and then 4, that could be important. Of course, Larson can close the gap on Hamlin, but it looks like there is a bit of separation starting between the top-three drivers and the rest of the field.

Chastain, Keselowski, Blaney, and Wallace have to drive their hearts out. Facing elimination below the cutline, they have to try and replicate their strong performances and hope that other drivers make mistakes along the way. It’s the NASCAR Playoffs, anything can happen.