NASCAR’s points battle just got tighter. After a wild finish on the streets of Chicago, only a handful of spots remain up for grabs as the regular season nears its end. One driver is hanging on by just two points, while a former champion sits dangerously close to missing the cut.
Key Highlights
Bubba Wallace holds the final playoff spot by only 2 points over Ryan Preece
Kyle Busch is 46 points below the cutline despite a top-five in Chicago
Shane van Gisbergen climbs to 5th after another strong finish
Big names like Brad Keselowski and Daniel Suárez sit over 130 points out
The Fight for the Final Spots
The playoff picture after the Chicago Street Race shows how intense things have become with just seven races left in the regular season. Bubba Wallace currently clings to the 16th and final playoff spot with a narrow 2-point lead over Ryan Preece. Right behind them is a hungry pack that includes AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones, all of whom are within striking distance.
At the top of the standings, familiar names like Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and William Byron continue to dominate. Shane van Gisbergen, after another top finish, now sits fifth, proving that his debut season is far from beginner’s luck.
| POS | NO. | DRIVER | Playoff Status | Playoff Margin |
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 3 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 4 | 24 | William Byron | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 5 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 7 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 8 | 22 | Joey Logano | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 9 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 10 | 21 | Josh Berry | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 11 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 12 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Locked In (Race Win) | – |
| 13 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | Points Only | 143 |
| 14 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Points Only | 39 |
| 15 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Points Only | 35 |
| 16 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | Points Only | 2 |
Former Champs in Trouble
Perhaps the most surprising name below the cutline is Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion. Despite a solid showing in Chicago, he’s 19th in points and 46 back. If he misses the playoffs, it will mark back-to-back seasons of postseason absence. He’s not alone in struggling: Brad Keselowski, another former champion, is 136 points out and sitting 28th in the standings.
Other notables outside the top 16 include Daniel Suárez, Ty Gibbs, and Michael McDowell. With several road courses coming up, drivers like Allmendinger and Suárez may see their best shot to claw back into contention.
| POS | NO. | DRIVER | Playoff Status | Playoff Margin |
| 17 | 60 | Ryan Preece | Below Cutoff | -2 |
| 18 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Below Cutoff | -43 |
| 19 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Below Cutoff | -46 |
| 20 | 43 | Erik Jones | Below Cutoff | -50 |
| 21 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Below Cutoff | -66 |
| 22 | 42 | John H. Nemechek | Below Cutoff | -68 |
| 23 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Below Cutoff | -75 |
| 24 | 71 | Michael McDowell | Below Cutoff | -77 |
| 25 | 38 | Zane Smith | Below Cutoff | -80 |
| 26 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Below Cutoff | -82 |
| 27 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Below Cutoff | -128 |
| 28 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | Below Cutoff | -136 |
| 29 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Below Cutoff | -136 |
| 30 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | Below Cutoff | -137 |
| 31 | 7 | Justin Haley | Below Cutoff | -149 |
| 32 | 10 | Ty Dillon | Below Cutoff | -152 |
| 33 | 4 | Noah Gragson | Below Cutoff | -178 |
| 34 | 41 | Cole Custer | Below Cutoff | -202 |
| 35 | 35 | Riley Herbst | Below Cutoff | -217 |
| 36 | 51 | Cody Ware | Below Cutoff | -299 |
Who’s Trending Up and Who’s Fading?
Among those trending up is Alex Bowman, now 14th in points after another strong finish in Chicago. Meanwhile, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick continue to build comfortable cushions, sitting +35 and +143 points above the cutline, respectively.
On the other hand, Carson Hocevar and Austin Dillon are fading fast. Both sit over 75 points below the bubble and will need wins to qualify. Ryan Preece remains the closest threat to Wallace, and the two are now locked in a head-to-head battle with every point critical.
News in Brief: 2 Points Separate NASCAR’s Final Playoff Spot
Bubba Wallace leads Ryan Preece by just two points in the final playoff spot after Chicago. Kyle Busch is still below the line, joined by several big names needing a win to make the postseason. Only seven regular-season races remain.
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