The latest Kyle Larson Watkins Glen standings update shows a significant shift in the NASCAR Cup Series landscape, as Larson endured a challenging race in upstate New York on Sunday, which resulted in a steep drop in his position heading into the final stretch before the playoffs. After a setback-filled outing at Watkins Glen, Larson now faces a tough battle to regain ground with just two races left in the regular season.
Challenging Day on the Track for Larson
NASCAR confirmed that Kyle Larson, representing Hendrick Motorsports, experienced early trouble in the race at Watkins Glen, spinning out and struggling with brake issues. Following these difficulties, Larson was forced into the garage for repairs, returning to the race 15 laps behind the leaders and ultimately finishing in 39th place. This result proved costly in his pursuit of the regular-season title, shifting him from third to fifth in the points standings.
The poor finish leaves Larson trailing his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron by 85 points. As the season draws to a close, with only two races left before the playoffs commence, Larson must now overcome this deficit in order to contend for the championship.
Significant Movements in the Standings
The dismal result for Larson created opportunities for other top drivers. Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing advanced in the standings, while Byron extended his lead at the top. William Byron now anchors the regular season points, followed by teammate Chase Elliott and Hamlin. Christopher Bell nearly matches Larson, both sitting at 727 points.
Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and Chris Buescher are all still in contention for the remaining playoff spots, with Ryan Preece 34 points behind Buescher. Kyle Busch, meanwhile, now finds himself 102 points below the playoff cut line, making a win essential for his postseason hopes. Drivers like AJ Allmendinger, Brad Keselowski, and Carson Hocevar lag further behind but remain mathematically eligible should exceptional results occur in the concluding races.
Detailed Cup Series Playoff Standings After Watkins Glen
The aftermath of Watkins Glen led to a reshuffling of positions as the playoffs approach. Below is a detailed listing of the Cup Series playoff standings after the New York race:
1. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 4 wins, LOCKED IN)
2. Shane Van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, 4 wins, LOCKED IN)
3. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 3 wins, LOCKED IN)
4. Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 3 wins, LOCKED IN)
5. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 2 wins, LOCKED IN)
6. Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
7. Ryan Blaney (Team Penske Ford, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
8. Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
9. Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing Toyota, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
10. Joey Logano (Team Penske Ford, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
11. Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
12. Austin Cindric (Team Penske Ford, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
13. Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing Ford, 1 win, LOCKED IN)
14. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing Toyota, 0 wins, +117 points above cut line)
15. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 0 wins, +60)
16. Chris Buescher (RFK Racing Ford, 0 wins, +34)
— Playoff Cut Line —
17. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing Ford, 0 wins, -34 points behind cut line)
18. Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, 0 wins, -102)
19. Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 0 wins, -125)
20. AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, 0 wins, -129)
21. Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing Ford, 0 wins, -153)
22. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, 0 wins, -156)
23. Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club Toyota, 0 wins, -157)
24. Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, 0 wins, -160)
25. John H. Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club Toyota, 0 wins, -160)
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet, 0 wins, -198)
27. Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports Ford, 0 wins, -203)
28. Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, 0 wins, -212)
29. Daniel Suárez (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, 0 wins, -225)
30. Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, 0 wins, -230)
31. Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports Ford, 0 wins, -242)
32. Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, 0 wins, -263)
33. Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports Ford, 0 wins, -319)
34. Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team Ford, 0 wins, -324)
35. Riley Herbst (23XI Racing Toyota, 0 wins, -331)
36. Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing Ford, 0 wins, -455)
Regular Season Points Outlook
The regular season standings highlight the points differences and help set the tone for the critical upcoming races. William Byron remains in the lead for Hendrick Motorsports with 812 points, ahead of Chase Elliott, who currently has 770. Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell stand at 731 and 727 points respectively, while Larson ties Bell at 727. The rest of the field, including Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, and Chris Buescher, remain in pursuit as the season narrows.
1. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – 812 points
2. Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – 770
3. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – 731
4. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – 727
5. Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – 727
6. Ryan Blaney (Team Penske Ford) – 710
7. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing Toyota) – 701
8. Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – 674
9. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – 644
10. Chris Buescher (RFK Racing Ford) – 618
11. Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing Toyota) – 610
12. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing Ford) – 584
13. Joey Logano (Team Penske Ford) – 583
14. Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – 571
15. Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) – 516
16. Austin Cindric (Team Penske Ford) – 502
17. Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – 493
18. AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) – 489
19. Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing Ford) – 465
20. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – 462
21. Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club Toyota) – 461
22. Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – 458
23. John H. Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club Toyota) – 458
24. Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing Ford) – 445
25. Shane Van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – 441
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet) – 420
27. Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – 415
28. Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) – 406
29. Daniel Suárez (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – 393
30. Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – 388
31. Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – 376
32. Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) – 355
33. Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – 299
34. Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team Ford) – 294
35. Riley Herbst (23XI Racing Toyota) – 287
36. Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing Ford) – 163
Implications as Playoff Chase Heats Up
The significant drop in standings for Kyle Larson following the Watkins Glen setback sharpens the playoff narrative, putting increased pressure on him and others close to the cut line. With only two regular season races left, drivers like Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, and Ryan Preece face crucial battles to secure or reclaim positions. For Kyle Busch, only a victory in the next two events would realistically guarantee entry, while the tight points spread for several drivers assures fierce competition.
As the field tightens, the focus intensifies not only on marquee names like Denny Hamlin and William Byron but also on emerging competitors hoping to seal their playoff berths. Watkins Glen has set the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the regular season, with the updated standings providing a clear picture of who must rise to the occasion in the races to come.
