As the NASCAR Cup Series regular season races toward its thrilling conclusion, the playoff picture is far from settled. With only one race left at Darlington Raceway before the playoffs begin, several drivers are fighting tooth and nail for their chance to compete for the championship. The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington, set for Sunday, Sept. 1, will determine who gets to move forward and who sees their 2024 title dreams slip away.
Harrison Burton’s Victory Shakes Up the Grid
Harrison Burton’s stunning win at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona has sent shockwaves through the playoff standings. Burton, who was languishing in 34th place, catapulted himself into the final playoff spot with this victory, securing the 16th and final position on the grid. His win, which also marks a significant achievement for the Wood Brothers team, has added a layer of complexity to the playoff scenario, potentially dashing the hopes of another would-be contender.
Drivers Locked In and On the Bubble
Thirteen drivers have already secured their spots in the playoffs with at least one win this season. These include Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suárez, Austin Cindric, and Harrison Burton.
Martin Truex Jr., a veteran in his final full-time season, finds himself in 14th place with a solid 58-point buffer over the cut line. Barring an unexpected disaster, Truex is almost certain to make the playoffs.
Ty Gibbs is another driver who has consistently performed well this season but is still in a precarious position. Gibbs sits 39 points above the cutline but just 18 points ahead of 16th place, making Darlington a critical race for his playoff hopes. With no wins to his name yet, Gibbs needs to avoid mistakes to secure his spot.
Chris Buescher is currently hanging on to the last playoff spot. After a season filled with near misses, including the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history, Buescher is just 21 points ahead of Bubba Wallace, who is breathing down his neck for that final position.
Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain: The Last Stand
Bubba Wallace has been in and out of the playoff standings in recent weeks and now finds himself on the outside looking in, thanks to Burton’s win. With a sixth-place finish at Daytona and four top 10 finishes in his last five races, Wallace has shown he can compete, but he needs a strong performance at Darlington or some bad luck for Buescher to make it in.
Ross Chastain, who was comfortably in the playoff picture earlier in the season, has seen his chances diminish after a series of poor finishes. Now 27 points out of the final spot, Chastain’s playoff hopes are slim unless he can pull off a win or get some help in the form of misfortune for other drivers.
Must-Win Situations
For 16 other drivers, including NASCAR veterans and rising stars, Darlington represents a must-win situation. Among the most notable is Kyle Busch, who has had a tough season with more DNFs (five) than top fives (four). Busch narrowly missed out on a playoff spot with a second-place finish to Burton at Daytona, and now he must win to keep his playoff streak alive.
Chase Briscoe and Todd Gilliland are also in similar positions. Briscoe, who is set to replace Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025, would love nothing more than to kick off his new role with a playoff run. Meanwhile, Gilliland, who sits 20th in the standings, could pull off an upset by winning his 98th Cup Series start—an achievement that Burton, Larson, Elliott, and Byron all managed in their careers.
The Regular Season Title Battle
While some drivers are fighting for their playoff lives, others are vying for the regular season title, which brings with it 15 valuable playoff points. Tyler Reddick currently leads the standings, with Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott close behind. Reddick’s consistency, with 11 top fives and 17 top 10s, has put him in prime position, but Larson and Elliott could still steal the title with a strong performance at Darlington.
Final Thoughts
The stage is set for an intense and unpredictable final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season at Darlington. With so much on the line, fans can expect plenty of drama as drivers battle it out for the remaining playoff spots and the regular season crown. The Cook Out Southern 500 is sure to deliver a spectacle as the stakes couldn’t be higher for those on the bubble.
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