The drivers who must be worrying about NASCAR Cup playoff hopes

13 races down, 13 races to go within the common season for the NASCAR Cup Sequence. On the midway level, there have been eight totally different winners with Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing [JGR] taking the lion’s share of victories.

These lucky eight are William Byron [Hendrick], Kyle Larson [Hendrick], Christopher Bell [JGR], Denny Hamlin [JGR], Joey Logano [Penske], Austin Cindric [Penske], Josh Berry [Wood Brothers], and newly topped Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain [Trackhouse].

However whereas these drivers are feeling safe, there are a number of others starting to sweat. Trying nearer on the standings, drivers like Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney needn’t fear (but). Whereas they’re winless, they do have a cushty factors margin over the cut-line. However as we have seen earlier than, that might quickly change ought to just a few extra drivers decrease within the standings begin grabbing wins.

The place issues get extra nerve-wracking is across the bubble, however there’s nonetheless no must panic for these drivers at the moment. Ryan Preece holds the sixteenth and closing spot after making an allowance for the drivers beneath him who’ve already received, leaving on the recent seat. He’s simply six factors forward of his RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher, who not too long ago received 30 factors again after a penalty enchantment.

This stays an extremely tight battle that may certainly look quite a bit totally different across the cut-off race at Daytona, with eight winless drivers inside 40 factors of Preece. There isn’t any margin for error proper now with this group. However what in regards to the drivers even deeper within the standings? It may be time to be a bit bit fearful, if not absolutely starting to panic. Here is a quick take a look at these drivers and their present state of affairs: 

Ty Gibbs: twenty fifth, -50pts out

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos

Gibbs remains to be ready to level his method in, however his season has left the No. 54 staff scratching their heads. Not like his JGR teammates, the pace simply hasn’t been there. Bristol was a vivid spot as he completed third, however he has eight finishes of twenty second or worse within the first 13 races as effectively. This comes as fairly a shock. Regardless of being winless in his first 100 Cup begins, Gibbs nonetheless made the playoffs final 12 months.

Zane Smith, Entrance Row Motorsports Ford, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Workforce Penske Ford

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos

Smith is with a brand new staff in 2025 and to date, he is enhancing on final 12 months’s efficiency. However that also places him simply twenty sixth within the standings with a greatest end of ninth. Nevertheless, it was round this level final 12 months when he began turning issues round, so maybe we have but to see the most effective he has to supply within the No. 38 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford. He did handle to earn a pole place at Talladega, so we all know he has the pace when the collection heads to superspeedways.

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos

Few anticipated Jones to be lagging behind his teammate in 2025, however like the 2 names we already went over, he’s. Legacy Motor Membership has been struggling for pace, however there’s cause to be hopeful. Latest races have proven an uptick in efficiency, together with a prime 5 for Jones at Texas and a stable displaying within the Coke 600. Possibly all will not be misplaced, however they should begin making massive good points, now.

Noah Gragson, Entrance Row Motorsports Ford

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos

Gragson has been a bit like his FRM teammate Smith. The potential is there, however the execution will not be. A prime ten at COTA, a prime 5 at Talladega, and one other prime ten on the Coke 600 present that they’ll put collectively robust races, and Gragson is a confirmed multi-time winner within the Xfinity Sequence. However the weeks after they’re off, they’re very off, and that is left him buried within the standings. 

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

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Haley’s staff simply needs to go just a few weeks with out dropping any extra personnel. Crew chief Rodney Childers abruptly parted methods with Spire mid-season they usually misplaced a number of (good) crew members to Hendrick Motorsports. Whereas each of his Spire teammates have challenged for race wins, Haley has been falling behind and has recorded no end larger than tenth. Round Gragson and Haley is the place drivers and groups are possible much less involved about factors at this level and are pondering extra about how they’ll hit a house run and rating a victory.

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

Suarez locked himself into the 2024 playoffs with a win within the second race of the 12 months. He virtually did one thing related early this season, however misplaced out in a battle with Josh Berry for the Las Vegas win. Suarez has had transient moments of pace and Trackhouse simply received the Coke 600 together with his teammate Chastain, however the consistency is not there in any respect. Suarez hasn’t led greater than 12 laps in any single race, and the 4 DNFs as a consequence of crashes have not helped both. He is possible in a must-win mindset and he has some good alternatives coming as much as just do that, however simply as Chastain did one week in the past, he should capitalize when these moments arrive.

Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos

T. Dillon is nowhere close to his veteran teammate AJ Allmendinger at Kaulig Racing, ending no larger than twelfth in any race this 12 months. Dillon’s return to the Cup Sequence has been a wrestle and successful a race within the Cup Sequence is one thing he’s 0-258 in reaching. With the dearth of pace that has plagued this No. 10 staff, his solely hope possible sits with the drafting races at Atlanta and Daytona.

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

A real shocker. The 2012 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion made the playoffs final 12 months and earlier than a top-five end within the Coke 600, Keselowski has been nowhere. 9 finishes of twenty sixth or worse within the first 13 races, 5 DNFs as a consequence of crashes in what has been the worst season of his profession. His teammates are battling across the bubble whereas Keselowski lags 100 factors behind them. It is a complicated state of affairs as nobody, together with Keselowski, anticipated to see the No. 6 Ford on this place.

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos

SVG is the bottom of the three Trackhouse drivers, however he’s additionally main the ROTY standings together with his solely rival only one level behind him. Nobody anticipated the three-time Supercars champion to come back in and instantly discover his method on ovals, however he wasn’t making any progress both … till not too long ago. A twentieth at Kansas and a 14th within the Coke 600 are his greatest oval finishes of the 12 months, each coming within the final two races. He even earned pole place for the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro. And as unusual as it might sound, SVG possible has a greater likelihood of constructing the playoffs than most of the drivers forward of him. He is a street racing ace and whereas he missed out on a win at COTA (ending sixth), there are 4 extra street programs left within the common season. He’s absolutely able to successful all of them, and this Kiwi solely wants one to shake up all the playoff image.

Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota

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One other rookie like SVG, additionally driving a newly created third staff however for 23XI Racing. Sadly, he doesn’t benefit from a observe the place he is aware of he can win like SVG. Herbst’s greatest outcome this 12 months is 14th and he has been deep within the pack throughout most races. He has to win, however the place can he make that occur? 

Cole Custer, Haas Manufacturing unit Workforce

Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos

All of us knew 2025 can be a wrestle for the Haas Manufacturing unit Workforce. After Stewart-Haas Racing shut down, all that is still is a single-car effort with Custer behind the wheel. He has no finishes larger than thirteenth, and 11 of the primary 13 races have seen him end outdoors the highest 20. And but, he was additionally half-a-lap away from probably successful the Daytona 500 when he crashed within the battle for the win. With how the remainder of the season has gone, he certainly has Daytona circled later this summer season as maybe his solely likelihood to place Gene Haas into the playoffs.

Cody Ware: thirty sixth, -200pts out

Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford; Cole Custer, Haas Manufacturing unit Workforce Ford

Picture by: Christopher Trim Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

There isn’t any strategy to sugarcoat this. Ware is final amongst all full-time drivers, a full 75 factors behind his nearest competitors. Ware’s greatest end is barely twenty fourth and 9 of the primary 13 races have seen him end thirtieth or worse. Whereas I am tempted to say there is not any hope, that is by no means really the case on this championship format. Final 12 months, Harrison Burton entered Race #25 of 26 at Daytona lifeless final amongst full-time drivers, and he went on to win the race.