The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are now 6 races and 2 cutoffs in. Let’s take a look at the Round of 8 Drivers.
The NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 is over, the round that some say is the most treacherous in the Playoffs. Some drivers such as Hamlin and Byron excelled and some such as Busch and Chastain saw must win situations. Lets take a look at those who made it forward toward becoming the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney locked himself into the Round of 8 as the only Penske driver to remain in the Playoffs after his second win of the season last weekend at Talladega. Coming into the Round of 8, Blaney’s strongest race last season was Martinsville where he finished P. 3. Homestead and Las Vegas were far less kind to the Ohio native. He’s going to need to step it up a notch over last year if he want’s a shot at Phoenix.
Christopher Bell
Bell came in clutch the last 2 rounds of the 2022 Playoffs to get his first ever shot at the title, a shot he may have had a better chance at if not for a pit road issue. But 2023 has been a different story. Bell has a single win on the season, but now comes into the Round of 8 in the 7th seed. Sure, he can point his way in, but that will be far more difficult without those clutch moments of 2022.
Tyler Reddick
Reddick pointed his way to his 6th seed position coming into the Round of 8 and has made it further than he did last season in the Playoffs. Last season Reddick had a great race at Vegas but finished 35th in the next 2 races. That wont fly if he wants a shot at the title in 2023, but the team has done some impressive things this season.
Chris Buescher
Buescher is making his second Playoff run, but this time with the improvements of RFK he’s got a shot. 3 wins netting him 15 Playoff points and a solid Playoffs have allowed Chris to move to the Round of 8 as the last driver below the cutline. He will have to improve on last season’s finishes of 15, 13 and 24 in this round if he wants any chance at a title.
Kyle Larson
The 2021 Champion is the first driver above the cutline going into the Round of 8. but he came from 7th seed to 4th leaving the Roval despite starting last in a back-up car. Larson’s Round of 12 was sub-par, but if he can have a repeat of last season’s Round of 8, he will move on easily. (He won at Homestead-Miami and came runner up at Martinsville). Regardless, Larson needs to step it up in the Round of 8 or he will not become a 2 time champion in 2023.
Denny Hamlin
Despite wrecking out early at the Roval, Denny Hamlin locked himself into the Round of 8 on points following Stage 2. He comes into the Round of 8 as the 3rd seed just 4 points behind his teammate Martin Truex Jr. Despite not making this round last season, Denny’s finishes of 5, 7, 5 may be be enough to get him his opportunity to run for the championship this year. But, if you know Denny, that wont be good enough and he knows how to get it done at Martinsville and Vegas.
Martin Truex Jr.
Truex is your 2023 Regular Season Champion… And… Well… That’s the only reason he is still in this conversation. Truex has not finished better than 18th in these Playoffs and well, that won’t work to get to the Round of 4 unless his competition have some MAJOR issues. Last season he scored 2 Top-10’s in this round, so there’s some optimism. I think. I’m just not that optimistic.
William Byron
Willy B is on a tear in 2023, 7 wins (series high) and 41 Playoff points. Kind of hard to count Byron out of the Round of 4. It can happen for sure, but it would be tough. In 2022, his Round of 8 wasn’t anything to write home about, but this isn’t 2022. This isn’t the same William Byron. Byron enters the Round of 8 as the first seed and arguably the Championship favorite, and he’s in those positions for a reason.
