crazed 9.6
08-21-2018, 02:56 AM
Staff Report NASCAR.com August 18, 2018 at 11:01 pm
Three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers officially clinched playoff berths by virtue of points following Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, joining nine other drivers in the field by virtue of victories.
Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski, along with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson, have qualified for the 16-driver postseason field via points. All three have an insurmountable lead over a pair of winless drivers in the standings with two regular-season races remaining.
Even if two drivers currently outside the top 16 in the points standings win at Darlington Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway to close the regular season, Blaney, Keselowski and Larson are guaranteed to finish above Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman in the regular-season standings, which is how they have clinched. Johnson and Bowman, both of Hendrick Motorsports, currently occupy the final two spots in the playoff field.
Larson finished second at Bristol on Sunday, with Blaney logging a seventh-place result and Keselowski finishing 16th.
Additionally, Kurt Busch won the Bristol Night Race to earn his spot in the field. He joins previous winners Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and Austin Dillon in the playoff field as 2018 race winners.
Three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers officially clinched playoff berths by virtue of points following Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, joining nine other drivers in the field by virtue of victories.
Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski, along with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson, have qualified for the 16-driver postseason field via points. All three have an insurmountable lead over a pair of winless drivers in the standings with two regular-season races remaining.
Even if two drivers currently outside the top 16 in the points standings win at Darlington Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway to close the regular season, Blaney, Keselowski and Larson are guaranteed to finish above Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman in the regular-season standings, which is how they have clinched. Johnson and Bowman, both of Hendrick Motorsports, currently occupy the final two spots in the playoff field.
Larson finished second at Bristol on Sunday, with Blaney logging a seventh-place result and Keselowski finishing 16th.
Additionally, Kurt Busch won the Bristol Night Race to earn his spot in the field. He joins previous winners Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and Austin Dillon in the playoff field as 2018 race winners.
