NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

Quick Rundown

 

Darlington Raceway is set to kick off the 20th running of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2023) in this Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs format is competed over the final 10 races and includes 16 drivers and four rounds – the Round of 16, the Round of 12, the Round of 8 and the Championship 4.

 

An Overview:

• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Playoffs.
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• The number of Playoff drivers in contention for the championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 16 to start; 12 after race No. 3; eight after race No. 6; and four after race No. 9.
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• The first three races (27-29) will be known as the Round of 16; races 30-32 will be known as the Round of 12; races 33-35 will be Round of 8; and race No. 36 will be the Championship 4 Round.
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• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Playoff round.
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• Four drivers will enter the Championship Race with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series championship.

 

Eligibility For The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

• The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the Playoffs – provided they have attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances).
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• The 16th Playoff position will go to the points leader after race No. 26 if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Playoff spot would be the points leader after 26 races.
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• If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Playoff positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by points.
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• Prior to the start of the Playoffs, all Playoff drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with all Playoff points added to their total. Those Playoff points will stay with the driver as long as he/she remains in the Playoffs (except for the Championship 4 Round race). 

 

Playoff Structure

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are an elimination-style format that is broken up into four rounds. After the third Playoff race, there will be 12 drivers. After the sixth Playoff race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Playoff race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention.

 

• Round of 16: The first round (races 27-29 at Darlington, Kansas, Bristol) is the Round of 16. If a Playoff driver wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 12). The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 3,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.
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• Round of 12: The second round (races 30-32 at Texas, Talladega, Charlotte RC) is the Round of 12. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 8). The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 4,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.
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• Round of 8: The third round (races 33-35 at Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, Martinsville) is the Round of 8. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Championship 4). The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.
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• Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Round of 16, Round of 12 and Round of 8 will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Playoff-start base of 2,000 with any awarded Playoff points and any accumulated points starting with race No. 27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.

 

Championship Finale

• The 36th and final race of the season will be the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, which will feature the Championship 4 Round. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Cup Series title.
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• Playoff points for stage wins will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.
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• Note: All rules outlined above also apply to the owner championship structure.

What @CookOut Milkshake would win your bracket? #Southern500 pic.twitter.com/e0pjXNNKhc

— Darlington Raceway (@TooToughToTame) September 3, 2023

 

source: NASCAR Media

Ryan Preece Cleared to Race at Darlington

Sunglasses Mask Two Black Eyes - #TooToughToTame

 

Ryan Preece has been cleared to race in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway after his crash at Daytona International Speedway last weekend, Stewart-Haas Racing announced Friday.

 

 

Preece barrel-rolled down the back straightaway at Lap 155 of Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, tumbling 10 times before coming to a rest on his wheels. Preece exited the No. 41 Ford under his own power with assistance from safety workers and was kept overnight at Halifax Medical Center for further evaluation before being released the next morning.

 

“I’m good. It’s been quite a week, that’s for sure. But definitely, definitely really excited to have been given the OK to race this weekend at Darlington,” Preece told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Friday morning. “Because there’s nothing that I love more than my family and racing race cars. So to be able to go to Darlington this weekend and race with my 41 team, we’re excited and ready to get back out there.”

 

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are set to begin with Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). Preece finished 15th at the 1.366-mile oval earlier this season. Preece did not qualify for the playoffs and enters 26th in the points standings.

 

“I was ready to go do tests and everything on Sunday, you know, to make sure I was cleared. But we wanted to go through all the steps and we did it twice, just to make sure there were no symptoms that appeared later in the week. And everything’s good. I feel great, no concussion and I’m ready to get out there and go race,” he said. “That just goes to show the amount of work that NASCAR has really been doing to keep improving this race car and obviously having that car at the R&D Center, they’re gonna look over and continue to work to make it even safer. I’m not downplaying the wreck by any means, because it was certainly probably the biggest wreck I’ve ever taken in my career, but I’m sitting here, I’m talking to you guys right now. There’s nothing stopping me from racing this weekend. And I’m really ready to get to Darlington.”

 

The Connecticut native returned to full-time Cup Series action this season for the first time since 2021. He spent three seasons driving for JTG Daugherty Racing before the organization scaled back to one car for the 2022 season. Preece joined SHR during that offseason and served as the program’s simulation driver until the team opted to put him into the No. 41 Ford this year.

 

Preece scored his best finish of the year in the July 30 race at Richmond Raceway, where he finished fifth. He also scored a Busch Light Pole Award in the spring race at Martinsville Speedway.

 

Ryan Preece is a badass. pic.twitter.com/scjrecTKrZ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 2, 2023

Ryan Preece is a new dad as he and wife Heather welcomed their first daughter to the world August 7th.

 

 

source: NASCAR Media

Brent Crews Ready to Chase Massive Payday

‘$34,500 would certainly not hurt’

Brent Crews earned his first ARCA Menards Series victory
at the Springfield Mile by leading 64 of 100 laps

At 15 years old, Brent Crews on Sunday could potentially earn one of the richest paychecks in recent ARCA Menards Series history.

 

Should Crews win the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, the driver from Oklahoma City would claim the $20,000 bonus associated with the Performance Seed Dirt Double. The bonus is awarded to any driver who sweeps both dirt races on the ARCA Menards Series schedule. Crews, of course, won the Dutch Boy 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Aug. 20.

 

Combining the bonus with the normal $14,500 race-winning paycheck for DuQuoin means there is a total of $34,500 on the line for Crews. Although he’s not sure what to do with such a potential payout, Crews does not have any doubts in his ability to earn his second consecutive ARCA Menards Series dirt victory.

 

“I just care about race wins right now,” Crews said. “I want to work my way up the ladder and worry about money in the future. I’m really too young for that, honestly, but $34,500 would certainly not hurt for sure.”

 

Even if he does not win, there are other bonuses within the Performance Seed Dirt Double for which Crews remains eligible. The best average finish between Springfield and DuQuoin would net Crews $7,500, with second- and third-best averages awarding $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.

 

Crews is not content with just settling for a strong run and is determined to pick up where he left off at Springfield. Accomplishing that goal will require Crews to stay focused and utilize all the information obtained from his track time thus far in the ARCA Menards Series.

 

“We’re going to try and adapt with the little practice given,” Crews said. “I know we’ll have a fast car once again, but I just have to do my part with [preparation] and studying so I can drive a smart race.”

 

There's a lot of money on the line for @BrentCrews11 at @DQStateFair.

A clean sweep of both dirt races would net him $34,500 on Sunday night.

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 31, 2023

 

source: ARCA Racing Media