The NASCAR Cup Series drivers will have 10 races remaining in the regular season when they return from the off-week. This stretch sets up a wild battle between several drivers as they pursue the regular-season championship.
There are currently seven drivers within 32 points of the points lead. Martin Truex Jr. holds the top spot while William Byron is second and only 13 points back. Ryan Blaney and Ross Chastain are both 24 points back while Kevin Harvick is 25 points back.
Kyle Busch sits 29 points back from the lead after winning three Cup Series races. Christopher Bell rounds out the list as he is 32 points out of the top spot with one win to his name.
Truex currently holds the points lead, but he only grabbed it after winning at Sonoma Raceway. Blaney and Chastain have also taken the top spot in recent weeks after strong performances of their own.
Wild Card Races Could Shake Up the Standings
GettyNASCAR drivers race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
One reason why this battle for the regular-season championship could be wild is that there are multiple wild card races remaining on the schedule. These fall between trips to Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Richmond Raceway, and Michigan International Speedway.
There is the season finale at Daytona International Speedway, which frequently features some chaos. There is also another superspeedway-style race at Atlanta Motor Speedway where someone challenging for the regular-season championship could drop out of contention due to being collected in a crash.
Along with the high-speed races, there are road course races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International. There is also the inaugural Chicago Street Race that could feature numerous crashes and a first-time winner.
These events could favor such drivers as Byron, Truex, and Bell considering their ability to contend when turning left and right. There is also a scenario where these drivers get wrecked by those in the winless category pushing for playoff spots.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in particular, is ripe for chaos considering that Turn 1 regularly has drivers slamming into each other while trying to gain as many positions as possible.
The 2022 race had two cars catching on fire and two other drivers receiving penalties in overtime for cutting the course. Situations like these regularly lead to contenders missing out on crucial points.
The Regular-Season Championship Brings Extra Points
GettyCup Series drivers race at Sonoma Raceway.
Why is it crucial to win the regular-season championship? Obviously, there is a shiny trophy and bragging rights. There are also some bonus points that serve as a buffer during the opening rounds of the playoffs.
Once the playoffs begin, the top 16 drivers have their points reset to 2,000. They then receive the points they gained by winning races (five per race) and stages (one per stage). For example, Truex has 11 points from two race wins and one stage win.
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Kyle Busch and Byron have the most playoff points through 16 races. They each sit at 17 by virtue of their three wins each while Kyle Larson has 12 after winning two races of his own. Ricky Stenhouse has the fewest among race winners with five.
The driver who wins the regular-season championship gets 15 bonus points added to his total. This is the equivalent of winning three races. Second place gets 10 bonus points while the rest of the top 10 get a decreasing amount based on where they ended the regular season.
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Tight Points Battle Sets Up Wild Post-Break NASCAR Schedule