A Former NASCAR Champion Has Fallen Below the Playoff Cut Line

The NASCAR Cup Series drivers have completed 15 of the 26 regular-season races, and 11 have reached Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick is not in this group, and he is currently below the playoff cutline after the June 5 trip to World Wide Technology Raceway.

Harvick, who reached the playoffs on points in 2021, entered the weekend 11th in points after posting seven top-10 finishes and three top-fives. However, a right rotor issue sent him into the wall on Lap 235 of the Enjoy Illinois 300, and he ended the day 33rd overall.

Harvick is still 13th in points, but he sits at a disadvantage. There are four drivers behind him in points that have each reached Victory Lane. Chase Briscoe (14th) won at Phoenix Raceway, Kurt Busch (17th) won at Kansas Speedway, Austin Cindric (18th) won the Daytona 500, and Denny Hamlin (19th) won races at Richmond Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Reshuffling these drivers based on the wins significantly shakes up the playoff picture. Hamlin drops to 17th overall and below the cutline. Other winless drivers in Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, Aric Almirola, and Tyler Reddick sit ahead of him.

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Harvick Can Make Some Positive Strides

Harvick is below the playoff cutline, but he still has time to make some moves and jump back into contention for a spot in the 16-driver field. After all, he has earned his nickname of The Closer while accumulating 58 Cup Series wins and a championship.

Harvick is only two points behind Reddick and eight behind Almirola after the first 15 races of the season. This is by no means an insurmountable hurdle, and Harvick will have 11 more races to pursue this goal before the playoffs begin.

The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing has numerous wins split between the remaining tracks in the regular season. This includes one win at Sonoma Raceway, the next track on the Cup Series schedule.

Along with the California road course win, Harvick has three wins at the previous configuration of Atlanta Motor Speedway, four wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, one win at Pocono Raceway, five wins at Michigan International Speedway, three wins at Richmond Raceway, one win at Watkins Glen International, and two wins at Daytona International Speedway.

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Ford Teams Have Gained Ground

The Ford teams struggled with pace during the 2021 season, and there have been races in 2022 where this trend has continued. However, they have made strides in recent weeks while battling for wins.

Logano’s trips to Victory Lane at Darlington Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway highlighted this progress, but the No. 22 was not the only Ford creating conversations. His teammate, Ryan Blaney, has been among the best in the field despite failing to reach Victory Lane in a points-paying race. Meanwhile, rookies Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton have shown signs of progress while contending for some top-10 finishes.

The Stewart-Haas Racing entries have also showcased speed. Harvick has four top-10 finishes in the past six races, including fourth at Darlington and third at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Chase Briscoe, for comparison, finished fourth at Charlotte before winning the pole at WWTR and leading 27 laps. Though a flat tire disrupted his afternoon.

Aric Almirola has showcased consistency in 2022. He has five top-10s, including a fifth-place run at World Wide Technology Raceway, and he has made the final round of qualifying six times.

Cole Custer hasn’t experienced the same level of success as his teammates, but he has showcased speed during qualifying sessions. This includes the return to the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track when he won the Busch Light Pole.

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