After 26 weeks to decide the 16-driver playoff grid, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
Some drivers head into the Round of 16 with a feeling of comfortability, while others are already playing catch up.
Before the green flag waves on Sunday at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, here’s a look at the playoff grid and an outlook for every driver:
1. William Byron (+29)
A series-leading five victories has William Byron at the top of the playoff grid. The Hendrick Motorsports driver also led the series in stage wins (eight).
This is Byron’s fifth consecutive playoff appearance, with last year being his best performance with a sixth-place result in points.
Byron heads to Darlington as the most recent winner at the track after scoring the victory in May. In 10 starts at The Track to Tough to Tame, Byron has an average finish of 16.8.
2. Martin Truex Jr. (+29)
Martin Truex Jr. locked up the regular season championship last Saturday night at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway, adding 15 points to his playoff point stash.
It’s been a resurgent year for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who signed a contract extension last month.
With three wins on the season, Truex has flexed his muscles throughout the regular season.
The 2017 Cup Series champion is embarking on his eighth playoff appearance in the last nine seasons. Truex has been runner-up in the standings three times.
Truex has two victories at Darlington and an average finish of 13.2 in 22 starts.
3. Denny Hamlin (+18)
Denny Hamlin capped off a strong regular season with two wins and 12 top-10 finishes, including a monumental 50th victory at Pocono Raceway in July.
It’ll be the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s 10th consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Playoffs. The 42-year-old has yet to hoist the championship trophy.
Since 2019, Hamlin has finished fifth or better in the standings each of the last four years.
Hamlin has four victories at Darlington and an impressive 7.7 average finish in 22 starts.
4. Chris Buescher (+14)
Perhaps one of the most surprising drivers this season has been Chris Buescher aboard the No. 17 for RFK Racing. With three wins in the last five races, Buescher enters his second playoff appearance as one of the hottest drivers on the circuit.
This season has been a banner year for Buescher, who has already surpassed his career-high in top-10 finishes (12) and top-five results (six).
In 12 starts at Darlington, it’s been a mixed bag for Buescher, who has three top 10’s and an average finish of 17.5.
5. Kyle Busch (+12)
Driving for Richard Childress Racing, it’s been a refreshing season for Kyle Busch. The two-time Cup Series champion has tallied three wins aboard the No. 8 Chevrolet, along with 14 top- 10 finishes.
It’ll be Busch’s 11th consecutive postseason appearance. While two races outside the top 35 have derailed the No. 8 team’s momentum in the last four races, a seventh-place finish at Daytona provided a boost.
Despite only tallying one victory in 23 Darlington starts, Busch has finished in the top 10 14 times, including a seventh in May.
6. Kyle Larson (+10)
Kyle Larson’s season has been steady but quiet, with his two wins on the coming in the first nine races.
The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has 12 top-10 finishes, and will be embarking on his third straight run in the playoffs.
Scoring the title in 2021, Larson is looking for his second Cup Series championship.
Larson’s momentum has been sparse in four of his last six races, as he’s finished 19th or worse in those events. Larson boasts an average finish of 10.2 in 11 starts at Darlington.
7. Christopher Bell (+7)
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell locked into the playoffs with a win in the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway dirt race in April.
Entering his third straight appearance in the NASCAR Playoffs, Bell is coming off a berth in the final four last season. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota has an average finish of 13.6 this season, along with 13 top-10 finishes.
Bell’s track record at Darlington has been steady with two top-six finishes in the last three races.
8. Ross Chastain (+4)
After his ‘Hail Melon’ at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway last year vaulted Ross Chastain into the final four, it’s been feast or famine for the Trackhouse Racing driver this year.
Only nabbing nine top 10s and an average finish of 15.3, Chastain’s playoff journey hasn’t been easy. Though a victory at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June locked the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet into the postseason.
Since his win in Nashville, Chastain has struggled, with only one top 10 in the last nine races.
Chastain was primed for a win at Darlington in May, until a run-in with Larson late in the race derailed his efforts. In eight starts, the 30-year-old has one top-10 finish there.
9. Brad Keselowski (+3)
While teammate Buescher has been in the spotlight at RFK Racing, Brad Keselowski quietly put together a solid regular season.
Despite not winning a race, the driver of the No. 6 Ford has been consistent with three top-six finishes in the last five races.
The 2012 Cup Series champion is embarking on his ninth playoff appearance in the last 10 seasons.
Keselowski enters Darlington with three pole positions, one victory (2018) and two straight top-10 finishes at the track that hosted the first Southern 500 in 1950.
10. Tyler Reddick (+2)
Moving to 23XI Racing this year, Tyler Reddick notched a victory six races into the season at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
Outside of his win at COTA, Reddick has consistently held his ground in the standings with an average finish of 16.9.
Making his third straight appearance in the NASCAR Playoffs, Reddick will be looking to improve on a best result of 13th in 2021.
Reddick’s been stout at Darlington of late, with two top-three finishes in the last three races.
11. Joey Logano (+1)
Joey Logano heads into the Cup Series Playoffs as the reigning champion.
The two-time champion’s lone victory on the year came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. Logano’s average finish of 15.2 through the first 26 races isn’t flashy, but two consecutive top-10 finishes should give the No. 22 team confidence.
Logano won the spring race at Darlington last season and has also scored two of the last three poles at the track. The 33-year-old has an average finish of 13.3 in 19 Darlington starts.
12. Ryan Blaney (+1)
Ryan Blaney broke a long winless streak in May during the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The rest of Blaney’s regular season has been like the majority of the playoff drivers — up and down.
With 12 top 10s and an average finish of 15.8 through the first 26 events, Blaney and the No. 12 Team Penske group have some work to do to find consistent results.
Darlington hasn’t been kind to the 29-year-old driver of the No. 12 Ford, with only two top-10 finishes in 13 starts. Fortunately for Blaney, his last result was a ninth-place run in May.
13. Michael McDowell (-1)
For much of the season, Michael McDowell and the Front Row Motorsports team were watching the points standings, as McDowell hovered around the cutoff line.
Though they put points racing to rest after scoring a dominant victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course earlier this month.
It’s McDowell’s second appearance in the NASCAR Playoffs, after locking into the postseason in 2021 with a Daytona 500 triumph.
McDowell boasts six top-10 finishes through the first 26 races with an average finish of 18.5.
While considered an underdog in the playoffs, his outlook at Darlington shouldn’t be ignored. Two of his last three trips to Darlington have resulted in top-10 finishes.
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-3)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the first driver to punch his ticket to the playoffs after winning the season-opening Daytona 500.
Piloting the No. 47 for JTG Daugherty Racing, Stenhouse is embarking on his second playoff appearance. It’s been a struggle for Stenhouse at times, as he posted seven top-10 results this year and an average finish of 16.7.
His track record at Darlington doesn’t improve much either, as he’s only banked one top 10 in 15 previous starts.
15. Kevin Harvick (-4)
While Kevin Harvick continues to bask in his final full-time Cup Series season, work is still to be done.
‘Happy’ Harvick was unable to secure a victory, though was arguably one of the series’ most consistent in the regular season.
Piloting the No. 4 for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick notched 12 top-10 results and an average finish of 13.8 through the first 26 races.
This year’s postseason appearance will be his 17th and final chase for a title. Remarkably, Harvick has contended for a championship in all 10 seasons at SHR.
The 2014 champion has a stout résumé at Darlington with three victories and an average finish of 12.4 in 31 starts. Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only finished outside the top 10 once.
16. Bubba Wallace (-8)
Making his maiden playoff run, Bubba Wallace punched his ticket to the postseason after a solid 12th-place run at Daytona.
While he’s never competed for a driver’s title, Wallace aided 23XI Racing in their bid for an owner’s championship last season with the No. 45 team after Kurt Busch was unable to return for the postseason due to a concussion.
Wallace scored his second career victory at Kansas Speedway aboard the No. 45 Toyota last fall.
The 29-year-old has endured his fair share of lumps this season with only six top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.8.
Despite struggles throughout the season, Wallace’s last two Darlington starts should give the No. 23 Toyota team a boost, with both resulting in a top-10 result.