After two long weeks, NASCAR Cup Series action will be back this weekend at Richmond Raceway. The upcoming schedule and the silly season movement made the news during the Olympic break, but the focus is now back on the racetrack. With just four races left in the regular season, all eyes will be on the drivers tussling to secure their playoff spot, and right now it’s too close to call who makes the cut and who will be short of their target.

Former HMS crew chief Steve Letarte and radio broadcaster Todd Gordon shared their views on the drivers contesting for playoff spots. Chris Buescher was seen as a strong contender to advance to the knockout stages, but there were concerns regarding the likes of Bubba Wallace, and even Ty Gibbs.

Relying on points could prove detrimental for drivers contending for the playoffs

After 22 Cup Series races in 2024, we have a total of 12 different winners so far, which means only four playoff spots are now up for grabs. Martin Truex Jr is the only driver expected to advance further, even if he does not rack up a win in the upcoming four races. He has a buffer of 108 points from the cutline, but things are tricky for Bubba Wallace, Ty Gibbs, and Ross Chastain.

Wallace is seven points below the cutline, whereas the young JGR driver has lost his cushion and could be in real trouble in case there is a new race winner. Sharing a similar sentiment, Letarte opined, “Yeah, Ty Gibbs looks good in points, but with a new winner, which I believe could happen at Daytona, it changes the whole perspective of these drivers counting points.”

His co-host, Todd Gordon, went on to add that he sees Chris Buescher taking the last spot. Especially, on the tracks like Daytona and Darlington, which are his strong suits, “Yeah, if you look at it right now, I would say that you’re looking at Chris Buescher being the last guy in. Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace trying to chase him forward. We’ve got Daytona and Darlington; you could have a outside winner.”

Bubba Wallace finds himself in a similar situation as last year, where it all came down to the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. Buescher’s victory helped him advance into the playoffs, but the stakes are even higher this time around, especially, given how tight the competition is.

Speaking of the outside winner, there are a few good contenders who could pull off a big upset, and in doing so, can completely flip the script of who makes the cut for the final 16.

Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, and Josh Berry could change the dynamics of playoff race

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Banking on points to make the knockout stages of the Cup Series is a precarious position to be in. While the four mentioned drivers are expected to make the push for the remaining spots, nothing can be said for certain. While Rowdy has hit new lows with the RCR team this season, a win is not out of his reach on a track like Daytona. In fact, the only joy he had riding the No. 8 Chevy was during the superspeedway races early in the season. Which included his best P3 result at Atlanta. The 2-time champion is down but certainly not out yet, given he has four more shots to save the sinking ship.

Chase Briscoe was looking good on points until he was announced as the new Joe Gibbs Racing driver to take the #19 ride for 2025. After a P2 finish at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he just wasn’t able to string up good results. This is his last ride with Stewart Haas Racing, as they are shutting down at the end of the year. Therefore, a win and playoff qualification would be a sweet send-off gesture by the driver to his team.

This might be a wild card pick, but rookie SHR driver Josh Berry could create havoc in the playoffs battle with a surprise victory. He secured a P3 finish at Darlington during the spring race and was pretty solid on the short-track ovals. The fact that he has the backing of Rodney Childers also adds to his case, and the veteran crew chief has expressed the ultimate goal of the #4 team: to help Berry win this season. Who knows that victory could come in the upcoming four races?

As the drivers tussle for points and wins in a desperate attempt to make the playoffs, it is expected to deliver some high-octane racing action. And the fans are all for it, given they were void of NASCAR racing for the last two weeks.