With Kyle Larson taking the chequered flag at the Darlington Raceway, the race marked the first Playoff race, as the top 16 drivers battle it out for the championship. The Southern 500 was the first of three races before the first Playoff round concludes. In light of this, one has to wonder who will move on to the Round of 12 and who will be eliminated.

There are multiple strong contenders in the Top 16. On the other end of the scale, there are a few drivers who may have lucked into their Playoff spots. So they could be in prime position to be the first ones eliminated from the opening round. Of course, they will have three races to prove themselves and escape the elimination zone.

Stewart-Haas Racing denying Kevin Harvick his swansong

The 2023 season will be the final year for Kevin Harvick before he retires. Unfortunately, the Stewart-Haas Racing team has not been in such great form this season. None of their four cars have been in contention for wins. In fact, it was a miracle that Harvick managed to sneak his way into the Playoffs.

Sadly, with SHR not what it used to be, it looks like Harvick may not get the farewell that he thoroughly deserves.

Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr is as far as he will go

Who saw Stenhouse Jr’s Daytona 500 win coming? However, it is worth mentioning that not many drivers who won the Daytona 500 went on to win the Cup Series championship. The only ones who managed that were Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson.

Sadly for JTG Daugherty Racing, it looks like Ricky Stenhouse Jr may not be one of the drivers to win a Daytona 500 and a Cup title in the same year.

Ryan Blaney preparing for another season of dissatisfaction

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The 2023 NASCAR Cup season has largely been a mixed bag for Team Penske. Joey Logano is trying his hardest to retain his crown, but teammates Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney have struggled. Blaney did luck out when he won at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to book his Playoff berth. However, he has largely been underwhelming this season, so he could be an odds on favorite for an early elimination.

READ MORE: Amid Playoff Pressure, Bubba Wallace Unleashed Wild Rant Against His Own Team’s “Half-Pound” Effort

No heroics for Bubba Wallace in the NASCAR Cup Series

Last weekend, Bubba Wallace made it into the Playoffs for the first time in his career. However, he has yet to win a race this season, and teammate Tyler Reddick has been in fine form. If Wallace is to be eliminated, the best-case scenario sees him in 13th place and the worst case sees him in 16th.

Either way, he will still be on for a career-best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series.

WATCH THIS STORY: Bubba Wallace on “The Biggest Challenge” which left NASCAR to question him, “‘Hey, you’re serious about this?’”