Playoff Points: Kansas Edition

By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

Following each regular season points race, Kickin’ the Tires takes a deep look at the current playoff grids for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, evaluating each team’s postseason odds and highlighting those that made steps in the right direction, as well as those who dug themselves into a hole. 

Track: Kansas Speedway

Event: KC Masterpiece 400

Race Winner: Kevin Harvick

Stage Winner(s): Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson

Who Won Big

• Kevin Harvick: It took Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing just 12 races to match the 2014 Cup champion’s career- best win total for a single season. Harvick’s already secured 24 guaranteed playoff points, and would enter the postseason in a tie with points leader Kyle Busch for first if the playoffs started today.
• Kyle Larson: He didn’t ultimately deliver a win, but Larson looked like a serious threat for the win on the 1.5-mile Kansas oval, tallying a stage win and a playoff point in the process. The Chip Ganassi Racing camp still need to improve to match last year’s pace, but Saturday’s pace for Larson provide cause for optimism. If he isn’t penalized for the controversial rear windshield, that is…
• Paul Menard: The past month wasn’t kind for Menard, so the Wood Brothers Racing newcomer direly needed a good result in Kansas to rejoin the playoff discussion. Thankfully the 2015 playoff participant did just that, finishing sixth and rising within 26 points of 15th-place Chase Elliott for the last playoff spot as things stand.

Who Hurt Their Odds

• William Byron: The most important thing for Byron is that he wasn’t hurt in his vicious crash late in Saturday’s race. But the incident did drop the rookie to a 33rd-place result, dropping him to 19th in the standings.
• Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray: NASCAR’s two most consistent drivers from recent years finished 30th and 31st, respectively, after their involvement in the Lap 253 crash. They’re both well outside of the playoff field at the moment, which means it’ll take either a summer surge or a surprise victory for either to return to the postseason this fall.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver.
**One or more race wins ineligible due to post-race inspection failures.

Where They Stand

(All But) Locked In

• Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon
  • Race Winners

Safe (For Now)

• Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola

More Work to Do

On the Bubble

• Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott

Within Reach 

• Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Paul Menard, William Byron, Ryan Newman, Daniel Suarez

Likely Need to Win

• Darrell Wallace Jr., A.J. Allmendinger, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, Chris Buescher, Kasey Kahne, Michael McDowell, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon

Playoff Points

Playoff Points if Playoffs Started Today
Rank	Driver	Playoff Points
1 (tie)	Kyle Busch	32
1 (tie)	Kevin Harvick	32
3	Joey Logano	17
4	Brad Keselowski	11
5 (tie)	Clint Bowyer	10
5 (tie)	Martin Truex Jr.	10
7	Kurt Busch	8
8 (tie)	Denny Hamlin	5
8 (tie)	Ryan Blaney	5
8 (tie)	Austin Dillon	5
11	Kyle Larson	2

Stage Points

Previous Race Results

Season Totals

*One or more stage wins ineligible due to post-race inspection failures