Playoff Points: Las Vegas 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: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Event: Pennzoil 400

Race Winner: Kevin Harvick

Stage Winner(s): Kevin Harvick (Won Both Stages)

Who Won Big

• Kevin Harvick: It’s Kevin Harvick’s world, the rest of us just live in it. The 2014 Cup champion beat down the field for the second-straight week to score a victory that looked all-too easy. The Stewart-Haas Racing ace now holds a series-best 13 playoff points, and he’s heading to one of his best tracks in ISM Raceway.
  • Update: Harvick lost all advantages gained due to a set of penalties after the race. 
• The Kyles: Neither managed to threaten Harvick in the midst of his dominant day, but both Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson scored finishes in the top three to push themselves up in the point standings. The duo left Las Vegas in a tie for fifth in the standings, well within the current playoff grid.
• Erik Jones: Las Vegas finally gave Jones his first good run in his Joe Gibbs Racing return. The sophomore tallied his first top 10 for the team in the Pennzoil 400, helping him reverse course after a difficult first two weeks and rise to 19th in the championship standings.
• Paul Menard: The field are only three races into the season, but Menard’s move to Wood Brothers Racing is already paying dividends. The Wisconsinite scored his second top 10 in three races for the legendary Ford team, placing him within one top 10 of matching the mark he set for Richard Childress Racing in 2017. Menard has already scored more stage points than he managed last year, and he’s currently inside of the playoff grid in ninth.

Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Jamie McMurray: Three races into the year McMurray’s quest to point his way into the postseason for the fourth-straight year appears to be in jeopardy. The Chip Ganassi Racing veteran’s 23.7 average finish to date would be the worst of his career, and his 25th-place position in the standings is the worst he’s been in since 2015.
•  Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott: When the elder Busch brother lost control of his No. 41 in the middle stages of the race, he hurt the early playoff ambitions of both himself and Elliott. The ensuing crash eliminated both drivers from the race, dropping Busch to 13th and Elliott outside of the current playoff grid in 21st.
• Daniel Suarez and William Byron: Their reasons for being there varied, but both Suarez and Byron finished four laps down on Sunday. The resulting finishes – 26th for Suarez and 27th for Byron – left both drivers outside of the top 20 in the standings heading into ISM Raceway.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver.

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

Where They Stand

(All But) Locked In

• Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon
  • Race Winners

Safe (For Now)

• Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney
  • Consistent success has seen these Team Penske teammates gain a full race’s advantage on the playoff bubble.

More Work to Do

• Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson

On the Bubble

• Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chris Buescher

Within Reach 

• Alex Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Erik Jones, Michael McDowell, Chase Elliott, Trevor Bayne, A.J. Allmendinger, William Byron, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, Daniel Suarez, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Matt DiBenedetto

Likely Need to Win

• Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ty Dillon, Gray Gaulding

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Previous Race Results

Season Totals

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