With just two races remaining in the second round of the NASCAR Cup playoffs, Chase Briscoe holds the final transfer position. The upcoming race is scheduled for Sunday at Kansas Speedway, with pre-race coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The second round will conclude on October 5 at the Charlotte Roval.
Four drivers are currently positioned below the playoff cutline: Ross Chastain, trailing by 12 points; Austin Cindric, 19 points behind; and 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who lag by 23 and 27 points, respectively. Earlier at Kansas in May, Briscoe secured fourth place, while Cindric was the highest-ranked driver among those below the cutline, finishing 11th. Tyler Reddick placed 17th that day, Chastain came in 18th, and Wallace ended up 33rd after an accident eliminated him from the race.
Ryan Blaney’s victory at New Hampshire has already guaranteed his advancement to the next round of the playoffs.
Status of the Xfinity Series Playoffs
The Xfinity Series did not race this past weekend, with two races left in the current playoff round. Taylor Gray currently holds the cutoff spot to advance. Drivers falling below the line include Nick Sanchez and Jesse Love, both 3 points behind, followed by Austin Hill trailing by 16 points, and Sammy Smith who is 24 points back. The series will resume with a race at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, airing at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network.
Craftsman Truck Series Update
The first round of the Craftsman Truck Series wrapped up last weekend at New Hampshire. The series will pause this weekend before racing again on October 3 at the Charlotte Roval, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Ty Majeski currently holds the final transfer spot, edging out Tyler Ankrum based on a tiebreaker. Other drivers below the cutline in this series include Grant Enfinger, 3 points behind; Rajah Caruth, trailing by 5 points; and Kaden Honeycutt, 7 points out of position.
Implications for Drivers Below the Cutline
Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace face an uphill battle with only two races remaining to improve their standings and secure playoff advancement in the NASCAR Cup playoffs. Their positioning below the cutoff line puts pressure on them to perform well at Kansas and the Charlotte Roval. The outcomes of these remaining races will be critical in determining which drivers move forward and which see their championship hopes end early.
