Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan, but the playoff picture changed dramatically near the cut line. Here’s where things stand with 15 of 26 regular-season races complete.
10. Chase Elliott (+142)
11. Tyler Reddick (+138)
12. Bubba Wallace (+61)
13. Chase Briscoe (+41)
Briscoe has won three straight poles, but has been unable to translate a first-place starting position into a win. A 23rd-place finish at Michigan was disappointing on a day that started with so much promise.
14. Chris Buescher (+20)
A Stage 1 victory and a runner-up finish helped Buescher as he looks to return to the playoffs. If the No. 17 continues to show this much speed, Buescher could soon find himself locked into the postseason with a win.
15. Alex Bowman (+13)
Bowman’s hellacious stretch continued at Michigan with a hard crash that relegated him to a 36th-place finish. Bowman now has seven finishes of 27th or worse over the last nine races. He desperately needs a good run in Mexico City.
16. Ryan Preece (+0)
Preece holds the tiebreaker of best finish this season over Kyle Busch, which currently puts him as the last driver in the provisional playoff picture. If not for his disqualification following a second-place finish at Talladega, Preece would be solidly on the right side of the bubble, rather than floating a foot above it. A ninth-place finish at Michigan was a much-needed run for the No. 60 team.
17. Kyle Busch (-0)
Ironically, Busch finished one spot ahead of Preece at Michigan, earning an eighth-place finish. The No. 8 team does seem to have slightly more speed than they did at this juncture a year ago, but it’s still odd to see Busch, a two-time champion, hovering around the playoff bubble, rather than already being locked in with a win.
18. Carson Hocevar (-18)
Between a blown engine at Charlotte and a flat tire at Michigan, Hocevar is likely wondering where he could be on the grid if not for his recent misfortune. Still, even after a 29th-place result at Michigan, the speed the No. 77 team has shown in recent weeks is a great sign as Hocevar looks for his first career playoff berth.
19. AJ Allmendinger (-18)
If not for a blown engine at Kansas, Allmendinger could also find himself on the positive side of the playoff bubble. After a 17th-place finish at Michigan, the road course at Mexico City is a golden opportunity for Allmendinger to gain on the cut line – if he doesn’t end up in victory lane, that is.
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-20)
After a crash at Nashville knocked him below the cut line, a 20th-place finish at Michigan didn’t exactly do Stenhouse Jr. any favors in terms of keeping pace with the playoff bubble. He’ll need a solid performance in Mexico City to muster up momentum for a crucial summer stretch.
