At the Daytona International Speedway, Bubba Wallace recorded a career-best finish. While he first managed to score a fine third place, things got better for him when Chris Buescher got disqualified and Wallace inherited second place on the track. Unfortunately, it was not enough for him to make it into the playoffs, as nothing but a win was needed. After the race, Wallace spoke about his best-ever finish. He said [https://www.nascar.com/video/franchise/nascar-cup-post-race-reactions/wallace-just-misses-playoffs-just-continue-to-climb-from-here/], “That last restart, our car felt slow and sluggish. When that wreck happened, I came out third, but its not what we needed. Solid day, we led some laps, its the best I’ve kept a speedway car clean. Mostly just some nose damage, but we gave them a good run.” The 23XI Racing driver admitted that he was a little frustrated, as he often gets called out for not working with teammates. Of course, the driver insisted that Blaney and Ford reached Victory Lane because they all worked together. WHAT ELSE DID BUBBA WALLACE SAY? According to him, it was a race that he was confident of winning because he prepared well for it. Sadly, the driver is not going to reach the playoffs and hand 23XI Racing a fabulous debut. Instead, Wallace is going to target 17th place in the championship, as it is the highest he is ever going to finish in 2021. Bubba Wallace during the Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20210306023832/2021-03-01T011959Z_1329443069_MT1USATODAY15648509_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-CUP-SERIES-DIXIE-VODKA-400.jpg]Feb 28, 2021; Homestead, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace(23) races during the Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports From there, he can set up the building blocks for his and the team’s success. Once he does that, the only thing that 23XI Racing can do is improve. At the moment, Wallace is in 21st place and has four places to make up. As long as he can outscore Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Matt DiBenedetto, he can reach 17th. Of course, those four drivers and the rest of the pack will not make it easy for him, but he will try his hardest. READ MORE: “Some Guys Can Figure It Out” – 23XI Racing Crew Chief on Bubba Wallace and His First Season With Them [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-some-guys-can-figure-it-out-23xi-racing-crew-chief-on-bubba-wallace-and-his-first-season-with-them/] 

At the Daytona International Speedway, Bubba Wallace notched up a career-best
second place finish, unfortunately he missed the playoff cut.

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews.

Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, he can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

Dhruv George

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch.

Dhruv George | Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports

EssentiallySports

https://www.staging.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/es_circle_black_logo.png

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews. Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, he can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv-George-1-96x96.png

Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports,
having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR,
Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the
Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1
driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. He has been an ardent
follower of motorsports sport since 2001, holding Carlos Sainz Jr. and McLaren
in high regard.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv_George.png

“Some Guys Can Figure It Out” – 23XI Racing Crew Chief on Bubba Wallace and His
First Season With Them

Bubba Wallace in the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500

NASCAR: Daytona 500

Feb 14, 2021; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) gets ready for the restart of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR: Daytona 500 - EssentiallySports

Aayush Majumdar is a NASCAR content strategist, a Tennis Writer, and a sports analyst at EssentiallySports. He is well-tenured as a tennis and NASCAR writer, with over 900 articles across both sports. After pursuing a Post Graduate program in Sports Management, Aayush explored various roles in Sports Media, including a Sports Reporting role at a leading English daily. He is an avid tennis and NASCAR follower even when he is not writing about these sports, and looks up to the likes of Rafael Nadal and Jimmie Johnson.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Ayush_Majumdar-removebg-preview-1.png

Aayush Majumdar

figcaption

figure

strong

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<h1 style="text-align: center">23XI Racing: 2024 Net Worth, Stats, Owners and More</h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is 23XI Racing?</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: left">Would you believe it, if five years ago, somebody told you that NBA legend Michael Jordan would become a regular name in NASCAR? Most people would probably scoff at the idea. However, that's exactly what happened when 23XI came into inception. 23XI Racing is a stock car racing team that regularly competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team currently has two drivers in its team: Bubba Wallace driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry XSE, and Tyler Reddick driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE.</p>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-2639040 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/F4irU_PWEAASKOc-1.jpeg" alt="" width="1769" height="723" />
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>The History of 23XI Racing</strong></h2>
After a lot of speculations and vehement denials by Michael Jordan's representatives about a possible NASCAR entry, 23XI was finally founded in 2020. The team debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series on February 14, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway. The team is owned by basketball icon Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, who is a minority stakeholder. 23XI reportedly has a technical alliance with JGR.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Why is the team named 23XI Racing?</strong></h2>
23XI Racing's name is a culmination of meaningful symbolism. While the team name is as unconventional as it can be, the backstory behind it is the stuff of legends. Pronounced twenty three-eleven, the team name is an amalgamation of two numbers, 23 and 11, where the former is Michael Jordan's jersey number that he adorned for most of his NBA career. And, 11 stands for Denny Hamlin's car number in his Cup series team, Joe Gibbs Racing, that he has driven for the entirety of his career.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing’s Net Worth 2024 </strong></h2>
23XI Racing owner Michael Jordan is reportedly the first athlete to attain billionaire status. And a small chunk of it went to his NASCAR team. As per reports from 2023, 23XI is reportedly worth $150 million. While this is definitely a lot less than where other Cup Series teams stand, which MJ's backing, the best of the team definitely awaits.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing Drivers</strong></h2>
23XI currently backs two drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series: Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. Wallace was the first driver that was announced as a part of the team. What's interesting is that the #23 driver had left his former team Richard Petty Motorsports, who he had driven for four years, just eleven days prior to the announcement.

[caption id="attachment_1946369" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1946369 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1032013058h.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1280" /> July 15, 2023, Loudon, NH, United States of America: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Drivers, Bubba Wallace 23 and Tyler Reddick 45 get ready to qualify for the Crayon 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon NH. NASCAR Cup Series 2023: Crayon 301 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY - ZUMAa161 20230715_zaa_a161_021 Copyright: xWalterxG.xArcexSr.x[/caption]

Apart from Wallace, Kyle Busch's older brother Kurt Busch was roped in to drive the No. 45 car in the 2022 season. However, his stint at 23XI Racing was unfortunately a short one. Kurt Busch joined the team in 2021 and competed in 20 races throughout the season, before a mishap took away his chances to be back in NASCAR's top division. Busch fell prey to a wreck during the qualifying race at Pocono Raceway and was subsequently not cleared to race in the main event despite his qualification, due to a concussion. Soon after, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-nascar-community-comes-together-to-say-goodbye-to-cup-series-champ-kurt-busch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the driver announced his retirement from full-time racing in the Cup Series</a>. Currently, Kurt Busch serves as a consultant to 23Xi Racing.

[caption id="attachment_934728" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-934728 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-02-17T033117Z_1214388381_MT1USATODAY17701270_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-DAYTONA-500-QUALIFYING.jpg" alt="Kurt Busch" width="1920" height="1342" /> Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

After Kurt Busch's untimely retirement, Tyler Reddick joined the team to replace the former as the new driver of the No. 45 car. Reddick, who was originally scheduled to start racing 23XI Racing in 2024, joined the team earlier than scheduled, after the Michael Jordan-Denny Hamlin owned team bought the remainder of his contract from his then team, Richard Childress Racing.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing Partnerships and Endorsements</strong></h2>
Despite 23XI being a fairly new team in the NASCAR Cup Series, it boasts an arsenal of big-named sponsors. After all, with the likes of Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin spearheading the team, sponsors seem to have that confidence. While brands like McDonald's, Root Insurance, DoorDash and Columbia Sportswear moved to 23XI Racing in 2021 with Bubba Wallace from Richard Petty Motorsports, Dr. Pepper joined hands with the team soon after.

And that's not all. DraftKings inked a multi-dimensional deal with the Cup Series team ahead of the 2o21 season. Apart from being the official sports betting partner of 23XI Racing, the company also acted as a primary sponsor for #23 driver, Bubba Wallace.

The driver has also had a partnership with Leidos, having joined hands as a primary partner in 2022. The brans primarily teams up with #23 driver Bubba Wallace.

23XI Racing's Michael Jordan popularized brand Jordan also came on-board ahead of the 2022 season when Kurt Busch joined the team. While the team had plans to sponsor the team since its inception, 23XI being a single car organization with Bubba Wallace, in 2021, with backing from Columbia Sportswear proved to be a hindrance. However, Busch's joining finally facilitated the onboarding of the highly popular company.

Additionally, in February 2023, Monster Brewing announced a partnership with 23XI Racing, with Tyler Reddick primarily adorning the colors of the brand. <em>"This is all really cool,"</em> Reddick had said at the time. <em>"And now I get to debut The Beast this weekend at <span class="xn-location">Fontana</span> here in <span class="xn-location">California</span>. With the race being in such close proximity to Monster's Global HQ, It worked out to where we got to unveil the Beast scheme here today before getting on-track this weekend... Really cool to unveil the scheme with all the employees today, "</em> the #45 driver added.

Apart from that, Xfinity, the brand and not the NASCAR division, also inked a deal with the team ahead of the 2o23 season. It backed Tyler Reddick at the Richmond Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway last year. The telecommunications brand also sponsored Bubba Wallace at the Martinsville Speedway playoff race in 2023.

In another exciting development, in January 2024, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-mobil-1-expands-its-presence-in-nascar-as-they-announce-a-new-deal-with-all-toyota-teams-in-the-cup-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toyota Racing Development(TRD) and Mobil 1 announced an expansion backing all Toyota NASCAR teams</a>, including 23XI Racing. Tyler Reddick will kick-off the partnership by running a Mobil 1 race at Phoenix in March and Richmond in August. On the other hand, Mobil 1 will be backing Bubba Wallace as a primary sponsor at the Circuit of the Americas race in March.

More exciting names have also joined the team recently. <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-bubba-wallace-makes-dream-come-true-as-23xi-teams-up-the-united-states-airforce-for-the-2024-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The #23 driver reunited with US Air Force</a>, who will serve as a primary sponsor for select races.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2639065 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/FvAJVpXaUAEBEDq.jpeg" alt="" width="1367" height="911" />
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing Investments</strong></h2>
The team has been growing in leaps and bounds ever since it came into business. As recently as 2021, Charlotte Business Journal reported that the team had made a huge $16 million investment into building a team headquarter in Huntersville, North Carolina. The HQ was reportedly being built on a 15-acre site that the team had acquired for $3.7 million the same year. Talking about when the HQ can be expected to be up and running, President of 23XI Racing, Steve Lauletta had said, "<em>“We don’t have an actual date yet, but it will be in the very near future."</em>

The headquarter will be a grand affair as the building will not just be a race shop but also<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-bubba-wallace-gives-insight-into-airspeed-23xis-sixteen-million-racing-mansion-in-north-carolina/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> house a 120 room hotel and 12,000 square feet of office space</a>.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing Major Achievements and Awards</strong></h2>
If you think 23XI Racing shouldn't be taken seriously just because it's a new team, you're definitely wrong. Despite only three years of experience, the team has been leaving a mark. While 2021 and 2022 proved to be a lackluster season for the team, 2023 went down in history books. Both full-time drivers from the team, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace made it to the Playoffs for the first time in the team's history. While Reddick finished 6th on the standings after getting eliminated in the Round of 8 race at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace finished 10th last year after getting post his Round of 12 race elimination at the Charlotte Roval.

23XI Racing team has also been picking up several accolades off the track as well. In February 2024, the team won the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards. "<em>For the third consecutive year, the 23XI Racing family was recognized at the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards for living out our mission and values as they pertain to making motorsports more diverse, equitable and inclusive," </em>the official release said.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing’s Vision</strong></h2>
When it comes to 23XI Racing's future prospects, the team has a lot of cards set on the table. Inclusivity has been at the forefront of the team's beliefs. Speaking about the same and how Bubba Wallace has been a big-time contributor to that cause, team president Steve Lauletta said, <em>"It’s part of the mission and values of this team, and it was started by what Bubba did for the sport of Nascar in 2020 (by campaigning for a Confederate Flag ban at NASCAR tracks). We all believe in it and we want to make it a focus of what we do as a team, and our partners believe in it."</em>

Even team co-owner Denny Hamlin mentioned how expanding the talent pool and encouraging inclusivity is a vision that the team definitely sees. In an interview with Associated Press, the #11 driver said, <em>“I’m looking at potential hires right now that we’ve got on the board — there’s England, Brazil and Israel, the next three hires."</em> "<em>We’re trying to make a very diverse team. Certainly it’s important to give opportunities to those that never thought racing was a job, a place that they could have a job opportunity, " </em>the co-owner further added.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1079908 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/EievOnNWAAMVQ05.0-1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" />

And not just that, the team is also heavily involved in charitable causes such as the <b>23XI Speed Institute Tuition Programme,</b> under the team's educational and professional development initiative, launched in 2021. The program which offers $5,000 each to 23 students every year besides providing them with opportunities <em>"such as scholarships and internships, as well as diversity recruiting and professional development in the motorsports field"</em>.

Speaking about the same, the team president said,<em> "This was the second year that we gave away 23 US$5,000 scholarships to students of diverse backgrounds that wanted to explore motorsports, whether that be in engineering or on the business side. Two of those winning scholarship recipients were interns with us this year, and they’ll be interns with us next year. Those are the kind of things that all of our partners are rallying behind and want to be a part of so that we can help change the sport.”</em>

What's clear is the 23Xi racing team is in NASCAR for more than just racing and championship wins!
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>23XI Racing Social Media</strong></h2>
<table style="width: 439px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 76.85px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Facebook</span></td>
<td style="width: 348.55px"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/23XIRacing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/23XIRacing/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 76.85px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Instagram</span></td>
<td style="width: 348.55px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/23xiracing/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/23xiracing/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 76.85px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Twitter</span></td>
<td style="width: 348.55px"><a href="https://twitter.com/23XIRacing?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://x.com/23XIRacing/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 76.85px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Website</span></td>
<td style="width: 348.55px"><a href="https://www.23xiracing.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.23xiracing.com</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="width: 59.7333%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">23XI Racing</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Owners</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">Denny Hamlin, Michael Jordan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%">Headquarters</td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">Mooresville, North Carolina</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Series </span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">NASCAR Cup Series</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Race Drivers</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">Bubba Wallace (No. 23), Tyler Reddick (No. 45)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Sponsors</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">McDonald's, Beast Unleashed, Nasty Beast, Columbia Sportswear, MoneyLion, Leidos, U.S. Air Force, Jordan Brand. Mobil 1, Monster Energy, Xfinity, Draft Kings, Walmart, DoorDash, Dr Pepper, NBA 2K24, melin, Mack Trucks, R3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Manufacturer</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">Toyota</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Founded</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">2020</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Latest Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">2024 Busch Light Clash At The Coliseum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Championship</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">NA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Race Victories</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25.744%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Net Worth</span></td>
<td style="width: 73.2143%">$150 million</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

23XI Racing

Read on to find out about NASCAR Cup Series Team 23XI Racing's Net Worth, Endorsements, Achievements and Vision!

23XI Racing: 2024 Net Worth, Stats, Owners and More

23XI Racing Archives

NASCAR

NASCAR Archives

LatestNASCAR - EssentiallySports News | EssentiallySports

<h1 style="text-align: center"><b>NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More</b></h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the NASCAR Cup Series?</strong></h2>
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the authorizing body for stock-vehicle racing in North America. It was established in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Currently, the organization fields four types of tracks: Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

[caption id="attachment_2675743" align="alignnone" width="5162"]<img class="wp-image-2675743 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-20T005209Z_1919194866_MT1USATODAY22564783_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-DAYTONA-500.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="5162" height="3322" /> Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Corey LaJoie (7), Kyle Busch (8) and A.J. Allmendinger (16) race three wide for the lead during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Origin</strong></h2>
The first-ever NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway on June 19, 1949 and Christian David "Jim" Roper was the victor after racer Glen Dunaway was disqualified for making illegal adjustments to his car.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On this day in 1949, NASCAR held its first-ever "Strictly Stock" race.</p>
Thirty-three drivers raced at Charlotte Speedway, six of which were future NASCAR Hall of Famers. Jim Roper was declared the winner following a disqualification to Glenn Dunaway. <a href="https://t.co/yBUDRcRxVo">pic.twitter.com/yBUDRcRxVo</a>

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1670832065690972160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote>

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Why is it named Cup Series? </strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series is the pinnacle of the racing arrangement in the NASCAR classification. The arrangement started in 1949 and was called the Strictly Stock Division. The series was subsequently known as the Grand National Division from 1950 to 1970.

Then, in 1971, it started renting its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was alluded to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series till 2003. From the next year onwards, the series came to be known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series till 2007 after a partnership with Nextel.

Sprint obtained Nextel in 2005 and 2008 saw the arrangement being renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint remained the sponsor of the NASCAR Cup from 2008 to 2016. It was reported in December 2016 that Monster Energy would be the sponsor; therefore, the arrangement was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2019.

However, after decades of name changes, in 2017, the organization finally decided to shed off its old image and simply be named as the NASCAR Cup Series, with series sponsors being called 'Premier Partners'.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the format of the Cup Series?</strong></h2>
The NASCAR points system has been a complicated affair to say the least. Over the years, the organization has tried several iterations, namely the Latford system, the Chase and the current elimination playoffs format among others, to discern one that would be fair to each driver.

While the earlier system saw drivers being awarded points on the basis of prize money in a particular race, in 1972 a new format was introduced. This time the points were awarded on the basis of laps completed. However, even that came with its own flaws and just two years later, in 1974, the organization introduced point calculation based on a mathematical formula. However, given the complexity of the equation, Bill France Jr, the former CEO of NASCAR decided to step in and call upon his close friend Bob Latford, to come up with an efficient way, which later came to be known as Boot Hill Format or the Latford Model.

With equal points awarded in all races, as New York Times aptly put it: <em>"Mr. Latford set up his points scale to reward consistency rather than flashes of brilliance, and drivers seem to like it that way."</em>

This system was perhaps the longest-running one during that time, being replaced in 2003, by The Chase format. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series operates on the Playoff Format. The schedule consists of 31 oval races, 4 road course races, one street track race, and 4 non-championship races to be held on ovals. This also includes 16 playoff races, with four elimination rounds, namely, Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 4 and Championship 4.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Teams</strong></h2>
As of 2024, the NASCAR Cup Series has 16 full-time teams participating and three manufacturers, namely Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. As for the team with the most number of victories and championship, Hendrick Motorsports has has an undebatable upper hand, with 305 Cup Series wins and 14 drivers championships.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Venue</strong></h2>
The first championship race was reportedly held at Martinsville Speedway, a half-mile oval, on October 16, 1949. Currently, the final race of a Cup season is held at the Phoenix Raceway, which is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix.

[caption id="attachment_1351857" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1351857 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-11-07T003206Z_1075855806_MT1USATODAY19376372_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-CUP-CHAMPIONSHIP.jpg" alt="Joey Logano NASCAR" width="1920" height="1289" /> Nov 6, 2022; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) races in the final laps of the Cup championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Championship</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series hosts three different championship under one name: The Driver's Championship, the Owner's Championship and the Manufacturer's Championship. The driver's championship as the name suggests is the award given to the driver that has emerged as the winner at the end of a season. On the other hand, the Owner's Championship aims to reward the team at the top of the points standings. The driver with the most championship wins are Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Additionally, Rick Hendrick-owned Hendrick Motorsports has won a record-breaking 14 championships till date.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1195372 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/ezgif.com-gif-maker-3-78.jpg" alt="Richard Petty Dale Earnhardt NASCAR" width="1850" height="1253" />

On a similar note, the Manufacturer's Championship sees Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs) being awarded a championship based on how races their cars managed to dominate and the points accumulated. In this regard, US-based manufacturer Chevrolet has racked up the most Cup Series wins at 42, followed by Ford at 17, and Toyota at 3.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Track Types</strong></h2>
As mentioned earlier, the NASCAR Cup series organizes its races on four different types of tracks, namely, Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

When it comes to Intermediate tracks, it simply means <em>"any track greater than one mile in length, with the exception of both Daytona and Talladega" </em>according to the official NASCAR website and currently the Cup Series drivers compete on the following Intermediate tracks/Speedways :
<ul>
 	<li>Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.540-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.500-mile Quad-Oval, including a 2.280 miles Road Course)</li>
 	<li>Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Dover Motor Speedway (1.000-mile, Concrete Oval)</li>
 	<li>Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.500-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kansas Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Michigan International Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Phoenix Raceway (1.000-mile, Dogleg Oval)</li>
 	<li>Texas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>World Wide Technology Raceway (1.250-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
On the other hand, Superspeedways ae oval road courses of two miles or longer. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series has the following Superspeedways:
<ul>
 	<li>Auto Club Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicagoland Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Daytona International Speedway (2.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kentucky Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Pocono Raceway (2.500-mile, Triangular Oval)</li>
 	<li>Talladega Superspeedway (2.660-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
</ul>
The short tracks (less than 1 mile in length) that are part of NASCAR are:
<ul>
 	<li>Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Eldora Speedway (0.500-mile, Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Knoxville Raceway (0.500-mile, Oval</li>
 	<li>Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)</li>
 	<li>Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (0.686-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Milwaukee Mile Speedway (1.015-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Richmond Raceway (0.750-mile, D-shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
As for Road Courses, NASCAR makes use of the following race tracks:
<ul>
 	<li>Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicago Street Race (2.14 miles)</li>
 	<li>Circuit of the Americas (3.426-mile)</li>
 	<li>DAYTONA Road Course (4.170-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.400-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Portland International Raceway (1.967-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Road America(4.048-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sebring Raceway (3.741 mi, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile)</li>
 	<li>Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile)</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Crown Jewel Races</strong></h2>
While NASCAR has several racetracks that it competes on, there are a couple venues that are held in high regards. Currently there are four such venues/races, namely the Daytona 500 held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Coca-Cola 500 held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway , the Brickyard 400/Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway.

Till date, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and retired NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has the most number of Crown Jewel race wins (21), followed by Legacy Motor Club team owner Jimmie Johnson (14) and retired NASCAR driver Bobby Allison (13).

[caption id="attachment_1691261" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1691261 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Jimmie-Johnson-Jeff-Gordon.jpg" alt="Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon" width="1920" height="1280" /> January 20, 2017 - Charlotte, North Carolina, USA - Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon introduce Rick Hendrick at the NASCAR Motorsport USA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, January 20, 2017, in Charlotte, N.C. Rick Hendrick was inducted into the Hall of Fame with Richard Childress, Mark Martin, Raymond Parks, and Benny Parsons. 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - ZUMAw123 20170120_zap_w123_024[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Cars</strong></h2>
NASCAR is an ever-evolving sport and till date, there have been several iterations of the cars used during races. If we go back to the very inception of the sport, the first kind of vehicle that was used used to be called Generation - 1 (1948-1966), followed by Generation - 2 (1967-1980) and Generation - 3 (1981-1991). Later the Generation - 4 (1992 to 2007) was introduced , and then Generation - 5 (2007 -2012) and Generation - 6 (2013-2021) came into play. And currently, NASCAR features the Generation - 7 car that is also known as the Next-Gen.

Anothe notable model was the Generation - 5. Dubbed as the<em> "Car of Tomorrow"</em>, this model featured flaunted prominent front splitters under the bumpers and larger rear wings. Apart from that, according to NASCAR, the car also had <em>"significant safety advancements and a return to symmetrical bodies". </em>

[caption id="attachment_2651610" align="alignnone" width="3461"]<img class="wp-image-2651610 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-16T030626Z_974940649_MT1USATODAY22533198_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-BLUEGREEN-VACATIONS-DUEL-1-AT-DAYTONA.jpg" alt="" width="3461" height="2307" /> Feb 15, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) during the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Street Course</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series has come a long way since its initial days. The organization has always been open to developments and one of the most exciting ones came in 2023,when the tourney made its Street Course debut at Chicago.

In a bid to turn make the schedule even more exciting, NASCAR officials were reportedly in talks with Chicago authorities for a number of years, with one attempt of a Chicago street race even dating back to the 1980s. However, owing to political pressure, that plan failed to materialize. Now, fast forward to four decades later and authorities were finally geared up to host an exciting, first-of-its-kind race in downtown Chicago.

[caption id="attachment_1911252" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1911252 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-07-03T052154Z_1117738559_MT1USATODAY20983749_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-GRANT-PARK-220.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="1920" height="1280" /> Jul 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A general view as cars race along Grant Park during the Grant Park 220 of the Chicago Street Race viewed from the NEMA Chicago buliding. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

Designed by race simulation video game developer iRacing, the race aimed to showcase the city's major landmarks such as the Buckingham Fountain, the Grant Park and the Soldier Field Stadium, among others.

The first iteration of the race came in July of 2023, with New Zealand born driver Shane van Gisbergen clinching victory in his first-ever NASCAR race. If that's not iconic, what is?

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2804674 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/F0HhwcqXoAI3_zb.jpeg" alt="" width="2048" height="1365" />
<table style="width: 75.2357%;height: 264px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Place of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Year of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">1949</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR "Strictly Stock" Race, Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Last Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race at Martinsville Speedway, 2024</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Crown Jewel Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Daytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Brickyard 400/ Verizon 200, Southern 500</span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Drivers with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jimmie Johnson(7)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Team with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Hendrick Motorsports (14)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Red Byron</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Ryan Blaney (2023)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Team</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Team Penske</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

NASCAR Cup Series

Here's everything you need to know about the NASCAR Cup Series, its Origin, Teams, History, Venues, Crown Jewel Races and more!

NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More

NASCAR Cup Series Archives

<h2><b>NASCAR Playoff Schedule</b></h2>
The 2023 <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/">NASCAR Cup Series</a> regular season finished off in emphatic fashion after a thrilling race at Daytona. Now, the much-awaited playoffs begin for this year's campaign with 16 drivers challenging for the title. While the competition only gets intense, it only gets tricky with the venues involved for the remaining 10 races.

Kickstarting with the Round of 16, the first race takes place on 3rd September with the Southern 500 at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/darlington-raceway/">Darlington Raceway</a>. It is then followed by the race at Hollywood Casino 4000 at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/kansas-speedway/">Kansas Speedway</a> on 10th September. After that, the round of 16 ends with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/bristol-motor-speedway/">Bristol Motor Speedway</a> on 16th September.

Once that's done, then begins the round of 12. It starts with the Autotrader Echopark Automotive 400 race at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/texas-motor-speedway/">Texas Motor Speedway</a> on 24th September. Following that, the Cup Series moves to the Yellawood 500 at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/talladega-superspeedway/">Talladega Superspeedway</a> on 1st October. Finally, the round ends with the Bank of America Roval 400 race on 8th October at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/charlotte-motor-speedway/">Charlotte Motor Speedway</a> Roval.

[caption id="attachment_2069888" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-2069888" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-08-27T035119Z_812682395_MT1USATODAY21286511_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-COKE-ZERO-SUGAR-400.jpg" alt="NASCAR Cup Series" width="1920" height="1280" /> Aug 26, 2023; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) leads the field during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

After the six races begin the Round of 8, first with the South Point 400 race at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/las-vegas-motor-speedway/">Las Vegas Motor Speedway</a> on 15th October. The second race of the round will be carried out on 22nd October at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/homestead-miami-speedway/">Homestead-Miami Speedway</a>. Once that's done, the penultimate race of the 2023 season will be the Xfinity 500 race at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/martinsville-speedway/">Martinsville Speedway</a> on 29th October.

Eventually, the final race of the campaign will be at <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/phoenix-raceway/">Phoenix Raceway</a>, bringing curtains to this year's action on 5th November. While these 10 races will be conducted on different tracks, the format of the playoffs makes it an exciting affair.
<table width="602">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Round of 16</strong></td>
<td><strong>Round of 12</strong></td>
<td><strong>Round of 8</strong></td>
<td><strong>Championship race</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sun., Sept. 3 - Southern 500 - Darlington Raceway <strong>(Winner: Kyle Larson)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Sept. 24 - Texas Motor Speedway <strong>(Winner: William Byron)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Oct. 15 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway <strong>(Winner: Kyle Larson)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Nov. 5 - Phoenix Raceway</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sun., Sept. 10 - Kansas Speedway <strong>(Winner: Tyler Reddick)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Oct. 1 - Talladega Superspeedway? <strong>(Winner: Ryan Blaney)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Oct. 22 - Homestead-Miami Speedway <strong>(Winner: Christopher Bell)</strong></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sat., Sept. 16 - Bristol Motor Speedway <strong>(Winner: Denny Hamlin)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Oct. 8 - Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval <strong>(Winner: AJ Allmendinger)</strong></td>
<td>Sun., Oct. 29 - Martinsville Speedway</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<b>NASCAR Cup Series playoff format</b>

The current playoff format isn't as difficult as it looks to understand. The Cup Series playoff uses an elimination-style format possessing four rounds in total. It starts with the Round of 16 where all the 16 drivers in the playoff compete in three races.

However, at the end of those three races, the four drivers below the cut-off line get eliminated. Then begins the Round of 12 which also contains competing in three races. Again, the four drivers below the cut-off line get eliminated, leaving 8 of them.

With the same logic and rules applied in the Round of 8, it all comes down to the last four remaining drivers. It goes down to the wire at Phoenix Raceway with the Championship 4 race where the best four drivers in the competition battle for the title in Arizona. Interestingly, the points system involved makes the competition more wild with time.
<h2><b>NASCAR Cup Series points system</b></h2>
The regular season gave a glimpse of how the desperation of winning points could prompt drivers to their limits. Despite his best efforts, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/chase-elliott/">Chase Elliott</a> failed to make it to the playoffs this season, the first time ever he did that in his career. While points weren't enough to help his cause, the same could not be said for the final 16 drivers in the playoffs.

Without a doubt, every driver would be fighting to finish as high as possible in every race. The 10 races would see 36 to 40 drivers competing depending on the event or the track. The race winner would get 40 points, the second-place finisher would get 35 points, the third-place finisher would get 34 points, and so on. Notably, drivers who finish between the 36th and 40th position would get a single point.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To be good is one thing.</p>
To be great is another.

The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASCARPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASCARPlayoffs</a> begin Sunday. <a href="https://t.co/QF7nWIDGlJ">pic.twitter.com/QF7nWIDGlJ</a>

? NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1696681733523918871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
Another mode of earning points would be through stage wins. 10 points would be awarded for winning each stage. Since the race is divided into three stages, 10 points each will be awarded for Stage 1 and Stage 2 wins. Not only that, while these 10 points are for the winner, the second place gets nine, the third place gets eight, and so on until the 10th place gets a single point.

For example, if a driver wins one of the first two stages and fails to finish the race, he would still end the race with 10 points. At the same time, if a driver wins both the first two stages and the race, he could go on to win 60 points in total. What this does is give every racer an incentive to strongly compete in every phase of the playoff race.

It is worth mentioning that drivers who have accumulated playoff points in the regular season will be carried forward in the playoffs. This would give them a small advantage and a slight leeway in case things go wrong in a race. Having said that, surviving in the playoffs is as difficult as qualifying for it.
<h2><b>What makes a driver qualify for the NASCAR playoffs?</b></h2>
It is no secret that qualifying for the NASCAR playoffs is no less than an achievement. Despite his best efforts, it took <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/bubba-wallace/">Bubba Wallace</a> six years to get into the playoff for the first time. In fact, the introduction of Next-Gen cars has only made it more tricky.

Mathematically, a win in the regular season doesn't assure a place in the playoffs. However, more often than not a victory has almost secured a place in the playoffs. Since the current playoff format was introduced in 2014, the Cup Series hasn't witnessed more than 16 different winners in a regular season.

So practically, a win does help in making it to the playoffs. In the event there is more than one driver without a win competing for the spot, the drivers with the most overall points make the cut. In fact, it is with this logic that Wallace and two other drivers made it to the playoffs in 2023.
<h2><b>Who are the NASCAR drivers in the playoffs?</b></h2>
During the course of 26 races in the regular season, there have been some remarkable performances, to say the least. While a few of them were unexpected, it has certainly brought a different flavor to NASCAR's top-tier racing. Both <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/william-byron/">William Byron</a> and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/martin-truex-jr/">Martin Truex Jr</a> have raced incredibly well to cement their place at the top.

While the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/joe-gibbs-racing/">Joe Gibbs Racing</a> driver won the regular season championship, Byron would hope to go all the way in the playoffs. Another <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/hendrick-motorsports/">Hendrick Motorsports</a> star who has done well this season is <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kyle-larson">Kyle Larson</a>. While he won two races in the regular season, he could have easily won more had it not been for some unfortunate events.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In his final season, <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHarvick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KevinHarvick</a> will be racing for his second championship. ?</p>
The No. 4 clinches a spot in the 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASCARPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASCARPlayoffs</a> on points. <a href="https://t.co/1nipRDyQ8v">pic.twitter.com/1nipRDyQ8v</a>

? NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1693375004472152498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
It must not have been easy for <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/rick-hendrick/">Rick Hendrick</a> given how they only have two drivers in the playoffs this campaign. However, that's not the case with <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/joe-gibbs/">Joe Gibbs</a> as along with Truex Jr, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/denny-hamlin/">Denny Hamlin</a> and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/christopher-bell/">Christopher Bell</a> have also made it to the final 16. While Hamlin's contract situation at JGR remains uncertain, it is a massive opportunity for him to win his first-ever championship.

Speaking of JGR and contracts, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/richard-childress/">Richard Childress Racing</a> driver <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kyle-busch/">Kyle Busch</a> also made it to the playoffs with three wins this season. One of the biggest surprises of the final 16 would be <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/chris-buescher/">Chris Buescher</a>. His late surge in the regular season saw him register three wins in the last five weeks.

The playoffs will also see <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/ross-chastain/">Ross Chastain</a>, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/ryan-blaney/">Ryan Blaney</a>, Michael McDowell, and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/ricky-stenhouse-jr/">Ricky Stenhouse Jr</a>, who all made it through a single win in the first 26 races of the season. However, the ones to make it without a win are Bubba Wallace, the retiring <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kevin-harvick/">Kevin Harvick</a>, and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/brad-keselowski/">Brad Keselowski</a>. It is certainly interesting to see if there's a new winner this time around.
<h2><b>What playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series championship before?</b></h2>
Winning the NASCAR Cup Series hasn't been an easy task. Despite his terrific experience and skills, Denny Hamlin has struggled to win it once in 19 years. Having said that, he has had drivers alongside him who have won it before. In fact, even the current bunch of drivers in the playoff know what it is like to be a title winner.

Out of the 16 drivers, 6 of them have already won it previously. This year's regular season champion, Martin Truex Jr has already won the Cup Series back in 2017. With his incredible form this campaign, he is undoubtedly one of the front-runners to repeat the feat.

Along with Truex Jr lies Kyle Busch who has also known the amazing feeling of being a Cup Series champion. Having won it twice, the RCR driver would be inching to win it with his new team. Other former championship winners include Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick. While all of these drivers have the potential to double their tally, it would take a wild effort for them to go all the way this season.
<h2><b>NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings</b></h2>
Clearly, winning the championship will be the agenda for all the final 16 drivers involved. While it is easier said than done, there is no discounting anyone involved. Currently, William Byron and Martin Truex Jr lead the charts with 36 playoff points to their name each.

They are followed by Denny Hamlin and Chris Buescher who have 25 and 21 playoff points respectively. All the next four names are some of the brightest names in the sport. Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Ross Chastain take up the next four spots with 19, 17, 14, and 11 playoff points respectively.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Appreciate all the kind notes this week from fans, media, friends, partners and my teammates.</p>
After all we?ve been through, I?m still standing; hungry and ready for the 2023 nascar playoffs to begin<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/6neverQuits?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#6neverQuits</a> <a href="https://t.co/Uu38wIjECI">pic.twitter.com/Uu38wIjECI</a>

? Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) <a href="https://twitter.com/keselowski/status/1696307508241944861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
While the list only gets more spicy, the outcome only gets more unpredictable race after race. Brad Keselowski and Tyler Reddick have 10 and nine playoff points to their name so far. With eight points to their name, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney occupy the two spots just above the cutoff line going into the Round of 16.

The final four before the race at Darlington sees Michael McDowell in the 13th place with seven playoff points. Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Kevin Harvick have five and four points to their name respectively. Last but not least, Bubba Wallace has failed to win a playoff point in the regular season. It is interesting to see how he does in his playoff debut, especially how he deals with the non-playoff drivers.

<span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Latest Standings:</strong></span>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400"><strong>Driver</strong>?</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">?Points</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">#24 William Byron</span></td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center">4126</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">#20 Christopher Bell</span></td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center">4110</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#12 Ryan Blaney</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4106</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#5 Kyle Larson</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4105</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#45 Tyler Reddick</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4096</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#11 Denny Hamlin</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4089</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#19 Martin Truex Jr</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4089</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#17 Chris Buescher</td>
<td style="text-align: center">4063</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#6 Brad Keselowski</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2263</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#1 Ross Chastain</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2219</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#23 Bubba Wallace</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2216</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#8 Kyle Busch</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2210</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#22 Joey Logano</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2198</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#4 Kevin Harvick</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2170</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#34 Michael McDowell</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2145</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>#47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr</td>
<td style="text-align: center">2136</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2><b>Do non-playoff drivers also compete in Playoffs?</b></h2>
Unlike other sports, NASCAR interprets elimination differently. Despite not making it to the final 16, the non-playoff drivers remain part of the balance 10 races in the 2023 season. Most notably, they would hope to win and help their team gather more points.

With not much at stake, many opt to try out different tactics and setups during these races. The best a non-playoff driver can finish at the end of the season would be with a 17th-placed finish. Other than that, some of the drivers also tend to use this opportunity to help their playoff-qualified drivers in their bid to win the title.

Having said that, it is worth noting that NASCAR tends to take strict actions on any mala fide act or intent on track indicating in this direction. Some even do it with revenge in their mind due to past duels earlier in the campaign. So, there's plenty for even the non-playoff drivers to make the final 16 an entertaining affair.

NASCAR Playoffs

NASCAR Playoff Schedule The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series regular season finished off in emphatic fashion after a thrilling race at Daytona. Now, the much-awaited playoffs begin for this year&#8217;s campaign with 16 drivers challenging for the title. While the competition only gets intense, it only gets tricky with the venues involved for the remaining 10 races. Kickstarting with the Round of 16, the first race takes place on 3rd September with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. It is then followed by the race at Hollywood Casino 4000 at Kansas Speedway on 10th September. After that, the round of 16 ends with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on 16th September. Once that&#8217;s done, then begins the round of 12. It starts with the Autotrader Echopark Automotive 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway on 24th September. Following that, the Cup Series moves to the Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on 1st October. Finally, the round ends with the Bank of America Roval 400 race on 8th October at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Aug 26, 2023; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) leads the field during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports After the six races begin the Round of 8, first with the South Point 400 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 15th October. The second race of the round will be carried out on 22nd October at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Once that&#8217;s done, the penultimate race of the 2023 season will be the Xfinity 500 race at Martinsville Speedway on 29th October. Eventually, the final race of the campaign will be at Phoenix Raceway, bringing curtains to this year&#8217;s action on 5th November. While these 10 races will be conducted on different tracks, the format of the playoffs makes it an exciting affair.  Round of 16 Round of 12 Round of 8 Championship race  Sun., Sept. 3 &#8211; Southern 500 &#8211; Darlington Raceway (Winner: Kyle Larson) Sun., Sept. 24 &#8211; Texas Motor Speedway (Winner: William Byron) Sun., Oct. 15 &#8211; Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Winner: Kyle Larson) Sun., Nov. 5 &#8211; Phoenix Raceway  Sun., Sept. 10 &#8211; Kansas Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick) Sun., Oct. 1 &#8211; Talladega Superspeedway? (Winner: Ryan Blaney) Sun., Oct. 22 &#8211; Homestead-Miami Speedway (Winner: Christopher Bell)  Sat., Sept. 16 &#8211; Bristol Motor Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin) Sun., Oct. 8 &#8211; Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Winner: AJ Allmendinger) Sun., Oct. 29 &#8211; Martinsville Speedway   NASCAR Cup Series playoff format The current playoff format isn&#8217;t as difficult as it looks to understand. The Cup Series playoff uses an elimination-style format possessing four rounds in total. It starts with the Round of 16 where all the 16 drivers in the playoff compete in three races. However, at the end of those three races, the four drivers below the cut-off line get eliminated. Then begins the Round of 12 which also contains competing in three races. Again, the four drivers below the cut-off line get eliminated, leaving 8 of them. With the same logic and rules applied in the Round of 8, it all comes down to the last four remaining drivers. It goes down to the wire at Phoenix Raceway with the Championship 4 race where the best four drivers in the competition battle for the title in Arizona. Interestingly, the points system involved makes the competition more wild with time. NASCAR Cup Series points system The regular season gave a glimpse of how the desperation of winning points could prompt drivers to their limits. Despite his best efforts, Chase Elliott failed to make it to the playoffs this season, the first time ever he did that in his career. While points weren&#8217;t enough to help his cause, the same could not be said for the final 16 drivers in the playoffs. Without a doubt, every driver would be fighting to finish as high as possible in every race. The 10 races would see 36 to 40 drivers competing depending on the event or the track. The race winner would get 40 points, the second-place finisher would get 35 points, the third-place finisher would get 34 points, and so on. Notably, drivers who finish between the 36th and 40th position would get a single point. To be good is one thing. To be great is another. The #NASCARPlayoffs begin Sunday. pic.twitter.com/QF7nWIDGlJ ? NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 30, 2023 Another mode of earning points would be through stage wins. 10 points would be awarded for winning each stage. Since the race is divided into three stages, 10 points each will be awarded for Stage 1 and Stage 2 wins. Not only that, while these 10 points are for the winner, the second place gets nine, the third place gets eight, and so on until the 10th place gets a single point. For example, if a driver wins one of the first two stages and fails to finish the race, he would still end the race with 10 points. At the same time, if a driver wins both the first two stages and the race, he could go on to win 60 points in total. What this does is give every racer an incentive to strongly compete in every phase of the playoff race. It is worth mentioning that drivers who have accumulated playoff points in the regular season will be carried forward in the playoffs. This would give them a small advantage and a slight leeway in case things go wrong in a race. Having said that, surviving in the playoffs is as difficult as qualifying for it. What makes a driver qualify for the NASCAR playoffs? It is no secret that qualifying for the NASCAR playoffs is no less than an achievement. Despite his best efforts, it took Bubba Wallace six years to get into the playoff for the first time. In fact, the introduction of Next-Gen cars has only made it more tricky. Mathematically, a win in the regular season doesn&#8217;t assure a place in the playoffs. However, more often than not a victory has almost secured a place in the playoffs. Since the current playoff format was introduced in 2014, the Cup Series hasn&#8217;t witnessed more than 16 different winners in a regular season. So practically, a win does help in making it to the playoffs. In the event there is more than one driver without a win competing for the spot, the drivers with the most overall points make the cut. In fact, it is with this logic that Wallace and two other drivers made it to the playoffs in 2023. Who are the NASCAR drivers in the playoffs? During the course of 26 races in the regular season, there have been some remarkable performances, to say the least. While a few of them were unexpected, it has certainly brought a different flavor to NASCAR&#8217;s top-tier racing. Both William Byron and Martin Truex Jr have raced incredibly well to cement their place at the top. While the Joe Gibbs Racing driver won the regular season championship, Byron would hope to go all the way in the playoffs. Another Hendrick Motorsports star who has done well this season is Kyle Larson. While he won two races in the regular season, he could have easily won more had it not been for some unfortunate events. In his final season, @KevinHarvick will be racing for his second championship. ? The No. 4 clinches a spot in the 2023 #NASCARPlayoffs on points. pic.twitter.com/1nipRDyQ8v ? NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 20, 2023 It must not have been easy for Rick Hendrick given how they only have two drivers in the playoffs this campaign. However, that&#8217;s not the case with Joe Gibbs as along with Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have also made it to the final 16. While Hamlin&#8217;s contract situation at JGR remains uncertain, it is a massive opportunity for him to win his first-ever championship. Speaking of JGR and contracts, Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch also made it to the playoffs with three wins this season. One of the biggest surprises of the final 16 would be Chris Buescher. His late surge in the regular season saw him register three wins in the last five weeks. The playoffs will also see Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr, who all made it through a single win in the first 26 races of the season. However, the ones to make it without a win are Bubba Wallace, the retiring Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski. It is certainly interesting to see if there&#8217;s a new winner this time around. What playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series championship before? Winning the NASCAR Cup Series hasn&#8217;t been an easy task. Despite his terrific experience and skills, Denny Hamlin has struggled to win it once in 19 years. Having said that, he has had drivers alongside him who have won it before. In fact, even the current bunch of drivers in the playoff know what it is like to be a title winner. Out of the 16 drivers, 6 of them have already won it previously. This year&#8217;s regular season champion, Martin Truex Jr has already won the Cup Series back in 2017. With his incredible form this campaign, he is undoubtedly one of the front-runners to repeat the feat. Along with Truex Jr lies Kyle Busch who has also known the amazing feeling of being a Cup Series champion. Having won it twice, the RCR driver would be inching to win it with his new team. Other former championship winners include Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick. While all of these drivers have the potential to double their tally, it would take a wild effort for them to go all the way this season. NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings Clearly, winning the championship will be the agenda for all the final 16 drivers involved. While it is easier said than done, there is no discounting anyone involved. Currently, William Byron and Martin Truex Jr lead the charts with 36 playoff points to their name each. They are followed by Denny Hamlin and Chris Buescher who have 25 and 21 playoff points respectively. All the next four names are some of the brightest names in the sport. Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Ross Chastain take up the next four spots with 19, 17, 14, and 11 playoff points respectively. Appreciate all the kind notes this week from fans, media, friends, partners and my teammates. After all we?ve been through, I?m still standing; hungry and ready for the 2023 nascar playoffs to begin#6neverQuits pic.twitter.com/Uu38wIjECI ? Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) August 28, 2023 While the list only gets more spicy, the outcome only gets more unpredictable race after race. Brad Keselowski and Tyler Reddick have 10 and nine playoff points to their name so far. With eight points to their name, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney occupy the two spots just above the cutoff line going into the Round of 16. The final four before the race at Darlington sees Michael McDowell in the 13th place with seven playoff points. Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Kevin Harvick have five and four points to their name respectively. Last but not least, Bubba Wallace has failed to win a playoff point in the regular season. It is interesting to see how he does in his playoff debut, especially how he deals with the non-playoff drivers. Latest Standings:  Driver? ?Points  #24 William Byron 4126  #20 Christopher Bell 4110  #12 Ryan Blaney 4106  #5 Kyle Larson 4105  #45 Tyler Reddick 4096  #11 Denny Hamlin 4089  #19 Martin Truex Jr 4089  #17 Chris Buescher 4063  #6 Brad Keselowski 2263  #1 Ross Chastain 2219  #23 Bubba Wallace 2216  #8 Kyle Busch 2210  #22 Joey Logano 2198  #4 Kevin Harvick 2170  #34 Michael McDowell 2145  #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 2136  Do non-playoff drivers also compete in Playoffs? Unlike other sports, NASCAR interprets elimination differently. Despite not making it to the final 16, the non-playoff drivers remain part of the balance 10 races in the 2023 season. Most notably, they would hope to win and help their team gather more points. With not much at stake, many opt to try out different tactics and setups during these races. The best a non-playoff driver can finish at the end of the season would be with a 17th-placed finish. Other than that, some of the drivers also tend to use this opportunity to help their playoff-qualified drivers in their bid to win the title. Having said that, it is worth noting that NASCAR tends to take strict actions on any mala fide act or intent on track indicating in this direction. Some even do it with revenge in their mind due to past duels earlier in the campaign. So, there&#8217;s plenty for even the non-playoff drivers to make the final 16 an entertaining affair.

NASCAR Playoffs Archives

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At the Daytona International Speedway, Bubba Wallace notched up a career-best second place finish, unfortunately he missed the playoff cut.

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Bubba Wallace

Find the latest news about Bubba Wallace, his current net worth, endorsements, childhood, achievements, and more on EssentiallySports.

Bubba Wallace Misses a Playoffs Seat Despite a Career Best Result at Daytona

What else did Bubba Wallace say?