Recently, Tyler Reddick participated in a Q and A session and fielded questions from several children. Among them, was Kevin Harvick’s son Keelan Harvick. The youngster asked why most race car drivers are fairly short in height. Reddick confessed that he did not know the real reason behind that. He said [https://twitter.com/NASCARonNBC/status/1430969041737306113], “I’ve been short my whole life, I don’t know. I just decided to race cars, maybe because I’m short, I wasn’t good at basketball or football. Maybe it’s in your DNA to be short, that means you like to go fast in a car that is the same size as everybody else’s car, so you don’t feel short.” All in all, it was a fairly innocent question from the young boy, and Reddick was only too happy to oblige. Truthfully speaking, being short could be a little bit advantageous. This is because, it means that the drivers weigh a bit less than their taller compatriots. TYLER REDDICK IS FOCUSING ON THE FINAL REGULAR SEASON RACE Admittedly, the Richard Childress Racing driver is lying in 11th in the standings. However, his cause is not helped by the fact that he is one out of five drivers who have yet to score a win. The others are teammate Austin Dillon, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, Matt DiBenedetto and Kevin Harvick himself. Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick prior to the Xfinity Series race in Homestead [https://www.staging.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1188040683.jpg]HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 16: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #2 Tame the Beast Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Last weekend’s race at Michigan was a day to forget for both Reddick and Dillon. This is because, Brad Keselowski pummelled Dillon and knocked him out of the race. Though the Penske driver apologised immediately and shouldered the blame, the team was furious, and so was Austin Dillon. Meanwhile, poor old Tyler Reddick encountered some issues of his own and ended up all the way down in 29th place. Now, the two drivers will be seeking redemption and will want to strengthen their Playoff bids. READ MORE: Tyler Riddick Explains Why He is ‘Not Losing a Lot of Sleep’ Over Crunch Playoff Spot [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-tyler-riddick-explains-why-he-is-not-losing-a-lot-of-sleep-over-crunch-playoff-spot/] 

In a small interview, Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick spoke about
why racing drivers were not particularly tall in stature

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

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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

Tyler Riddick Explains Why He is ‘Not Losing a Lot of Sleep’ Over Crunch Playoff
Spot

Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick in NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR: Instacart 500

Mar 14, 2021; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick (8) leads the way during the NASCAR Instacart 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR: Instacart 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.

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Aayush Majumdar

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figure

strong

Tyler Reddick Explains Why Most NASCAR Drivers are Short

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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

LatestNASCAR Playoffs - EssentiallySports News | EssentiallySports

title

In a small interview, Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick spoke about why racing drivers were not particularly tall in stature

description

link

Tyler Reddick Explains Why Most NASCAR Drivers are Short - EssentiallySports

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<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Who is Tyler Reddick?</strong></h2>
He may not be as popular as some of the other drivers in the Cup Series, but Tyler Reddick has established himself as one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR today. The <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/23xi-racing/">23XI Racing</a> driver had a fantastic season in 2023 which ended with a career-best finish of 6th on the points table. With multiple wins to his name already, Reddick will be looking to cement his place in the history books by winning the Cup Series. The 28-year-old has already been a champion two times in NASCAR's <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-xfinity-series/">Xfinity Series</a> wins, so there's no doubt that he has what it takes to get the job done.

[caption id="attachment_1741777" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1741777 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1024409060h.jpg" alt="Tyler Reddick" width="1920" height="1301" /> Tyler Reddick ready for final NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup practice before the 65th Annual Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 18, 2023 in Daytona, Florida. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY DAY2023021809 MIKExGENTRY[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick’s Early Life</b></h2>
Tyler Reddick was born on January 11, 1996, in Corning, California to Clarence and Geri Reddick and doesn't have any siblings. Despite being from Corning, he grew up in DuQuoin, Illinois most of his life. He is also the grandson of Benny Brown, founder of the American record label BBR Music Group.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick’s Wife and Children</b></h2>
The 23XI Racing star is currently dating <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-is-tyler-reddick-married-meet-nascar-drivers-wife-alexa-deleon/">Alexa DeLeon</a>. The 2-time Xfinity Series champion is also a father but is yet to be married. The two are reportedly engaged to one another and they have a son named Beau. While there's not a lot of information about how and where the couple met, it is speculated that the year was 2012. Their relationship status was made public in 2015 as DeLeon began attending more and more of Reddick's races and NASCAR events.

The couple did not agree on their son's name in the first place. DeLeon had revealed that she wanted to name him Ryker but Tyler Reddick had not agreed to it. So she set her husband an ultimatum. If Reddick won the 2019 Xfinity Series, he would be able to choose his son's name. Well, that is exactly what he did, winning his second Xfinity title in 2019.

[caption id="attachment_1242844" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1242844 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1412083696.jpg" alt="Tyler Reddick" width="1920" height="1280" /> INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 31: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, celebrates with his girlfriend, Alexa De Leon and son Beau at the yard of bricks after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)[/caption]

Alexa DeLeon was the topic of discussion in 2022 as a wild rumor about her was spread at one point during the year. Due to her lack of activity on social media, some people came to the wild conclusion that she had passed away. Thankfully, it was just a rumor and nothing else which was quashed when she made an appearance at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Tyler Reddick never allowed himself to be distracted by such baseless rumors, as he was busy building a career for himself. He might not be the oldest but Reddick has won several honors and is an elite-level driver today.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Tyler Reddick Net Worth 2024</strong></h2>
Tyler Reddick has been a motorsports athlete all his life and has won several honors so far in his career. The 23XI Racing driver has built a substantial amount of personal wealth for himself as a result. Apart from racing, Reddick makes a fair sum through his sponsorships and endorsements which adds more to his wealth. According to reports, he has a net worth of roughly $5 million. As per Salary Sport, Reddick's current contract with 23XI Racing earns him $1.3 million a year.

The 2-time Xfinity Series champion has several sponsors as well. 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta revealed early in 2023 that Reddick would have the same sponsors as <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kurt-busch/">Kurt Busch</a> did in the 2022 season. These include Embrace Home Loans, McDonald’s, Monster Energy, Money Lion, SiriusXM Radio, and the Jordan Brand. Monster Energy was also one of the brands that sponsored Reddick for a few races.

[caption id="attachment_1539564" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1539564 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-02-15T150847Z_1963174213_MT1USATODAY19999687_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-MEDIA-DAY.jpg" alt="Tyler Reddick" width="1920" height="1280" /> Feb 15, 2023; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick (45) talks with the press during media day at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick’s Career Timeline  </b></h2>
Despite not winning a Cup Series title so far, it is safe to say that Tyler Reddick has had a successful career in NASCAR. He showed his skills and consistency right from the moment he came into the Truck Series in 2013 and has only gotten better. Reddick came mighty close to winning the Trucks competition in 2015 when he was driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. That year, he finished P2.

Reddick made his Xfinity Series debut in 2017 with Chip Ganassi Racing but tasted real success in the tourney with JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing in 2018 and 2019 respectively where he won consecutive titles and it sealed his promotion to the Cup Series. Reddick now has his eyes set on winning NASCAR's premier competition.

After 3 average years with Richard Childress Racing, he made the jump to 23XI in 2023 after <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-nascar-community-comes-together-to-say-goodbye-to-cup-series-champ-kurt-busch/">Kurt Busch had to retire from driving in the Cup Series owing to a concussion</a>. The driver of the #45 finished the 2023 season in sixth place after making it through to the playoffs for the first time. It is also his best-ever result in the competition so it's safe to say that Tyler Reddick is on the right path.

[caption id="attachment_1242840" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1242840 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1412068074.jpg" alt="Tyler Reddick" width="1920" height="1280" /> INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 31: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, celebrates by spraying champagne in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong> Tyler Reddick’s Partnerships and Endorsements</strong></h2>
After Tyler Reddick joined 23XI Racing, he has seen many big names join his arsenal. One of them is Monster Energy who joined team #45 ahead of the 2023 season.<em> “I’m really excited to represent The Beast Unleashed on track for the first time ever. I’m looking forward to my first year with this team and being a part of a new chapter for 23XI and The Beast Unleashed. I can’t thank our partners like Monster Brewing enough for the support they provide,” </em>Reddick had said at the time.
<p style="text-align: left">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.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Tyler Reddick’s NASCAR Stats</strong></h2>
Since 2019, Tyler Reddick has participated in 146 races in the Cup Series so far with five wins, 57 Top-10s and six pole positions. In the Xfinity Series, he ten wins in 98 races besides a stellar 58 Top-10s and seven poles. As for NASCAR's third division, the driver has three wins, 40 Top-10s and three poles in 63 races.

He also has an average start and average finish of 13.6 and 16.63, respectively, in the NASCAR Cup Series.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick’s Record</b></h2>
Tyler Reddick had a stellar career in the Xfinity Series. He is the first-ever driver to win back-to-back championship titles in the tourney with two different teams (JR Motorsports in 2018 and Richard Childress Racing in 2019).
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong><b>Tyler Reddick’s Major Achievements and Awards</b></strong></h2>
Tyler Reddick has won several accolades so far in his career. He was the 2018 and 2019 Xfinity Series champion, an achievement that stands out on his resume. He was also the 2018 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year, the most popular driver of the 2016 Truck Series campaign, and the 2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year. He was also awarded the series' Most Popular Driver Award in 2016.

In the 2023 Cup Series season, Reddick came into his own, especially on road courses. He won at the iconic Circuit of the Americas and in Kansas to earn his career-best Cup Series finish so far. 2023 also marked his first time qualification in the playoffs in the Cup Series. However, he was not alone in this feat as his 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace also achieved something similar.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick’s Teammate</b></h2>
It would be an understatement to say that Tyler Reddick is teammates with one of the most interesting drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series today. but Reddick shares a very good relationship with Bubba Wallace. The two drivers often help each other out and hype each other up. When Wallace hit the wall in Kansas (a race that Reddick won) and lost his chance to win, his teammate was sympathetic.

<em>“I hate to see that. They had a really solid car. They would have certainly contended the rest of the day as well,” </em>Reddick said<em>.</em>

<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/bubba-wallace/#:~:text=popularly%20known%20as%20Bubba%20Wallace,net%20worth%20of%20%243%20million.">Bubba Wallace</a> also seems to have a positive impression of his teammate. Thanks to his exploits on road courses this year, Wallace referred to Reddick as 'road course Jesus' ahead of the 2023 edition of the Sonoma road course race. <em>“But when we look at as a company as a race team is going to be, have done to our road course program, since bringing it on, of course, road course Jesus, [pointing to Reddick] is that what I should call you now,”</em> he said.

[caption id="attachment_1946369" align="aligncenter" 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]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick and Michael Jordan</b></h2>
Tyler Reddick was seen as a mainstay at Richard Childress Racing for the longest time. After all, he did win his second Xfinity Series title with the team. However, Reddick shocked a lot of people when he moved to 23XI Racing ahead of the 2023 Cup Series season as the team bought out the rest of his RCR contract. The Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned race team gave Reddick the #45 car, some epic paint schemes, and a career-best finish in the competition in his very first season.

Despite having a career-best year, there were several moments where the 23XI Racing driver was left disappointed. Thankfully, he has a supportive boss in Michael Jordan. Tyler Reddick was in serious trouble of dropping out of the playoffs after a poor showing in Talladega in 2023. After the event, the NBA legend was seen speaking with his driver and presumably consoling him. Reddick bounced back in the next race and secured qualification to the round of 8. Michael Jordan was seen at the track celebrating his driver's success with a wide smile on his face.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Tyler Reddick Social Media</b></h2>
Tyler Reddick is fairly active on his social media handles. He is more active on Twitter and Instagram than Facebook given his recent activity.
<table style="width: 46.8334%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.599%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Facebook</span></td>
<td style="width: 126.57%"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TylerReddick23xi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/TylerReddick23xi</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.599%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Instagram</span></td>
<td style="width: 126.57%"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tyler_reddick/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/tyler_reddick/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.599%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Twitter</span></td>
<td style="width: 126.57%"><a href="https://twitter.com/TylerReddick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://twitter.com/TylerReddick</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<table style="width: 70.9408%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Tyler Reddick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Popular Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Lucky</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Birthdate</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">January 11, 1996</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Birthplace</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Corning, California</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Age </span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Height </span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">5 ft 5 in.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Weight</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">125 lb</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Parents</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Corning, California</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Siblings</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">None</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Nationality </span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">American</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Ethnicity</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Caucasian</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Salary</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">$1.3 million a year</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Net Worth</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">$5 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Relationship/ Marital Status</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Engaged (reportedly)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Spouse</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Alexa DeLeon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Children</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Beau Reddick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Profession</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">Race car driver</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 55.9557%"><span style="font-weight: 400">Team</span></td>
<td style="width: 163.746%">23XI Racing</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

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Tyler Reddick Explains Why Most NASCAR Drivers are Short

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