NASCAR Cup Series playoffs bubble watch: Where the field sits after Loudon
NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman
Sunday's USA Today 301 saw the NASCAR Cup Series playoff bubble change dramatically. While Christoper Bell's win meant no new winners saw victory lane, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the cut line as the series charges to Nashville. Here's where the bubble drivers stack up after New Hampshire.
14. Alex Bowman (+59)
Bowman was sitting pretty in points heading into Sunday's race, but an engine failure and subsequent last-place finish likely have the Tucson, Arizona, native sweating bullets as the playoffs draw near. One win would lock Bowman in, but the driver of the No. 48 car hasn't won in over two years. Nashville is a crucial race for the No. 48 team.
15. Chris Buescher (+50)
A fifth-place finish is exactly what the doctor ordered for Buescher, who has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory multiple times in 2024. Anything can happen in eight races, but the No. 17 team should be fine if they continue to show consistent speed.
16. Joey Logano (+13)
While it's a good thing that Logano is on the positive side of the cut line for once, a 32nd-place finish at New Hampshire isn't the result the No. 22 team needed. Logano can still steal a win anywhere, but the results need to start rolling in quickly to prove his appearance inside the cut line isn't a flash in the pan.
17. Bubba Wallace (-13)
Rather than a good result, Wallace likely just wants a hug after an extremely unfortunate result on Sunday. With close bubble competitor Joey Logano sidelined after a crash, a 14th-place finish was in line for Wallace if Sunday's race was unable to be restarted. Not only did Wallace fall like a rock once the race restarted, he was caught up in a crash with Noah Gragson, ending his day and placing him 33rd. It was a cruel twist of fate for Wallace, who desperately needs a good day at Nashville before NASCAR's trip to the Chicago Street Course.
18. Chase Briscoe (-25)
Briscoe's runner-up finish is a huge shot in the arm for a team looking to ride off into the sunset. While Briscoe seems to have a ride with Joe Gibbs Racing locked down for 2025 and beyond, the future of everyone else on the No. 14 team is shaky and that should be more than enough motivation for Briscoe to make a playoffs push.
19. Kyle Busch (-45)
It'd be hard to blame Busch for not having the most positive outlook on his season after New Hampshire. Nothing went right for the No. 8 team in Loudon, as in addition to being lapped on speed multiple times, Busch was involved in multiple accidents and recorded his third sub-30th place finish in the last four races. At this point, the only way to go is up for a team that seems to have hit rock bottom.
20. Josh Berry (-73)
Berry makes his way back onto bubble watch after two consecutive top-seven finishes. The final eight races of the regular season will be an excellent test of how far Berry has come in his rookie year – known as a short track ace, only one short track remains on the regular-season schedule. Richmond could be his saving grace, but it'd be extremely impressive if Berry could mount a charge and point his way into the postseason.
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