3 drivers who will likely not make it past the first playoff round feat. Harrison Burton

The NASCAR Cup Series is set to start its thrilling 2024 playoff rounds this weekend after getting done and dusted with the regular season races. The top 16 drivers are a mix of the season's top-performing drivers and some unexpected names who managed to secure a ticket to the playoffs with a win.

The list of qualified drivers includes the likes of Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell who dominated this season with multiple wins and the most laps led. The same cannot be said about a couple of drivers who earned their spots by clinching opportunistic wins.

Here's a list of three drivers who likely won't make it past the first round of playoffs:

---

#1 Harrison Burton

Harrison Burton, #21 Wood Brothers Racing driver - Source: Getty

The 23-year-old Wood Brothers Racing driver Harrison Burton is the first on the list. His career's first Cup Series win was a surprise to the NASCAR community when he drove past Kyle Busch on the final lap of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race with a push from Parker Retzlaff at Daytona International Speedway.

Harrison Burton stood outside the top-30 in the standings before the playoff re-rack and has had an underwhelming regular season. In his 26 starts, Burton has managed only two top-10 finishes and has led only 13 laps this season.

---

#2 Austin Cindric

Austin Cindric, #2 Team Penske driver - Source: Getty

Austin Cindric was the first Team Penske driver to secure a berth in the 2024 playoffs. His win at the Enjoy Illinois 300 race at World Wide Technology Raceway broke his 85-race winless streak after Ryan Blaney ran out of gas in the final moments of the race.

Apart from his second career win this summer, the 26-year-old accumulated one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Before being seeded P10 due to the playoff re-rack, Cindric stood at 19th place in the drivers' standings.

---

#3 Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe, #14 Stewart-Haas Racing driver - Source: Getty

Chase Briscoe won the regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway and became the 14th different driver to confirm a playoff berth with a win. The 29-year-old claimed his second Cup Series victory in a dramatic finish ahead of the two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.

The Cook Out Southern 500 win was Briscoe's third top-five and seventh top-10 finish this season. Moreover, this Ford driver struggled to lead the pack for most of the season and only led 43 laps in his 26 starts.