3 underdog drivers who could shake up the NASCAR playoffs in 2024 ft. Michael McDowell

With three races remaining in the regular season, the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are fast approaching. Cup Series drivers will visit Michigan, Daytona, and Darlington in the buildup to the 10-race playoff stretch.

With 12 of the 16 playoff spots already secured through victories, the postseason field is starting to take shape. All the top contenders and championship favorites have clinched their berths, but several popular drivers are still fighting for their playoff spots.

Martin Truex Jr. will most likely qualify on points, while drivers like Ty Gibbs, Bubba Wallace, and Chris Buescher, who are currently above the cutline, could see their fortunes change with a single race.

Several other drivers, who are currently outside the playoff bubble, have the potential to shake up the postseason field with a victory in one of the remaining three races. Here's a look at three such underdog drivers:

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3 NASCAR drivers who can shake up the playoff grid

#3 Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe (Image via Getty)

The #14 Stewart Haas Racing driver, Chase Briscoe, currently sits 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, 99 points below the cutline, and is in must-win territory to clinch his playoff berth.

Although his odds for Michigan are slim, he could be in the mix in the penultimate race at Daytona. Briscoe could also pull off an upset at Darlington, a track where he finished fifth earlier this year and has previously won in the Xfinity Series.

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#2 Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch (Image via Imagn)

Two-time NASCAR Cup champion, Kyle Busch is no underdog in the premier stock car racing series. However, he is on the worst stretch of his career and is currently 119 points below the cutline.

However, the Rowdy cannot be ruled out, as his teammate Austin Dillon recently shocked the grid with a race-winning pace at Richmond. Having recorded wins at all three tracks, Busch could turn around his 2024 NASCAR season with a surprise victory at Daytona or Michigan.

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#1 Michael McDowell

Michael McDowell (Image via Getty)

The #34 Front Row Motorsports driver, Michael McDowell, is currently out of the playoff picture, 153 points behind the cutline. McDowell missed out on a victory at Talladega, crashing out of the lead on the final lap of the race earlier this season.

McDowell is one of the favorites to win the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, and that could shake up the playoff grid. The #34 Ford driver has not recorded strong results at Michigan and Darlington, but the trip to Daytona could change his season.

The 39-year-old qualified for the playoffs last season but got eliminated in the first round. With two superspeedway and two road course races in the playoff schedule, McDowell could make a deep playoff run this time around if he manages to qualify.