'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NASCAR Cup Series returns to Darlington Raceway for the regular season finale with three playoff spots up for grabs. The 1.366-mile oval is scheduled to host the Southern 500 on Sunday, September 1, at 6:00 PM ET.
Heading into the regular season finale, 13 drivers have already qualified for the post-season with a victory. Title favorites Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott will fight for the regular season championship this Sunday.
Harrison Burton's victory at Daytona has busted many playoff brackets, leaving three vacant playoff spots. Five drivers are in contention to make their way into the playoffs through points, while the rest of the grid has to win the Southern 500 to clinch a playoff berth.
Trending
Ahead of the highly-anticipated regular-season finale, let us take a look at 5 winless drivers vying for one of the final three spots in the playoffs.
5 winless Cup drivers battling for a playoff spot at Darlington
#5 Ross Chastain
Heading into the regular season finale, Ross Chastain is 27 points below the cutline. The #1 Trackhouse Racing driver needs to maximize his points haul with ample stage points and outscore his rivals or outright win the race.
Chastain has a good track record at Darlington with two top-5 finishes and an 11th-place finish earlier this season.
#4 Bubba Wallace
23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace is 21 points adrift of the cutline. Like Chastain, Wallace needs to score big points in both stages or win the race to advance to the postseason.
Wallace has four consecutive top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway but has never finished inside the top-5. Tyler Reddick has also been strong at the 1.366-mile oval, hence one should not discount 23XI Racing bringing two fast cars this Sunday.
#3 Chris Buescher
Chris Buescher was in contention for multiple race wins this season and also lost out on a potential victory at Darlington. Buescher enters the regular season finale holding the final playoff spot, 21 points ahead of Wallace.
The #17 RFK Racing driver finished third in the 2023 Southern 500 and is much more likely to be in contention for the victory this weekend. Although he has a good cushion to Wallace, Buescher remains focused on winning a race.
#2 Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs has endured a tough summer stretch but has a 39-point advantage over Wallace and 18 points over Buescher. If there is no new winner, a 20th or better finish will see him advance to the playoffs.
Like the rest of the bubble drivers, Gibbs has also shown a strong pace at Darlington. He finished inside the top three in both stages and was second at the checkered flag earlier this season. Gibbs is likely to make the playoffs unless a mechanical issue spoils his outing.
#1 Martin Truex Jr.
After losing out on a victory at Richmond to teammate Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. remains winless heading into the regular season finale. Truex Jr. is 58 points ahead of Wallace, meaning he will qualify if there is no new winner at Darlington. In case a new winner emerges, Truex Jr. has plenty of buffer to bubble drivers.
Truex Jr. is a two-time winner at Darlington but has an 18th-place best finish in his last five starts at the 1.366-mile oval. He finished fifth in the first stage and 25th at the checkered flag earlier this season.
