NASCAR 2024 Playoffs: Who qualified for the Round of 12 after Kyle Larson’s win at Bristol?

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season added a new chapter on Saturday, September 21. The Cup Series playoff grid went from 16 to 12 drivers with the end of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson became the latest playoff driver to lock his spot in the Round of 12. Larson clinched a dominating win, leading 462 of 500 laps at 0.5-mile short track. He grabbed the lead from Bubba Wallace on Lap 334 for the final time and remained unbeaten till the checkered flag.

The opening round of this year’s playoff was filled with excitement and drama. In the first two playoff races, two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano and non-playoff driver Chris Buescher took the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International, respectively.

Four drivers saw their NASCAR playoff runs end in the 500-lap at Bristol, leaving 12 drivers to advance into the next round of playoffs.

Two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs, failed to make the Round of 12. Meanwhile, 2012 NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski and Harrison Burton were the other two drivers who also fell out.

Trackhouse Racing Daniel Suarez was the last playoff driver to advance on points.

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NASCAR Cup Series playoff grid: 12 drivers who qualified for the Round of 12

With 12 drivers now left to fight for the 2024 championship, Kyle Larson has again grabbed the top spot to begin the Round of 12. Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, and Chase Briscoe enter the next playoff round as the four drivers below the cut-off line.

Take a look at the 12 remaining drivers battling for the 2024 Cup Series championship:

1. #5 – Kyle Laron (3047 points)
2. #20 - Christopher Bell (3032)
3. #45 - Tyler Reddick (3028)
4. #24 - William Byron (3022)
5. #12 - Ryan Blaney (3019)
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin (3015)
7. #9 - Chase Elliott (3014)
8. #22 - Joey Logano (3012)
9. #2 - Austin Cindric (3008)
10. #99 – Daniel Suarez (3006)
11. #48 - Alex Bowman (3005)
12. #14 - Chase Briscoe (3005)

NASCAR Cup Series returns next weekend at Kansas Speedway for the first race of Round of 12. The action will go live at 3 pm ET on Sunday, September 29.