Top 7 NASCAR drivers who have the most playoff wins ft. Joey Logano

As the 2024 NASCAR season enters its playoff stretch, the spotlight shifts to the 16 Cup Series playoff drivers over the next 10 weeks until a champion is crowned at Phoenix Raceway on November 10. The sanctioning body introduced the playoff format in 2004, under the moniker 'Chase for the Nextel Cup'.

The playoff format has undergone numerous modifications over the years before the knockout-style format was introduced in 2014, increasing the emphasis on winning playoff races.

The championship contenders and the teams raise the bar in the final 10 weeks leading to the season finale. Few drivers and teams have mastered the art of elevating their performances and delivering clutch victories in the all-important playoffs.

Let us take a look at seven drivers who have won the most races as a playoff contender since the elimination format was introduced in 2014.

(Note: The below list doesn't count race wins of non-playoff drivers and those eliminated midway through the playoffs).

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Top 7 NASCAR drivers with most playoff victories

#5 Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott - 7 wins

Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Chase Elliott each share seven victories in the playoffs. Hamlin continues his quest for a maiden NASCAR Cup championship, while Busch has won two championships in 2015 and 2019. Elliott won his lone Cup title in 2020.

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#4 Kyle Larson - 8 wins

Kyle Larson (Source: Imagn)

Kyle Larson has clinched eight victories as a playoff contender, thanks to his stellar title-winning campaign in 2021. Larson won five races during the 10-week playoff stretch that season. He also won a playoff race with Chip Ganassi in 2019 and secured two playoff wins last season.

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#3 Martin Truex Jr. - 10 wins

Martin Truex Jr. (Source: Getty)

Martin Truex Jr. occupies the final podium spot with 10 victories as a NASCAR playoff contender. Six of his playoff victories came with Furniture Row Racing, including four wins en route to his title-winning campaign in 2017. Truex Jr.'s form in the playoffs has declined in recent years with his last playoff victory dating back to 2021.

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#2 Kevin Harvick - 11 wins

Kevin Harvick (Source: Getty)

Kevin Harvick was the first driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship under the elimination-style format introduced in 2014. The former #4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver won three playoff races in his title-winning campaign and was particularly dominant at Texas Motor Speedway, where he secured three consecutive playoff victories from 2017 to 2019.

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#1 Joey Logano - 12 wins

Joey Logano (Source: Getty)

Team Penske driver Joey Logano tops the list with the most playoff wins since 2014, boasting 12 victories. A two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Logano has consistently elevated his performance in the playoff season, often flying under the radar during the regular season.

Logano's most 'infamous' playoff campaign came in 2015, when he dominated the Round of 12 with three consecutive victories, only to be wrecked by Matt Kenseth at Martinsville in retaliation for previous run-ins. His most recent playoff victory came in 2022, at the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.