NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Bubble Heats Up Before Pocono

The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race is heating up as the field leaves Mexico City and prepares for a big weekend at Pocono Raceway. Shane van Gisbergen’s strong road course win in Mexico has put him among this season’s winners, raising the total to 10 different race victors so far in 2025.

With just 10 points-paying races left before the playoff spots are locked in, every point matters for drivers hovering near the elimination line. Ten drivers have guaranteed a playoff spot with at least one win this year.

This group features Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell, each already celebrating three wins in 2025. Rounding out the list of winners are William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, and Ross Chastain.

Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick hold solid playoff positions, each collecting over 100 points more than the cutoff. Elliott is up by 146 while Reddick sits 123 points above, both currently advancing on points without a 2025 win.

Just four more playoff berths remain open as the season heads to Pocono. Bubba Wallace is 57 points to the good, Chase Briscoe sits 39 above the line, Alex Bowman owns a 22-point cushion, and Chris Buescher is 19 points clear.

Ryan Preece (-19), Michael McDowell (-43), AJ Allmendinger (-45), and Kyle Busch (-50) are next in line but are currently outside the cutoff. The race at Mexico City saw Elliott and Bowman gain valuable ground.

Elliott picked up four points, securing a third-place finish, while Bowman improved by nine with a fourth-place result. Elliott leads all active drivers in career road course wins but is chasing his first in the Next Gen car.

Bowman found victory in Chicago last season, which signals both drivers could soon add their names to the winner’s list for 2025, creating more competition for those final playoff spots. Michael McDowell displayed solid road course prowess in Mexico City with a fifth-place finish, climbing five positions in the standings despite dropping six points to the cutoff.

McDowell, though 43 out, likely needs to win a race to secure a postseason slot. Meanwhile, drivers like John Hunter Nemechek and Ty Gibbs experienced setbacks.

Nemechek finished sixth but lost 20 points, and Gibbs dropped 25 points and fell to 25th in the playoff standings after finishing 11th. Pocono Raceway hosts the next race, which could be decisive for several teams.

Hamlin, Blaney, and Logano—among others—have already triumphed at this unique tri-oval and are comfortably in the field or above the cutoff. But Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, both former Pocono winners, find themselves far from safety at 50 and 140 points below the elimination line.

Both drivers will be eager for a major turnaround as the clock ticks down toward playoff time. The rest of the regular season features three more road courses and two superspeedways, including stops at Chicago, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Atlanta, and Daytona.

These tracks are all known for unpredictable finishes and could create opportunity—or trouble—for those on the playoff bubble. The race to secure one of the remaining spots is set for drama, and fans can expect more twists as drivers look for a clinching win or key points in the coming weeks.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.