With Ryan Blaney’s surprise first win at Pocono Raceway now in the books, 14 of 26 races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season are now complete.
After race No. 26 at Richmond on Sept. 9, 16 drivers will be locked into NASCAR’s 10-race, season-ending playoffs, which will determine the 2017 Cup champion.
If the regular season ended today, here are the 16 drivers who would race for the title.
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16
Joey Logano
When Logano’s race-winning car flunked post-race inspection at Richmond, it meant his win became “encumbered,” which means he doesn’t get to count it toward the playoff or get the five playoff points for winning the race. As it stands now, he has one playoff point.
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15
Clint Bowyer
In his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing, Bowyer has posted a best finish of second at Bristol. He’s still looking for his first stage points and his first race win of the season.
14
Denny Hamlin
None of the four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers has managed to win this year, which is puzzling. For his part, Hamlin has picked up two stage points.
13
Jamie McMurray
Although he’s run well so far this season, McMurray has yet to win or to pick up any bonus points, which will definitely be a disadvantage later in the season.
12
Chase Elliott
As a rookie last season, Elliott finished 10th in points in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. It’s somewhat surprising that he’s still chasing his first victory. He’s earned two playoff points.
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11
Kyle Busch
Fourth in points, Busch has been consistently fast this season, although victory so far has eluded him in 2017. Still, he does have four playoff points in the bank.
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10
Kevin Harvick
Although he hasn’t won yet this season, Harvick has been fast in recent weeks, posting five top-five finishes in the last eight races, including second place behind Ryan Blaney at Pocono. So far, Harvick has earned 3 playoff points and is third in the standings.
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9
Austin Dillon
When he won the Coca-Cola 600 for Richard Childress Racing, Dillon won in the No. 3 Cup car for the first time since Dale Earnhardt took the win at Talladega on Oct. 15, 2000. Dillon has earned five playoff points.
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8
Ryan Newman
A bold late-race gamble at Phoenix allowed Newman to break a 127-race winless streak and a 112-race winless streak for Richard Childress Racing. Newman has five playoff points.
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7
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
One of three drivers to score his first career Cup victory this year, Stenhouse won at Talladega. It was the first victory for Roush Fenway Racing since 2014. He has five playoff points.
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6
Kurt Busch
Starting off the season by winning the Daytona 500 was huge for Busch, one of four drivers to win a race but no stages. Busch has five playoff points.
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5
Ryan Blaney
Just how big was Sunday’s win at Pocono? It was big enough to move Blaney into the No. 5 playoff seed, right behind Kyle Larson among drivers who’ve won one race each in 2017. Blaney and Larson each have eight playoff points.
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4
Kyle Larson
Already this season, Larson has one victory and a whopping five second-place finishes, including three in a row at Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix. He has 8 playoff points, tied for most of any one-win driver.
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3
Brad Keselowski
The senior Team Penske driver is one of three multiple-race winners on the season, and he has 12 playoff points that will come in handy once the regular season ends. Keselowski has been good pretty much all year.
2
Martin Truex Jr.
A two-time race winner so far this season, Truex has accumulated a series-high 18 playoff points in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. And he’s the series points leader, which if he can hold onto through the end of the regular season, will give him 15 more playoff points.
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1
Jimmie Johnson
Did you really expect to see anyone else as the No. 1 seed? Of course not. Johnson is the only driver with three victories so far, and he has 15 playoff points.
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