WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Five NASCAR Cup Series drivers are left in mathematical contention for the final three playoff spots with two regular season races to go after Watkins Glen.
Sitting in the final three spots are Tyler Reddick (117 points above the cutline), Alex Bowman (+60) and Chris Buescher (+34). Just below the cutline and still in mathematical contention for the playoffs are Ryan Preece (34 points below cutline) and Kyle Busch (-102).
Buescher finished best of the bunch — third — and gained 12 points on Preece. Reddick finished ninth, Preece finished 13th, Bowman finished 20th and Busch finished 22nd.
The maximum amount of points you can make up in two races is 120. With that in mind, TRE projects Tyler Reddick will make the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
On the other end, Ty Gibbs finished 33rd, now 125 points below the cutline and out of mathematical contention for the playoffs with Richmond and Daytona left. Gibbs is one of 18 drivers who need to win to make the playoffs:
- Ty Gibbs
- AJ Allmendinger
- Brad Keselowski
- Multi-time Richmond winner
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Carson Hocevar
- Michael McDowell
- 2021 Daytona 500 champion
- Erik Jones
- Won at Daytona in July 2018
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- 2023 Daytona 500 champion, won at Daytona in July 2017
- Zane Smith
- Austin Dillon
- Won at Richmond in August 2024, Daytona in August 2022
- Justin Haley
- Won at Daytona in July 2019
- Todd Gilliland
- Daniel Suarez
- Ty Dillon
- Cole Custer
- Noah Gragson
- Riley Herbst
- Cody Ware
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Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com