Nine races into the Cup season, only five drivers have won races. It is the fewest number of drivers to win through nine races since 1992 when there were four winners in that opening stretch.
This weekend’s race at Talladega could add another different winner — none of the drivers who have won this year have won in the last eight Cup races at the 2.66-mile track.
While it’s early, if this trend of multiple winners continues, it could mean more playoff spots will be open to drivers via points. Last year, there were 14 different winners in the regular season, leaving only two spots for drivers to make it on points.
In the Next Gen era (since 2022), there has been an average of two drivers make the playoffs via points each year. From 2019-21, the final three seasons before the Next Gen era, there were an average of 4.6 drivers make the playoffs via points each year, including six in 2019.
The Next Gen era has seen more winners in the regular season and that’s made making the playoffs without a victory much harder. But could that be changing this season?
Already, Christopher Bell has three wins and Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson have two wins each. The other drivers with a win this season are William Byron and Josh Berry.
Here is a look at the playoff standings heading into Talladega, which begins a stretch of 28 consecutive weekends of racing for NASCAR’s premier series.
There are several drivers looking to return to Victory Lane this season.
Reigning champion Joey Logano has scored at least one win in each of the previous 13 seasons. While winless last year, Kyle Busch has had at least one win in 19 of the past 20 seasons. Former champion Ryan Blaney has had at least one win in seven of the previous eight seasons. Chase Elliott has had at least one victory in six of the last seven years.
If there are more playoff spots via points this year, stage points could play a larger role.
Blaney leads the series with 92 points. Four of the top six in stage points have yet to win this season. Along with Blaney, the others are Bubba Wallace, third in the series with 78 stage points, Logano, fifth in the series with 70 stage points) and Alex Bowman, sixth in the series with 66 stage points.
For others this past off weekend — the last one of the season — provided a chance for a reset. Former Cup champion Brad Keselowski is 31st in the points and will need a win over the next 17 regular-season races to make the playoffs.
Ty Gibbs, 20th in the points, Austin Cindric, 22nd in points, and Daniel Suarez, 27th in points, all made the playoffs last year and will need better performances to do so again this year.
Published April 22, 2025 03:53 PM
Nine races into the Cup season, only five drivers have won races. It is the fewest number of drivers to win through nine races since 1992 when there were four winners in that opening stretch.
This weekend’s race at Talladega could add another different winner — none of the drivers who have won this year have won in the last eight Cup races at the 2.66-mile track.
While it’s early, if this trend of multiple winners continues, it could mean more playoff spots will be open to drivers via points. Last year, there were 14 different winners in the regular season, leaving only two spots for drivers to make it on points.
In the Next Gen era (since 2022), there has been an average of two drivers make the playoffs via points each year. From 2019-21, the final three seasons before the Next Gen era, there were an average of 4.6 drivers make the playoffs via points each year, including six in 2019.
The Next Gen era has seen more winners in the regular season and that’s made making the playoffs without a victory much harder. But could that be changing this season?
Already, Christopher Bell has three wins and Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson have two wins each. The other drivers with a win this season are William Byron and Josh Berry.
Here is a look at the playoff standings heading into Talladega, which begins a stretch of 28 consecutive weekends of racing for NASCAR’s premier series.
There are several drivers looking to return to Victory Lane this season.
Reigning champion Joey Logano has scored at least one win in each of the previous 13 seasons. While winless last year, Kyle Busch has had at least one win in 19 of the past 20 seasons. Former champion Ryan Blaney has had at least one win in seven of the previous eight seasons. Chase Elliott has had at least one victory in six of the last seven years.
If there are more playoff spots via points this year, stage points could play a larger role.
Blaney leads the series with 92 points. Four of the top six in stage points have yet to win this season. Along with Blaney, the others are Bubba Wallace, third in the series with 78 stage points, Logano, fifth in the series with 70 stage points) and Alex Bowman, sixth in the series with 66 stage points.
For others this past off weekend — the last one of the season — provided a chance for a reset. Former Cup champion Brad Keselowski is 31st in the points and will need a win over the next 17 regular-season races to make the playoffs.
Ty Gibbs, 20th in the points, Austin Cindric, 22nd in points, and Daniel Suarez, 27th in points, all made the playoffs last year and will need better performances to do so again this year.
