Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington will function the ultimate race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence common season. With three playoff spots up for grabs, here is what you could know earlier than the 16-driver playoff subject for the Cup Sequence is determined.
Wallace, Buescher battle on the bubble
Chris Buescher (+21) at present holds the sixteenth and closing provisional playoff spot, however Bubba Wallace (-21) will not be taking place with out a battle.
It was Wallace who gained the pole on Saturday with a monster lap whereas Buescher straggled into the ultimate spherical of qualifying and can begin tenth. Wallace was additionally the higher of the 2 bubble drivers in Saturday’s observe session, posting the sixth-fastest time. Buescher was fifteenth.
Reddick seems to be to say regular-season title
Like Buescher’s hole to the lower line, Tyler Reddick’s 17-point lead over Kyle Larson could seem protected, however protected is a phrase that may’t be in a driver’s vocabulary at Darlington. Do not rely out Chase Elliott (-18) within the regular-season hunt, both, because the 2020 Cup Sequence champion put collectively a fourth-place effort in Saturday’s Xfinity Sequence race. On Sunday, Larson (fourth) will roll off in entrance of the opposite two leaders, whereas Reddick (sixth) and Elliott (twentieth) might be compelled to play catch up.
Truex, Gibbs look to lock up playoff spots
The Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Martin Truex Jr. (+58) and Ty Gibbs (+39) are ever-so-close to locking up spots within the 2024 playoffs. Even with seemingly insurmountable benefits, nevertheless, neither driver can afford to be complacent. JGR has been stricken by a rash of engine points in 2024. At Darlington in 2022, each Truex and Kyle Busch noticed their Toyota engines expire close to the top of the Southern 500.
Hocevar, Busch look to say walk-off wins
Everybody beneath Wallace — from Kyle Busch (18th) to Zane Smith (thirty fourth) within the Cup Sequence standings — wants a win as a way to snag a playoff berth. Do not look previous rookie Carson Hocevar, although. Hocevar sits twenty second in factors and has quietly put collectively a strong rookie season. He’ll begin alongside Wallace on the entrance row and if current pace is any indication, he could possibly be in competition for his first Cup Sequence win on Sunday.
Kyle Busch has gained two championships and 63 races in his illustrious Cup Sequence profession, however his twentieth full-time season has been his worst. By no means earlier than has Busch sunk to such lows. A win on Sunday would save his season and put him again in victory lane for the primary time in 46 races.
The Southern 500 at Darlington will go inexperienced shortly after 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. Protection might be supplied by USA Community, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
