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NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings update after Harvick wins in Texas

By Nick Tylwalk

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Harvick’s victory at Texas Motor Speedway means there’s only one spot left up for grabs in the championship round next week at Phoenix.

Kevin Harvick hasn’t looked like a top contender for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship for most of the 2017 season. But after coming up with a clutch victory in the AAA Texas 500 — his first ever win at Texas Motor Speedway — he’s one of three drivers who’s assured of racing for the title at Homestead.

The two others should be no surprise. Kyle Busch has been one of the fastest drivers week in and week out since the summer, and his Martinsville victory means that he, too, is locked in for Homestead. Martin Truex Jr. has no wins in the current Round of 8, but he’s so far ahead in points that even some kind of catastrophic early wreck or mechanical failure next week can’t ruin his drive for a first Cup Series title.

That leaves one spot open and five drivers vying for it. Brad Keselowski has a big advantage at the moment, up 19 points on fifth-place Denny Hamlin. He’s not 100 percent safe, as Kyle Larson can attest, but if he stays out of trouble and nothing on his No. 2 Ford breaks, he’ll be looking good.

That is, of course, assuming no one behind him wins. It’s desperation time for the likes of Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and even seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who all likely need a victory at Phoenix to advance. Expect to see their crew chiefs throw caution to the wind and gamble everything to get a win.

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As the smoke clears from Harvick’s Texas-sized win, here’s a full rundown of the playoff standings.

2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings after AAA Texas 500 (race 34 of 36)

(a) – already advanced to the Championship Round

  1. Martin Truex Jr. (a), 4168 points
  2. Kyle Busch (a), 4118 points
  3. Kevin Harvick (a), 4112 points
  4. Brad Keselowski, 4111 points
  5. Denny Hamlin, -19 points behind cutoff
  6. Ryan Blaney, -22
  7. Chase Elliott, -49
  8. Jimmie Johnson, -51
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