2023 NASCAR Championship and Playoffs: Standings, schedule, format
NASCAR Playoff Standings & Drivers
Here's a look at the four drivers who will compete for the NASCAR Cup Series championship on Sunday at Phoenix:
Ryan Blaney
Team Penske No. 12 Ford
2023 season: 3 wins (Charlotte, Talladega-Oct, Martinsville-Oct), 8 top-5s, 0 poles, 560 laps led
Last 3 Phoenix finishes: March 2023-2nd; Nov. 2022-2nd; March 2022-4th
Championship 4 experience: None
Christopher Bell
Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota
2023 season: 2 wins (Bristol dirt, Homestead), 10 top-5s, 6 poles, 599 laps led
Last 3 Phoenix finishes: March 2023-6th; Nov. 2022-10th; March 2022-26th
Championship 4 experience: 2022-3rd (of the 4)
Kyle Larson
Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet
2023 season: 4 wins (Richmond-April, Martinsville-April, Darlington-Sept., Las Vegas-Oct.), 14 top-5s, 2 poles, 1,127 laps led
Last 3 Phoenix finishes: March 2023-4th; Nov. 2022-9th; March 2022-34th
Championship 4 experience: 2021-1st
William Byron
Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet
2023 season: 6 wins (Las Vegas-March, Phoenix-March, Darlington-May, Atlanta-July, Watkins Glen, Texas-Sept.), 14 top-5s, 3 poles, 921 laps led
Last 3 Phoenix finishes: March 2023-1st, Nov. 2022-6th; March 2022-18th
Championship 4 experience: None
NASCAR Playoff Schedule
Round of 16
- Sun., Sept. 3: Southern 500 - Darlington Raceway
- Sun., Sept. 10: Hollywood Casino 4000 - Kansas Speedway
- Sat., Sept. 16: Bass Pro Shops Night Race - Bristol Motor Speedway
Round of 12
- Sun., Sept. 24: Autotrader Echopark Automotive 400 - Texas Motor Speedway
- Sun., Oct. 1: Yellawood 500 - Talladega Superspeedway
- Sun., Oct. 8: Bank of America Roval 400 - Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Round of 8
- Sun., Oct. 15: South Point 400 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- Sun., Oct. 22: NASCAR Cup Series Race - Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Sun., Oct. 29: Xfinity 500 - Martinsville Speedway
Championship Race
- Sun., Nov. 5: NASCAR Cup Series Race Championship - Phoenix Raceway
NASCAR Playoff Format
The four drivers who don't win a round and have the fewest points are eliminated after each of the first three race rounds. The second round consists of Texas, Talladega and the Charlotte road course. The third round is Las Vegas, Homestead and Martinsville. The four drivers remaining vie for the title at Phoenix with the driver who finishes the best in that race declared the champion.
Points are reset for each of the first three rounds with playoff points earned during the season making the difference at the start. William Byron and regular-season champion Martin Truex Jr. started the playoffs tied atop the leaderboard.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.