The NASCAR 2023 Cup Series Playoffs began this past weekend at the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Fans saw the first of many upsets and mistakes that could result in any of the current 16 contenders of the NASCAR Cup Series secondary playoff bracket being eliminated in the coming race weekends.
Before diving into the details of the upcoming race this Sunday, the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, now is as good an opportunity as ever to assess the top 12 drivers and their potential to take the championship. No check writing calculator is needed as each of their current scores has been tabulated in the table below:
| Rank | Driver | Points | Playoff Points |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 2074 | +0 |
| 2 | Willaim Byron | 2075 | +45 |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 2060 | +30 |
| 4 | Chris Buescher | 2057 | +27 |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | 2057 | +27 |
Top 5 NASCAR 2023 Cup Series Playoff Drivers Synopsys
Kyle Larson – Rank 1
Kyle Larson has proven himself to earn his current top spot in the playoffs. Just this last week at Darlington Raceway, he put his perseverance on full display whether the storm through all the cautions and wrecks during the race.
Larson has already taken a total of 3 race wins during this cup series, which ties with his 2022 NASCAR Cup Series performance and a total of 11 Top 5s and 13 top 10s. Larson finished 7th in last year’s playoffs, and judging by his performance this year, he is expected to surpass the previous year.
William Byron – Rank 2
William Byron, while not currently in the rank one position, has proven himself this year. Not only has Byron earned a staggering 5 race wins during this season, but many outlets have also predicted him to win the 2023 Cup Series title. Byron has also earned 10 top 5s, and 14 top 10s during the 2023 Season.
Tyler Reddick – Rank 3
Tyler Reddick continues to prove consistency is key as he sits safely at the rank three position in the playoffs. Reddick has earned a total of 1 win, 8 top 5s, and 12 top 10s this season. Last year’s performance saw Reddick rank 14th but his 2023 performance has been spectacular.
Chris Buescher – Rank 4
Chris Buescher’s 2023 performance has been crazy, to say the least. Buescher has shown how well he can thrive in duress by only having 1 DNF this year. Buescher has been on the recording saying, “It’s an execution day” and he is living true to his words. Buescher has a total of 3 race wins, 7 top 5s, and 13 top 10s this season.
Denny Hamlin – Rank 5
Denny Hamlin is one of the greats and is expected to fight tooth and nail for his position in the Cup Series and playoffs. Hamlin has been a perfectly executed aggressive driver this year and has taken 2 race wins, 9 top 5s, and 12 top 10s while only having 2 DNFs. Hamlin’s playoff rank last has been higher than the current other top 4, so it is expected he will rise in this list.
Honorable Mention – Ross Chastain – Rank 10
While sitting at the 10th position in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, fans cannot write off Ross Chastain. Last year, Chastain showed us how much he wanted to take the 2022 Title with his outstanding performance and crazy plays like the last lap at Martinsville Speedway. Chastain finished 2nd last year and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him rise in the ranks.
