NASCAR Playoff standings updated after YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 has ended and the updated playoff standings have been released. William Bryon is on top of the standings and will advance to the Round of 8. Christopher Bell is in second place (+57) and Kyle Larson is in third (+52). Rounding out the top five are Denny Hamlin (+30) and Alex Bowman (+26).

Ryan Blaney (+25), Tyler Reddick (+14) and Chase Elliott (+13) come in at sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively. Rounding out the last four are Joey Logano (-13), Daniel Suárez (-20), Austin Cindric (-29) and Chase Briscoe (-32).

William Byron has clinched a Round 3 berth on points. Points entering Roval elimination race:

Byron: IN

Bell +57
Larson +52
Hamlin +30
Bowman +26
Blaney +25
Reddick +14
Elliott +13
—-
Logano -13
Suarez -20
Cindric -29
Briscoe -32

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 6, 2024

Byron is one step closer to winning his first Cup Series championship. After finishing third last year, Byron looks poised to win it all as he has been one of the more consistent drivers this season. Byron has won three races in 2024 including the Daytona 500 and finished third in today’s race at Talladega.

More on the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff standings

After the Daytona 500 win, Byron spoke to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic about the best way to measure success in racing. “Probably top-fives, laps led, average finish. Those are all the things I look at. Just overall consistency,” he said. “But also, for us drivers, it’s where you line up in the points in the garage (NASCAR puts the haulers in order of points, based on the top-performing car in an organization). That’s always a measuring stick I use: Where are we lined up in the garage?”

Hamlin is also in a good spot after earning a P10 finish at Talladega. He moved up from fifth to fourth in the standings and is also looking for his first championship after having a lot of success in his Cup Series career.

“I’m just going to do the best that I can, and try to go and get as many wins as I can before my career is over. That’s ultimately the list that I really, really care about, because the drivers that are in it are just the most elite. So, that’s my goal, and I’ve got plenty of time to get to the accomplishments that I want, and a Cup championship would just add to that,” Hamlin said last month, regarding his chances of winning a title. “I mean, certainly would be such a big deal for me, my family. I want it for my dad, I’ve said it many times, I want it for my family and friends, as much as I want it for me.”