Martinsville will serve as a do-or-die race for a myriad of NASCAR Cup Series drivers fighting to secure their place in the championship showdown in Phoenix. While Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have already locked in their berths for the final four, the situation is far less clear for the remaining Round of 8 contenders.
With only a single round left before the cutoff, it seems increasingly likely that only one driver will advance to Phoenix on points. Recent race weekends have seen a variety of drivers take victory lane, adding to the unpredictability of the playoff battle. Let’s take a closer look at the average finishing positions of the Round of 8 drivers heading into Martinsville since the postseason began.
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### NASCAR Round of 8 Drivers Ranked by Average Finishing Positions in the Playoffs
**#8 Chase Elliott**
Placing last among the Round of 8 drivers is Chase Elliott, with an average finish of 16.25. Although Elliott recently won a race at Kansas Speedway and appeared poised to mount a title challenge reminiscent of his 2020 campaign, he has managed only one top-10 finish since. Compounding his struggles, Elliott was the first driver to retire from the Talladega race and currently sits 62 points below the cutoff line. This means a win at Martinsville is his only path to the championship fight in Phoenix.
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**#7 William Byron**
Another Hendrick Motorsports driver finds himself on the lower end of the average finishing ladder: William Byron, the NASCAR Regular Season champion. Despite earning bonus points for the Regular Season title, Byron is 36 points below the cutoff. His inconsistent performances throughout the playoffs—only two top-10 finishes in the last eight races—have dropped his average finish to a disappointing 16.00.
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**#6 Ryan Blaney**
The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney, holds an average finish of 15.62 during the playoffs. However, two rough race weekends in the Round of 8 have left him 47 points beneath the cutoff line. Unless Blaney can secure a victory at Martinsville, his elimination from the Round of 8 seems all but certain.
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**#5 Kyle Larson**
Kyle Larson was considered a championship favorite heading into the postseason and has shown solid form in recent weeks. Holding an average finish of 13.25, including strong second-place results at the Roval and Las Vegas, Larson currently sits above the cutoff line and remains in a realistic position to advance to the final four.
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**#4 Denny Hamlin**
Denny Hamlin has already clinched his spot in the final four with a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This marked his sixth race win of the season, more than any other driver in the 2024 Cup Series so far. Despite this success, Hamlin’s average finish is only slightly better than Larson’s, standing at 12.62. This is due to some inconsistent showings—two playoff wins balanced by finishes outside the top 20 at Bristol, the Roval, and Talladega have impacted his average.
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**#3 Joey Logano**
The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, finds himself on the brink of elimination. With an average finish of 12.12—the third highest among Round of 8 drivers—Logano’s performance hasn’t translated into a strong points total. Though he has earned three top-five finishes since Darlington and a top-10 at Las Vegas, Logano currently sits 38 points below the cutoff line.
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**#2 Christopher Bell**
Another Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Christopher Bell, is in the hunt for his maiden NASCAR Cup Series title this year. Bell boasts an impressive 7.5 average finish during the playoffs and holds the highest position among contenders fighting for a berth in Phoenix based on points. Since Darlington, Bell has not finished outside the top 10 and also secured a victory at Bristol, bolstering his championship aspirations.
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**#1 Chase Briscoe**
Chase Briscoe emerged victorious at the fall NASCAR race in Talladega. Like Hamlin, he has won two races during the playoffs and possesses a stellar average finishing position of 5.62. These strong results have earned Briscoe a spot in the championship showdown in Phoenix, where he also currently holds the highest points total among Cup Series drivers.
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As Martinsville approaches, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For many Round of 8 drivers, it’s a last shot to punch their ticket to Phoenix and keep their championship dreams alive. With victory lanes scattered among several competitors so far, this race promises intense competition and high drama as the playoff field is finalized.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/ranking-every-nascar-round-8-driver-average-finish-2025-playoffs-martinsville-showdown