Cup standings appear upside-down after three races The NASCAR Cup Series standings have taken an unexpected turn after three races, leaving many fans and analysts scratching their heads. With the season still in its early stages, the current rankings suggest a dramatic shift in the playoff picture, as eight of the 16 drivers who qualified for the 2025 playoffs find themselves below the cutoff line for The Chase. This includes several drivers who were considered championship favorites heading into the season. Among those struggling are Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, and Austin Dillon, all of whom are currently ranked 20th, 24th, 27th, 31st, and 34th, respectively. These drivers are trailing the cutoff by 4, 9, 22, 29, and 33 points. The situation is even more striking when considering that if The Chase were to begin today, Joe Gibbs Racing would be entirely excluded from championship contention. The team’s top performer, Ty Gibbs, sits in 17th place, three points behind Ryan Preece of RFK Racing for the final Chase berth. Drivers like Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe, who are 126, 127, and 140 points behind leader Tyler Reddick, are facing an uphill battle. However, recent performances offer some hope. Bell, Gibbs, and Hamlin have all secured top-10 finishes at Circuit of The Americas, and the trio has a strong track record at Phoenix. JGR has led 56% of the laps at Phoenix over the past four races, and Bell has won the last two spring races there. Briscoe, who has struggled at Phoenix in recent years, is looking to secure his first Cup win since 2022. Hamlin, meanwhile, aims to overcome last fall’s championship heartbreak at the track, where he narrowly missed out on a title. On the other side of the equation, 23XI Racing is off to a strong start.#nascar_cup_series #ty_gibbs #rfk_racing #joe_gibbs_racing #tyler_reddick
