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The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Plays field set was set for Saturday at Daytona International Speedway at the end of the regular-season.
Before Coke Zero Sugar 400, 13 of the 16 spots were spotted, meaning three spots were available. William Byron (win), Clint Bauer (points) and Matt Debenedato (points) earned them.
Related: Race Results
Hendrick Motorsports teammates Byron and Jimmy Johnson were required to gain access to all other drivers coming down the cutline, separated by four points that day. Series races – two very different outcomes for the largest and smallest Hendrick drivers.
Below are the issues of unofficial seeding and entering the 16th round. This story will be updated when the seeds are made official.
NASCAR CAPE SERIES PLAY OF FFLD Field
1. Kevin Harwick, Stuart-Haas Racing: 2,057 points
2. Danny Hamlin, Gibbs Racing: 2,047 points
3. Brad Kaselowski, Team Pensk: 2,029 points
4. Joey logo, Team Pensk: 2,022 points
5. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports: 2,020 points
6. Martin Trux Jr., Gibbs Racing: 2014 points
7. Ryan Blaney, Team Pensk: 2,013 points
8. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports: 2,009 points
9. William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports: 2,007 points
10. in Stin Dillon, Richard Child Racing: 2,005 points
11. Call Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing: 2,005 points
12. Eric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing: 2,005 points
13. Clint Boyer, Stuart-Haas Racing, 2,004 points
14. Kyle Bush, Gibbs Racing: 2,003 points
15. Kurt Bush, Chip Ganasi Racing: 2,001 points
16. Matt Debenedetto, Wood Brothers Racing: 2,000 points
Champ out: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Johnson will not get a chance to win a final title. No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports was involved in a multicar rack with two wheels to go to Chevrolet. At the time, Johnson was on the right side of the cutline. His 17th place finish, however, pushed him out of the playoffs. Johnson is set to retire at the end of the 2020 season.
The champ is here: Kevin Harwick won the regular-season championship for the first time in his career, having the most points in a 26-race regular season. He won the title at Dover International Speedway last week. His reward? In addition to the prestige and beautiful sweet trophy, it has 15 playoff points that lead to postseason. Harwick was dominant in the regular season, and no one in particular came close to challenging his lead, ending with a 10-point cushion. He will enter as a man to kill.
Top seeds: Harwick was dominant in the regular season, and with Danny Hamelin ending up with a 115-point cushion, no one in particular was close enough to top his position. He will enter as a man to kill.
Next up: The NASCAR Cup Series plays will begin next Sunday, September 6, from Darlington Raceway on the Cook Out Southern 500 (6pm ET, NBCSN / NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
