(Chris Graythen/NASCAR via Getty Images photo)
RICHMOND, Va. — The field of 16 drivers who will vie for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship was finalized after a grueling, overtime-extended 407 lap regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night.
While Denny Hamlin won the Federated Auto Parts 400 for his 29th career Sprint Cup victory and third of the season, his teammate and defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch secured the No. 1 seed for NASCAR’s premier series playoffs, which begin Sept. 18 at Illinois’ Chicagoland Speedway.
All 13 regular season winners managed to qualify on the Chase Grid, with the final three open slots given to those winless drivers who were highest in points through the first 26 races of the season.
Busch had a regular-season high four victories, coming at Martinsville, Texas, Kansas and Indianapolis, and had more second place finishes than fellow four-time winner Brad Keselowski during the regular season — thereby giving him the top spot with a new points total of 2,012 entering the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 next weekend.
Keselowski will be seeded second, followed by Hamlin, who was the only three-time season winner and will start the Round of 16 with 2,009 points.
Drivers with two wins and 2,006 points include seeds four through eight: Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson.
Single winners made up the ninth through 13th seeds, and each of those drivers kicks off the Chase’s first round with 2,003 points.
Those drivers include Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and surprise Chase contender Chris Buescher, who puts Front Row Motorsports in their first Chase after his improbable, weather-shortened victory at Pocono in August.
Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray were the final three drivers to qualify for the Chase field, receiving their seedings based on points earned and each starting with the flat base total of 2,000.
Buescher and Elliott become the first rookies to make the Chase since Hamlin accomplished the feat in 2006, and this year’s Chase is the first time in its 13-year history that multiple rookies have been in the hunt for the championship.
Joe Gibbs Racing (four), Team Penske (two) and Chip Ganassi Racing (two) each put every car in their respective organizations into the Chase, combining to make up half of the 16-driver field.
Official NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase Grid
- Kyle Busch (four wins, 2012 points)
- Brad Keselowski (four wins, 2012 points)
- Denny Hamlin (three wins, 2009 points)
- Kevin Harvick (two wins, 2006 points)
- Carl Edwards (two wins, 2006 points)
- Martin Truex Jr. (two wins, 2006 points)
- Matt Kenseth (two wins, 2006 points)
- Jimmie Johnson (two wins, 2006 points)
- Joey Logano (one win, 2003 points)
- Kyle Larson (one win, 2003 points)
- Tony Stewart (one win, 2003 points)
- Kurt Busch (one win, 2003 points)
- Chris Buescher (one win, 2003 points)
- Chase Elliott (on points, 2000 points)
- Austin Dillon (on points, 2000 points)
- Jamie McMurray (on points, 2000 points)
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
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