Round of 12 contenders emerge from Bristol bullring

Saturday night’s elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway might have been an unexpected frenzied affair, but there were no last-minute surprises or changes for the drivers heading to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 12.

The four drivers who entered the weekend below the cutline were the four who were eliminated. It would have taken a win for any one of those drivers to transfer forward. And Shane van Gisbergen made some unfortunate playoff history by being eliminated in the first round with the most points a driver has ever started above the cutline (16).

Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing swept the first round. Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell all added to their points buckets with victories.

The reseeded Round of 12:

1. Denny Hamlin: 3,034 points (+26 to the cutline)
2. William Byron: 3,032 points (+24 to the cutline)
3. Kyle Larson: 3,032 (+24 to the cutline)
4. Christopher Bell: 3,028 (+20 to the cutline)
5. Ryan Blaney: 3,027 (+19 to the cutline)
6. Chase Briscoe: 3,018 (+10 to the cutline)
7. Chase Elliott: 3,013 (+5 to the cutline)
8. Bubba Wallace: 3,009 (+1 to the cutline)
9. Austin Cindric: 3,008 (-1 to the cutline)
10. Joey Logano: 3,007 (-2 to the cutline)
11. Ross Chastain: 3,007 (-2 to the cutline)
12. Tyler Reddick: 3,006 (-3 to the cutline)

The second round begins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kansas Speedway and the Charlotte Roval will fill out the Round of 12.

A year ago, Bell won in New Hampshire although it was not a playoff race then. Ross Chastain, who was not playoff eligible, won the Kansas race, and Kyle Larson won at the Roval.