With two races remaining in the Round of 8, the pressure is mounting for the drivers seeking spots in the Championship 4. Two members of this group drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, a team that can extend its playoff record with a win.
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The Championship-winning organization holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the most Championship 4 appearances by one team. A variety of drivers have combined to make 14 appearances in the final round of the playoffs.
Kyle Busch led the group with five Championship 4 appearances between 2015-19. Denny Hamlin has made four Championship 4 appearances (2014, 2019-21) for JGR. Martin Truex Jr. has made two of his four appearances with JGR (2019, 2021). Christopher Bell (2022-23) has made two.
Carl Edwards, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in February, rounds out the group. He made the Championship 4 in 2016.
Team Penske is second on the list with nine Championship 4 appearances, primarily from Joey Logano who makes his sixth appearance this season. Ryan Blaney has made one trip to the final round while Brad Keselowski made two during his time in the No. 2 Ford.
However, Team Penske leads Joe Gibbs Racing in the number of championships won after reaching the final round of the playoffs. Logano won the title in 2018 and 2022. Blaney won the title last season.
Busch celebrated two Cup titles (2015, 2019) after reaching the final round of the playoffs in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Truex won the title in 2017, albeit with a different team. He was 0-2 in the championship race after joining JGR.
Edwards missed out on the title in his lone appearance due to a controversial caution for Dylan Lupton. He had a dominant lead but crashed on the subsequent restart while trying to block Logano. Jimmie Johnson went on to win his seventh title.
Hamlin and Bell have fallen short of the sport's ultimate prize so far, but both drivers still have time remaining. They are both in contention for the Cup Series title entering this weekend's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hamlin enters the weekend 27 points below the cutline. He has to gain significant ground on points to remain in contention, or he needs to win at the 1.5-mile track where he has three previous trips to victory lane (2009, 2013, 2020).
Bell, the defending Homestead winner, is in a much better position. He is 42 points above the cutline with two races remaining in the Round of 8.
The other Championship 4 appearances by team:
- Hendrick Motorsports — Chase Elliott (three), Kyle Larson (two), Jeff Gordon (one), Jimmie Johnson (one), William Byron (one)
- Stewart Haas Racing — Kevin Harvick (five)
- Furniture Row Racing — Martin Truex Jr. (three)
- Richard Childress Racing — Ryan Newman (one)
- Trackhouse Racing — Ross Chastain (one)
