Playoff Shakeup After COTA
After the latest round, Michael McDowell’s 20th‑place finish dropped him into a last‑place playoff tie while Daniel Suárez’ seventh place moved him up to 14th in standings; Riley Herbst’s form shows an encouraging sophomore upswing. (beyondtheflag.com) (sportsnaut.com)
Michael McDowell was scored 20th in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026. (racingamerica.com) That 20th-place result left McDowell tied on points for the 16th and final “Chase” playoff spot, with Joey Logano holding the tiebreaker. (beyondtheflag.com) Daniel Suárez finished seventh at Darlington after running near the front for much of the race. (racingamerica.com) Spire Motorsports’ race report confirms that Suárez’s seventh-place run moved him back up to 14th in the season standings. (spire-motorsports.com) Season standings data show Suárez sitting on roughly 150 points after Darlington, placing him 14th in the championship table. (sports.yahoo.com) Riley Herbst’s measurable improvement this season includes a top-10 (8th) in the Daytona 500 and an average finish around 21 through six races, markers often cited as evidence of a sophomore upswing. (nascar.com) Herbst’s weekend at Darlington, however, ended with a 35th-place, five-laps-down finish — a setback that leaves his season totals intact but his short-track outlook in need of a rebound. (racingamerica.com) The Cup Series next visits Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400 on March 29, 2026, where the standings and the 16-driver bubble will be re-evaluated after race seven. (nascar.com)
