Top 5 NASCAR Cup Series front-runners to have missed the playoffs over the years

Since NASCAR introduced the playoffs format in 2004, it has been one of the hotly debated topics in the sport. The format has evolved over the years with a gradual change in focus from consistency over the course of a season to winning races.

With the current NASCAR playoff format emphasizing race wins over consistency, there are several lucky drivers who have advanced into the playoffs. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the front-runners who couldn't advance into the playoffs.

While the organizers have increased the size of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff grid from 10 in the inaugural years to its current iteration of 16, yet some big names have missed the playoffs in recent years.

In this piece, let us take a look at those front-runners who couldn't advance into the playoffs season.

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Top 5 NASCAR Cup Series drivers to miss the playoffs

#5 Dale Earnhardt Jr. - 2005

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. managed to qualify for the playoffs in its inaugural edition in 2004 Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, he couldn't repeat the feat in 2005.

Dale Jr, #8 ride (2005)

NASCAR Cup Series' most popular driver struggled over the course of the season as he finished 19th in the standings. Dale Jr. did manage to win a race at Chicagoland Speedway, but it wasn't enough to break into the top 10 as his season was riddled with inconsistent results.

The #8 DEI Chevy driver did manage to bounce back the next season as he was in the 2006 playoffs.

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#4 Tony Stewart - 2006

Tony Stewart's title defense season in 2006 didn't go accordingly as he sizzled out late in the regular season despite having a solid start to his campaign.

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion started the 2006 season with consistent results as he was classified second in the standings after 11 races and went on to win two races in the regular season. However, he lost momentum in the final stretch of the regular season races, missing the playoffs by 16 points.

The season wasn't a lost cause though as Tony Stewart went on to win three more races, with NASCAR increasing the playoff bracket to 12 drivers next season.

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#3 Joey Logano - 2017

By 2017, Joey Logano had been a regular fixture in the NASCAR playoffs, having already made two appearances in the championship race and came heartbreakingly close to winning the title in 2016. However, championship glory eluded him and 2017 was a forgettable year.

Logano had a decent start to his campaign and even won a race in Richmond to book his playoff berth until his #22 Ford failed post-race inspection and he was stripped of his win. Towards the end of the regular season, he was a whopping 126 points below the cutline and finished his campaign in 17th position.

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#2 Martin Truex Jr. - 2022

The introduction of the next-gen cars in the Cup Series in 2022 witnessed a plethora of drivers winning a race in the regular season. This affected drivers like Martin Truex Jr. who had a consistent season but failed to reach the victory lane.

In the final regular season fixture at Daytona, Truex Jr. lost the battle for the final playoff position to Ryan Blaney, as the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver was involved in the infamous Daytona wreck.

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#1 Chase Elliott - 2023

Nothing has been a bigger storyline in the 2023 Cup Series season than Chase Elliott missing the playoffs after a horrid run in the regular season.

Elliott was sidelined for six races as he recovered from a leg fracture and was also suspended for a race following his comeback. These issues compounded his misery as he wasn't able to win a race and had to face a huge deficit to book his playoff spot.

Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400

NASCAR's most popular driver was unable to extend his playoff streak and finished 20th in the regular season.