NASCAR playoffs bubble battle: Who rose, fell in standings after Sonoma

After Kyle Larson's victory at Sonoma on Sunday, just 10 races remain in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season. There were several shifts in the playoff standings after NASCAR's trip to wine country, so let's take a look at how the bubble drivers fared in Sonoma. 

14. Ryan Blaney (+69)

Blaney gained 22 points on the cutline in Sunday's race, bouncing back after a heartbreaking loss in St. Louis. Blaney's seventh-place effort is his best finish since Dover on April 28, and it could spur a momentum boost for a team that has sleepwalked through much of the 2024 season. 

15. Chris Buescher (+37)

Buescher gained 27 points and got off the bubble after another stellar run at Sonoma. His third-place finish was his third consecutive top-five at the California road course, and the driver of the No. 17 was leading with less than 10 laps to go. If Buescher continues to bring fast cars to the track, his gap to the cutline should only continue to increase. 

16. Bubba Wallace (+8)

Wallace stayed stagnant in terms of points but fell to the dreaded "last man in" spot after Sonoma. His 20th-place finish certainly isn't his worst road course drive, but a mid-race incident in Turn 11 ended any hope of a top-15 effort. 

17. Kyle Busch (-8)

Busch lost out on seven more points on the final lap at Sonoma, as contact from Ross Chastain sent the driver of the No. 8 for a spin. 12th place doesn't show how fast Busch was at the California road course, as he ran inside the top five for much of the day. After a crash in St. Louis, Busch put together a desperately needed good performance.