Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace spent the entire night at Darlington battling for the 16th and final spot in the playoffs, but in the end, neither of them clinched it. In a hectic finish, two drivers in a must-win situation battled it out for the honor of winning the Southern 500 and the chance to fight for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Buescher missed the playoffs by six points with Ty Gibbs taking the 16th and final spot, leaving the RFK Racing feeling complete "frustration and disbelief."
Chase Briscoe held off Kyle Busch in thrilling finish, putting SHR in the playoffs just weeks before the race teams shuts down. Busch ended the regular season with back-to-back runner-up finishes, missing the postseason for the first time since 2012. Buescher, Wallace, and Ross Chastain all just missed out as well.
Take a closer look at the 16 contenders and where they stand after the points reset.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Cheveolet | 2040 |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2032 |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 2028 |
| 4 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2022 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 2018 |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2015 |
| 7 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2014 |
| 8 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 2008 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 2007 |
| 10 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 2007 |
| 11 | Daniel Suarez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 2006 |
| 12 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2005 |
| 13 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 2005 |
| 14 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 2005 |
| 15 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2004 |
| 16 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2004 |
