Joey Logano secured the first race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs by winning in overtime on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This win ensures Logano’s automatic advancement to the second round of the playoffs.

The playoff series has a total of 10 races, including the final championship race taking place at Phoenix Raceway on November 10. The format consists of three rounds, with three races in each round before culminating in the final race. After the third, sixth, and ninth races, the four drivers with the lowest points will be eliminated, leaving four finalists competing for the championship.

If a playoff driver wins a race in any of the three rounds, they automatically progress to the next round. However, if a non-playoff driver wins, advancement for playoff drivers is determined by the points they accumulate throughout the rounds.

The next playoff race is scheduled for Sunday, September 15 at Watkins Glen International, starting at 3 p.m. on USA Network. The first race that will eliminate drivers is on Saturday, September 21 at Bristol Motor Speedway, airing at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Following the initial race of the playoffs at Atlanta, here are the updated playoff standings (x-indicates qualification for the second round):

1. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske 2,071
2. Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing 2,066
3. Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing  2,059
4. William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports  2,059
5. x-Joey Logano, Team Penske 2,054
6. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports 2,053
7. Austin Cindric, Team Penske  2,053
8. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports 2,050
9. Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing  2,048
10. Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports  2,041
11. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing  2,028
12. Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing  2,027
13. Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing  2,026
14. Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing  2,011
15. Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing  2,008
16. Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing 2,006