Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superpeedway had huge implications for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs — especially for playoff contenders Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Blaney earned a playoff-clinching victory with his first win of 2025. That means the Team Penske driver is locked into the playoffs, leaving only seven of the 16 playoff spots available to non-race winners.
Blaney winning the race and securing an automatic playoff berth was by no means the only big development, however.
Arguably just as significant was a shakeup around the playoff bubble and a brand new feud that’s emerged between Hocevar and Stenhouse.
RYAN BLANEY WINS AT NASHVILLE! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/pHtXDDtzP4
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 2, 2025
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Livid With Carson Hocevar Over Nashville Dustup
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. arrived at Nashville on the right side of the playoff cutline but left on the wrong side. Even worse for the veteran driver, he faces an uphill climb to get back into position to qualify for the playoffs.
Stenhouse tumbled five positions in the overall standings after a bump from eventual second-place finisher Carson Hocevar sent his Hyak Motorsports Chevy spinning into the wall and out of the race during the second stage.
The deficit between new bubble man Kyle Busch and Stenhouse for the final playoff spot is just six points, but Ryan Preece and Hocevar sit between them. Stenhouse is also a mere point ahead of AJ Allmendinger.
After emerging from his badly damaged race car, Stenhouse was none too pleased with Hocevar — who has a history of overly aggressive driving.
“I just opened my entry a little bit, and he overcharged the corner and drilled us in the rear bumper,” Stenhouse said, adding that he planned to have a conversation with Hocevar at some point after the race. “I’d say it’s not out of the norm from him, but I definitely wasn’t expecting that at that point of the race.”
Hocevar, who matched his best career NASCAR Cup Series result, defended the contact he made with Stenhouse.
“I feel like that was just a common move with how big of a run I had, but I didn’t see (the replay),” said the Spire Motorsports driver, who trails Busch by only four points after Nashville.
“I’m sure he’ll want to talk about it. I’ll talk about it. We’ll look at the replay. But I have no idea until I see it.”
Contact with Carson Hocevar sent Ricky Stenhouse Jr. into the wall Sunday at Nashville. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/8F0UZPtnY4
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 2, 2025
Ryan Preece Falls To Wrong Side Of Playoff Bubble, But Margin Is Slim
Entering the race at Nashville, Ryan Preece found himself barely clinging to the final spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff field.
Now he’s just barely on the outside looking in.
Preece went for a solo spin at Nashville that crippled his chances of recording a good finish and sent him from being squarely on the playoff bubble to sitting two points in arrears of Kyle Busch. Of course, this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, Preece is certainly capable of regaining the 16th and final playoff spot.
CAUTION ⚠️ Ryan Preece (60) gets into some dirty air and loses his rear end. No Damage to his car at first glance.#NASCAR | #Nashville | 🎸
— WB Network (@WBNetwork72) June 2, 2025
Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Richard Childress Racing driver, jumped four positions in the overall standings with a 12th-place finish. Just ahead of him in the standings and likewise new among the would-be playoff drivers is Chris Buescher, who gained two spots in the standings at Nashville.
Buescher was one position and six points to the bad of the playoff group entering the race, having received a significant boost earlier in the week when the National Motorsports Appeals Panel reduced a penalty against him and his No. 60 RFK Racing team from 60 to 30 points.
