NASCAR playoff standings after Talladega: Kyle Larson bolsters Round of 8 bubble advantage

TALLADEGA, Ala. - Kyle Larson is now just survival at Martinsville away from racing for a championship at Phoenix Raceway. 

Even though Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team found themselves on the wrong side of fuel mileage by the end of Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway, the team was able to add a point to its advantage on the NASCAR Cup Series playoff bubble. Larson will enter next Sunday's Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway 36 markers to the good. 

With the playoff field being whittled down from eight to the Championship 4 after 500 laps at the paperclip, Larson is still alive if a new, third winner in the Round emerge as well. He would only need to gain a couple of points on Christopher Bell, who is 37 points above the elimination point. 

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As for the other two Hendrick Motorsports playoff drivers, William Byron will enter the race 36 points below elimination and will need either a massive points day and a little luck, or a win. Chase Elliott (minus 62) is in a much simpler situation, with a victory needed to advance after he was taken out in a stage one crash on Sunday not of his own doing. 

Here's a look at the points standings after Talladega:

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NASCAR points standings