By Asher Fair | 9:00 AM EST

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs consisted of five drivers who were not a part of the 16-driver 2022 postseason, and one of those drivers had never previously been in the playoffs. Three of the other four had only ever been in the playoffs on one occasion.

More than likely, the numbers for 2024 will look similar, with a number of drivers qualifying for the playoffs who did not qualify in 2023 — or perhaps ever before. But at whose expense?

While we know for a fact that the retired Kevin Harvick won’t be back, here are five playoff drivers from 2023 who haven’t retired but will struggle to make it back in 2024.

No. 1 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. qualified for the playoffs for the second time in his career — and the first time since 2017 — with what was arguably his best season.

But even amid a career-best season — or at the very least, his best season since 2017 — Stenhouse would not have qualified for the playoffs if he had not won the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Stenhouse also would not have qualified for the playoffs in 2017 had he not won two races, so in 11 seasons, he has never advanced to the playoffs on points. In other words, he likely needs to win again in 2023 in order to get back to the postseason. Can that really be counted on?

NASCAR: 19-year veteran returning to Cup Series after all

Last month, it was revealed that J.J. Yeley would not be returning to Rick Ware Racing, where he had been one of their primary drivers over the last six years, for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

With Rick Ware Racing’s No. 15 Ford being one of only two charter entries set to be shared throughout the 2024 season, the other being Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 Chevrolet, Yeley ruling out a return to Rick Ware’s team all but eliminated any chance for him to compete at NASCAR’s top level.

Yeley had even stated that he didn’t need to be a Cup Series driver to make himself “feel good or accomplished or anything”, and he admitted that his focus had shifted to the Xfinity Series.

Yeley back in NASCAR Cup Series after all

But Yeley does not have a ride for the 2024 Xfinity Series season, and NY Racing Team, where he competed in select races back in 2014 (and one in 2018), added their No. 44 Chevrolet to the entry list for the 2024 Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Just hours before qualifying for Sunday’s “Great American Race” at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, it was announced that Yeley is set to pilot the No. 44 Chevrolet.

It is worth mentioning that this development does not guarantee that Yeley will compete in the Cup Series this season. The No. 44 Chevrolet is one of six non-charter cars on the entry list for the Daytona 500, and only four are able to lock into the 40-car field. The 36 charter cars are all locked in.

A list of the six non-charter entries (and their drivers) can be found here.

Yeley has not competed in the Daytona 500 since 2015, though he unsuccessfully attempted to qualify in both 2020 and 2022. He has competed in the Cup Series in some capacity in every year going back to 2004, except for 2016. Any starts this year would make the 2024 season his 20th season in the series and eighth in a row going back to 2017.

He must lock himself into the Daytona 500 field either via the single-car qualifying session (tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1) or the Bluegreen Vacations Duels (tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1). Two non-charter entries are set to lock in each day, leaving the other two on the outside looking in.