The Chase field, set at 16 drivers ahead of this weekend’s race at Chicagoland, is reduced by four drivers after each three-race segment. Chase on Saturday during the regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway.
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Hamlin started off slow, but has come on strong in the last two months. These are the four best teams in the garage, but that doesn’t make them a sure-fire bet to make the Championship Four.
With 1,000 moving auto parts and 40 different egos and strategies all racing against each other, there will be no guarantees of who will be eliminated during the process.
The real deals: Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Truex’s performance at the 1.5-mile ovals this year has been impressive.
It also signifies the beginning of the end for one of the sport’s most polarizing drivers. “Last year we had a shot”. While McMurray is a long-shot candidate to win this season’s championship, he hopes to do far better in this season’s playoff than the early exit he had previous year. The two ended the season tied in points, but Stewart’s five wins bettered Edwards’ one. Barring any more collapses on pit road, he’s a solid candidate for the finals. “That is all we are doing”, Dillon said. “Everything just seems to be clicking at the right time”.
These are really good teams, but fall just short of elite status. “We are going to win and see what happens after that”. “Chase and creating unique content that elevates the overall Chase experience for our loyal and dedicated fans”, said Gregory.
But even as experienced as Paddock has become in overseeing the year-round planning that goes into hosting the first of 10 playoff races that lead up to the November 20 finale at Homestead, Paddock still feels a bit of added pressure when it comes to making a good first impression.
A victory in one round will allow a driver to automatically advance to the next.
I don’t think the three Gibbs cars have to have any explanation. “We will show up relaxed and enjoy it”. We aren’t going to change.
Larson won his way into the playoffs last month at MI.
“The Chase field is wide open”, Logano said. “It’s a long 10 weeks”. Many are willing to take chances – and risk harmony in the garage area – to get a victory. “It all comes down to the same thing: this is a dynamic environment”. They could be Kasey Kahne, or Ryan Newman or Trevor Bayne and be done running really meaningful laps in 2016.
Elliott, the son of 1988 champion Bill Elliott, has a promising future.
His last race was May 21 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Remember, the Chase and this format can bring out the worst in even the most mild-mannered driver. He’s got a great race team, and he has the experience to back up his 2003 championship.
“We know we have the equipment to go out there and win races and race for a championship, so that’s probably the part I feel the best about”, he said.
Like Elliott, Dillon got his spot in the playoffs on points. These five have all the tools necessary to advance to the Championship Race, but may need one of the favorites to run into adversity to do it.
“I think it’s the greatest reality show going”. NASCAR fined Stewart, a driver and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, for public criticism – and then proceeded to implement standards that Stewart advocated. “We’re ready to go to Chicago [for Sunday’s race]”.
Thanks for playing: Chris Buescher, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray.
Buescher (ABOVE) earned a bracket-buster status by winning the rain-shortened race at Pocono in July. Just making the cut is the payoff for lower-tiered teams.
“We look at this first round, and we want to make it past that round”. It was his third win of the season.
It’s hard to believe Johnson, a six-time champion, is a longshot.
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McMurray found a way to be consistent in the final nine races to sneak in on points.
