Summer stretch run continues at Pocono track
The intensity is palpable for the NASCAR Cup Series as it begins the summertime turn toward the playoffs.
Sunday’s M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway presents a huge opportunity to solidify a position toward that championship run. And perhaps a chance at some Playoff history.
With Christopher Bell’s victory last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 14 race winners have secured positions in the 16-driver playoff field — tying an all-time record for most winners through the opening 20-race portion of the schedule.
Six races remain before the start of the playoffs Sept. 4 at Darlington Raceway, setting up the very real possibility that there may be more race winners than playoff positions. That creates a unique competitive possibility and means even those drivers with race trophies need to remain on top of their racing game to secure that postseason opportunity based on their position in the standings.
Atop the championship, Chase
Elliott, a three-race winner, leads the standings by a healthy 67 points over Ross Chastain, a two-race winner. Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. remain the only two drivers inside the playoff cutoff, based on points standings, without a race win.
Truex won the pole position last week at New Hampshire and led a race-best 182 of the
301 laps but finished fourth. He’s a two-time Pocono winner and looking to regain that form this week, but he holds only a 68-point advantage over Kevin Harvick should that last playoff position be based on points.
Blaney had a disappointing 18th-place finish at New Hampshire but will be competing this week at the site of his very first
Cup Series victory in 2017. He had top-10 finishes in both races last year at Pocono and goes into the race knowing he likely needs a trophy to guarantee his sixth consecutive playoff run.
Certainly, there’s plenty of reason to believe the number of regular season winners could top that 16-driver mark. There are 11 drivers outside the top-16 — but still currently eligible to earn a playoff position — with past wins at one of the upcoming six regular season tracks.
Blaney has won previously at Pocono and Michigan. Truex has two Pocono wins plus three at Richmond and another at Watkins Glen.
Harvick, who sits in 17th place in the standings, has wins at five of the remaining six tracks (Pocono, Michigan, Richmond, Watkins Glen and Daytona) and is a multi-time winner at three of them (Michigan, Richmond and Daytona).
Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Michael McDowell, Justin Haley and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. all have previous victories at Daytona International Speedway, site of the regularseason finale Aug. 27.