Earnhardt down to last opportunity to earn title
Retiring driver, others in must-win position
DARLINGTON, S.C. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season is scheduled to end Saturday night at Richmond Raceway in Virginia, and the results of Sunday’s Southern 500 put major pressure on several teams outside of playoff position.
Four takeaways from a hot night at Darlington Raceway.
Last chance:
The Richmond race will be the final shot at the playoffs for everyone, but there are three drivers who were considered playoff contenders in the preseason who haven’t qualified: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer.
The three had less-than-impressive showings at Darlington, pushing them to the wall at Richmond.
Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray stayed in the three top points positions among drivers without victories, and if they stay in those spots at Richmond — with no new race winner — they will make the playoffs, joining the 13 winners.
Not sure who they are? Here is who has qualified, based on regular-season points ranking: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon and Kasey Kahne.
Thousands of fans will try to will Earnhardt — who has never won a Cup title in 18 seasons — into the playoffs in his final season. His task got harder Sunday
night. Officials found two loose lug nuts on Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet after the race, which likely will lead to a one-race suspension for crew chief Greg Ives.
If Logano fails to win at Richmond, he will be the most surprising absentee from the playoffs. He won the track’s spring race, but that victory was ruled encumbered by NASCAR after an inspection revealed issues with his car’s rear suspension. Logano has made the playoffs since 2013 and was runner-up for the title last season.
If Bowyer doesn’t win at Richmond, after finishing last at Darlington, he will have failed to put the No. 14 Ford formerly driven by Tony Stewart into the postseason in Bowyer’s first year with Stewart-Haas Racing.
Challenging night:
The Southern 500 lived up to its reputation as one of racing ’s most grueling events.
The strain of racing 367 laps on Darlington’s oblong track on a hot and muggy night could be seen on drivers’ faces as they climbed from their cars.
The night was tough on drivers and machines. Only eight drivers — an unusually low number for NASCAR’s top series — finished on the lead lap.
Throwing it back:
The third annual throwback weekend, featuring paint schemes from NASCAR’s past and an emphasis on racing in the 1980s, was a big success.
Sunday night’s crowd was among the most impressive of the season, and fans were treated to a series of throwback moments.
The best was 80-year-old legend Richard Petty, a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, driving the blue Plymouth in which he scored 10 consecutive wins in 1967. He made several prerace pace laps in front of the field.
Petty stayed on the track longer than called for in the script, and he eventually was “black-flagged” so the race could get the green flag.
Toyotas peaking:
Toyota is rolling at the right time.
Camrys have won four of the last five races with the playoffs looming, and Truex won the regular-season title with another smooth performance Sunday at Darlington.
Truex, with 1,448 laps led, and Kyle Busch, at 1,311, are easily the top drivers in that category this season.
Of the eight drivers who finished on the lead lap at Darlington, four (including winner Hamlin and second-place finisher Kyle Busch) drove Toyotas. And Hamlin won the fall race at Richmond last season.