NASCAR standings before the season restarts
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The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Watkins Glen this weekend after the Olympics break, but who leads the standings and who needs to improve as the playoff deadline looms?
Hamlin leads the way from Larson
Following a mid-season break for the Tokyo Olympics, Watkins Glen hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in three weeks on Sunday.
New York State’s popular road courses are back on the calendar after dropping the covid-19 hit 2020 schedule.
With just four rounds remaining in the regular season before the playoffs begin in Darlington, time is short for those hoping to get in.
Despite not winning a cup race so far this season, Joe Gibbs’ Danny Hamlin is currently at the top of the standings.
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
Hamlin’s lead was built on the consistency he showed on his Toyota Camry machine throughout the regular season.
He has accumulated 874 points, including 15 top 10s and five stage victories.
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports is just 13 points behind the triple winner of the Daytona 500.
Larson has four race victories and 12 stage victories to his name.
Work for Hamlin and Harvick
Larson, defending champ Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski have made the playoffs safely.
The “win and you” nature of securing playoff qualification makes them sure to be one of the top 16.
However, Hamlin, despite his strengths in hauling, is still in danger of missing the tangent.
There are four games remaining in the regular season, and if four new drivers win those games, Hamlin will be eliminated.
That’s unlikely, and his huge points buffer should be enough to get him through.
But if Hamlin didn’t win, Gibbs would be more worried than he should.
Given that teammates Busch and Martin Truex Jr. have won multiple times, Hamlin’s absence was a major surprise.
Another major casualty could be Kevin Harvick of the Stewart-Haas team.
Harvick dominated the Cup in 2020, winning 25 percent of games, but SHR struggled for 21 years, keeping the veteran without a win.
He’s in a similar position to Hamlin as his points buffer should be adequate, but #4 needs a quick fix for a shocking drop.
Two-in-one doesn’t work
Assuming Hamlin (+283) and Harvick (+82) score, there will be only one spot in the playoffs.
Aric Almirola’s shock win in the final race before the break in New Hampshire secured his place as the 13th driver.
The fiercest fight was between Richard Childress Racing vs Tyler Redick and Austin Dillon.
Reddick, driving the #8 Chevrolet Camaro, is currently five points ahead of Dillon’s #3.
Photo by Chris Grayson/Getty Images
Either can pass, or both can be eliminated.
Dillon had a solid last season thanks to a one-two win over then-rookie Redick in the RCR in Texas.
The final game of the regular season was at Daytona, and a surprise winner was no surprise.
Who is most likely to make the playoffs?
Guys like Chris Buescher, Matt DiBenedetto and Bubba Wallace – the 23XI Racing cars that backed Michael Jordan need to win.
Their respective scoring profiles, all over 100 below the tangent line, mean it’s almost impossible for them to point their way.
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
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Jack usually writes or reads anything related to motorsport – from Formula 1 to NASCAR to British truck racing. His work as a motorsport reporter has been published in prestigious outlets such as Autosport, Motorsport.com and Motorsport News. In addition to racing, he is an avid amateur astronomer, podcast listener, and enjoys walks in the park with his three dogs.
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