The post Veteran Insider Publicly Slams NASCAR’s Botched Call After Xfinity Star’s Roval Robbery appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>Subsequently, the No. 48 team garage, which was enraptured in celebrations, fell silent. The restart saw Sam Mayer swiftly overtaking Kligerman for the lead and eventually the victory. However, drivers and fans acknowledged Kligerman’s spectacular run, including an insider who ridiculed the delay.
NASCAR’s questionable call riles up insider
Executive decisions have been generally under fire in the sport recently. For instance, when Ryan Blaney and Josh Berry lost chances to continue racing at Watkins Glen and Kansas, respectively, NASCAR ruled them ineligible as they could not move their cars. However, the sanctioning body attracted criticism when it contradicted its own rule in Talladega when it towed Chase Elliott’s car to the pit road while 20+ wrecked Cup cars lay idle. Similarly, the Xfinity series also bore the brunt of such faulty decisions when Parker Kligerman was robbed of his glory.
If only Honeyman’s wreck had prompted NASCAR to push the caution button quicker, Kligerman could have clinched his first-ever win in his final season. NASCAR Journalist Bob Pockrass, for the first time, sat down with Freddie Kraft and his team, and he didn’t shy away from bashing the caution delay, which would have been wrong even in Kligerman’s absence.
Bob said on the October 15th episode of the ‘Door, Bumper, Clear’ interview: “Take Parker Kligerman out of it, it shouldn’t take 20 seconds to get a caution for somebody who’s buried in the tires. I mean, now granted, on TV you kind of saw him moving…But if a car gets buried.” To this, Freddie Kraft replied, “He wasn’t getting out of that.” And, Pockrass continued, “Yeah. And so, whatever the process is, it needed to improve.”Â
Pockrass also acknowledged that NASCAR attempted to investigate the situation. “Actually, during or before the Cup race, you can hear them talking to spotters, their officials, and saying, okay. ‘Where can you see, tell me what you can see?’ …I think to make sure that they had the whole track covered.”Â
But then again, Honeyman’s hopeless situation should have convinced the officials that it was time to wave the yellow flag. “Wherever Parker Kligerman is or the impact on the race shouldn’t take 20 seconds to throw a caution for a car buried that deep.” As insiders debated NASCAR’s critical decision, fans bashed the sanctioning body for its slip-up. That was because it meant a winning storyline gone awry for Kligerman.
It did hurt Kligerman to be on the other side
In his quest for the Charlotte Roval win, Parker Kligerman overcame large hurdles. He beat the likes of some road course racing legends—AJ Allmendinger, a perfect 4 for 4 on the Roval in the Xfinity Series—and Shane van Gisbergen, who won three road course races this season. Kligerman found himself in the first car on fresh tires on the restart with 11 to go. He ran down and passed van Gisbergen just two laps later. Both Mayer and Allmendinger were hounding the No. 48 with four laps to go, but a slight bobble from Mayer paved the path to success for Kligerman.
This incredible battle for the win was all for naught. NASCAR called the caution just as Kligerman was 5 feet away from the white flag. “The laps leading up to that were some of the best that Iâ€
ve ever driven my entire career, and I just knew I had to be perfect, and I was,” Kligerman said.
The pit road reporter further added that he could finally relate to countless drivers who underwent similar heartbreaks. “I’ve done this interview you’re doing, and it’s always tough on that side. It’s really tough on this (driver’s) side. I might have teared up when I thought we got it there at the white flag. Caution comes out, had to refocus.”
Evidently, NASCAR would continue to receive shots for its Xfinity Roval decision for some time. Kligerman’s stellar progress was nullified, but the driver still has four more chances to prove his mettle. Let us hope for the best for this Xfinity star!
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]]>The post Shane van Gisbergen’s Playoff Hopes Crushed After Mysterious Exit of Former Crew Chief Forces Switch-Up appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>That crucial slip-up deprived him of a Roval victory. Subsequently, his run turned worse as Jesse Love and Justin Allgaier beat him with their fresher tires. An overtime caution flag hit the final nail in the coffin as Love got ahead of Gisbergen by 2 points, and the latter finished 3rd and outside the playoffs. But this unfortunate turn of events may be attributed to a crew shuffle two months ago.
New guide stuttered Shane van Gisbergen’s run
After the three-time Bathurst 1000 winner swept up the Chicago Street Race trophy on his Cup Series debut, people knew what a phenom he was. A star driver needs a star crew chief as well, and Shane van Gisbergen got somebody for his Xfinity stint. Bruce Schlicker served as the No. 97 Kaulig Racing crew chief through the first 20 races of 2024. The Schlicker-SVG pairing brought Kaulig three road course wins – Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago – along with five top-5 finishes and six top-10s. But for reasons Kaulig refused to divulge, Schlicker departed following the three-week Xfinity break.
Kevin Walter, who had served as Josh Williams’ crew chief, replaced Schlicker. That may have been a bad decision for Shane van Gisbergen, as Eric Estepp argued. Walter decided to let SVG run high and dry on old tires, and that ultimately sealed the Kiwi’s hopes. “His crew chief’s decision to stay out with 13-14 laps left on nearly 20 lap tires was certainly a choice…If I’m Kevin Walter, if I’m the crew chief in that situation, I want SVG on offense. I’m sure he thought more drivers would consider staying out for track position. But SVG was running 2nd when the caution came out – he would have restarted 5th or 6th most likely with fresh tires. At that point, I would trust SVG to get the job done.”
We had a good crack at it, but just gutted for the whole team. The @WeatherTech Chevrolet was fast. Just wish last weekend would have gone better! Proud of the @KauligRacing team my first year in @NASCAR and Iâ€
— Shane van Gisbergen (@shanevg97) October 13, 2024
Fending off the likes of Justin Allgaier and Jesse Love, who were on fresh tires, proved to be an ordeal. Yet Shane van Gisbergen displayed true prowess as he still managed to finish 3rd. Estepp continued: “Instead, you put him on defense, really difficult to hold off good drivers when they have nearly 20 lap pressure tires. So SVG was put on his heels – he did a great job staying 4th for much of that run. But he just did not have the grip that his rivals had, and couldn’t do anything with them there towards the end.”
Van Gisbergen’s luck ran out at the Xfinity race. But the Kiwi has a solid shot for the Cup race, where he is already a mighty threat.
Gisbergen clinched a milestone yet again
Whenever a road course appears on the Cup Series schedule, drivers are wary of one name on the qualifying grid. Shane van Gisbergen is that name and has been so ever since the 2023 Chicago Street Race. Although the 2024 Cup race in Chicago saw a slippery Kyle Larson ram into SVG, the Kiwi can still shock his Cup rivals. Last October, Tyler Reddick grabbed the pole at the Charlotte Roval after posting the fastest lap. But this time, van Gisbergen put the No. 13 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro at the top of the speed charts, posting a lap of 99.246mph.
In the process, van Gisbergen clinched not only his very first Cup Series pole but also Kaulig Racing‘s first Cup pole. He also posted the fastest lap of the overall session, in the first round, with 99.254mph. Tyler Reddick will start Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 outside of the front row. “What an amazing day,” van Gisbergen proclaimed after claiming his second pole on Saturday afternoon. “Iâ€m at a loss for words.” He laid down his intentions to play spoilsport to Cup Series playoff drivers. “Weâ€ve got to race respectfully. There are a lot of playoff guys, but Iâ€m here to win the race.”
Evidently, Shane van Gisbergen is on track to reverse his Xfinity misfortune at the Charlotte Roval. Hopefully, the Kiwi can reclaim his road course throne on Sunday’s race.
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]]>The post Brad Keselowski Goes in the Opposite Direction to Denny Hamlin and Co. as He Accepts His Fate Written by NASCAR appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>The RFK Racing co-owner’s rivals have already harped on the risks of the revamped road course. According to Denny Hamlin, driving into the now-infamous Turn 7 would be like driving into a “parking lot.” But this “chaos” feels like a breeze for Keselowski.
Brad Keselowski brushes off the Roval challenge
Speedway Motorsports debuted the Roval in 2018 as a variation to the traditional 1.5-mile oval. The original layout had its fair share of chaos, but drivers felt that it did not boast enough passing zones. But now the Roval sports two ‘passing’ zones, which are more like ‘crashing’ zones. The changes start at Turn 5 with a high-speed downhill corkscrew, then a new Turn 6 with an elevation change, and finally into a tight left-handed Turn 7 in what is essentially a 180-degree turn onto the banked oval. Despite owning just a lone top-five finish at the Roval in 2019, Brad Keselowski is not bothered by these daunting changes.
Denny Hamlin flatly declared prior to the Bank of America Roval 400, “The reconfigure was designed to create more chaos. Youâ€re going to have to convince me otherwise of that.” Brad Keselowski agreed with him about the challenge, comparing the Roval with Watkins Glen. “It is definitely as violent to me. Yeah, maybe even slightly more.” Drivers complained about going over the curb at the bus stop of the Watkins Glen track. Similarly, during practice and qualifying for the Roval, drivers were launching off the turtles or six-inch high rumble strips used in chicanes.
Martin Truex Jr. equated the rumbling feeling to getting a concussion every time he went over the chicanes. He even had a disappointing qualifier, slated to start 30th in the race. But Brad Keselowski giggled a bit when he learned about Truex’s concussion feeling. He also commented lightheartedly on the reconfiguration: “Yeah, I mean, get head upside the head, it doesn’t feel good. I don’t know, at some point, that’s the deal I guess…Oh, it doesn’t feel good, no. But I don’t know if it’s supposed to.”
Maybe his early ejection from the playoffs is the cause for Keselowski’s relaxed stance. However, the RFK Racing driver and co-owner is also not bothered about the NASCAR lawsuit.
Keselowski is not so interested in fighting
When Denny Hamlin and Bob Jenkins found themselves alone, they were surprised. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only teams who abstained from signing NASCAR’s new charter deal. But the teams that did lay down reasons for doing so. For instance, Rick Hendrick proclaimed that he was “tired” of continuing the negotiation for two years. Brad Keselowski also claimed that NASCAR did not coerce them to sign and that he was just glad to keep things rolling for his team. “Forced is a really strong term, but we are getting to a spot where itâ€s important to get these things settled… Weâ€re glad that the economics are improved and to go with where the media landscape has moved,” he said.
Then Michael Jordan, Hamlin, and Jenkins filed a lawsuit, accusing NASCAR of monopolistic practices. The ball in this court case will start rolling on Wednesday, when the first hearing is supposed to be held. Even amidst this escalating tension, Keselowski chose to stay out of the drama. When asked for comment on the lawsuit, he said in a detached manner: “We’re always going to be fighting over a piece of the pie. … I just want peace. I want our entire industry to become laser-focused on growing the sport and creating incentives where we all win when that happens.”
Brad Keselowski’s nonchalant approach on and off the racetrack is heavily apparent. Let us see how well he tackles the reconfigured Roval challenge on Sunday.
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]]>The post Chicago City Alderman Roasted for “Awful” Take on NASCAR “Hypocrisy” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>Someone fears that the NASCAR race could impact the way people drive.
Chicago alderman Brian Hopkins believes the NASCAR race could make people the people of Chicago drive like that on roads. Moreover, he’s concerned about people doing stunts on social media.
Chicago alderman Brian Hopkins "fears a city-sanctioned [@NASCAR] race would 'egg on' participants in a sub-culture that thrives on becoming celebrities by posting daredevil stunts on social media." – @SunTimes https://t.co/TpN292Qkzf pic.twitter.com/zgeBuyxo7b
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) July 8, 2022
Expectedly, NASCAR fans reacted hilariously to the matter.
Wait… so his argument is that having a sanctioned race with proper safety features on closed streets means they're being hypocrites for arresting people for having unsanctioned, unsafe races on open streets with people everywhere? 😂
— David iñ Georgia (@stormynormy42) July 8, 2022
Most are more worried of the crime sub culture in Chicago than street racing. ðŸ
— Hugh (@pinch_weasel) July 8, 2022
https://twitter.com/LukeMotorstar/status/1545436227201126400?t=7P31iXW3wKmz5OLmZZZV0A&s=19
— Dylan Wieloszynski (@GTP_Dylan_GTP) July 8, 2022
Driving fast on the street, and racing on a closed course is 2 different things lol
— GioðŸ (AlexBowmanFan48) ðŸ (@NASCARPortOPoty) July 8, 2022
What do you think? Are Brian Hopkins’ concerns valid? Or, it’s a completely different thing? Let us know in the comments.
Read More: NASCAR Fans Give a “Hard Pass” as Key Announcement is Leaked
A NASCAR Race In The Streets Of Chicago?
The Athletic announced they received a letter from the City of Chicago endorsing a NASCAR Street Race in the streets of Chicago. This is in line with the rising trend of Non-Oval tracks.
Although there is no contract between NASCAR and the state, there is an announcement expected on the 19th of July. On top of that, the race will run for three years, after being introduced in 2023.
“Chicago is incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as host of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Course events, and we stand ready to welcome NASCAR fans to our world class city,” the letter states. “This would be a historic partnership for NASCAR and the city of Chicago, and our department is committed to collaborating and supporting NASCAR to execute the events in a safe and secure manner.”
WATCH THIS STORY: Sports Media World Reacts To The Bubba Wallace News
Now, everyone has their opinions on Road Courses; some say it takes away from the Stock Car racing “spirit” while others think it’s a good chance. But no one can deny that they surely are quite successful. What do you think about the Chicago Street Race? Let us know in the comments.
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]]>The post Charlotte Roval: Can Chase Elliott Make it a Hat-Trick of Wins at This Playoff Race? appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>In the 2019 race, Elliott and Kevin Harvick led during a restart when the former locked up into the first corner. As a result, he went nose-first into the tyre wall. Luckily, there was no major damage and he was able to reverse out and rejoin the race. Somehow, he managed to claw his way back to the leaders and get onto the back of Harvick.
'@ChaseElliott enters @CLTMotorSpdwy as the two-time defending winner at the ROVAL.
His first victory there, coming in 2019, had an unconventional path that led him straight into the Turn 1 wall. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/oUEl8OYkYu
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 7, 2021
Before long, he made a sweeping move around the outside of Harvick. That soon turned into the inside line at the next chicane. Finally, on the last lap, he performed a drift at the finish line, though it didn’t earn him any style points.
How did Chase Elliott celebrate that hard-fought win?
In a piece of karmic justice, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver went to the corner that caught him out. Then he proceeded to perform a burnout at that spot. Who knows, it was probably his way of declaring that the Roval cannot and will not defeat him. It is interesting to note that out of his 13 Cup Series wins, a fair number of them came at road course events.
Admittedly he is starting this weekend’s race in 8th place. However, he should be a strong contender for a win and a qualification to the next round. Additionally, he is sitting in 7th place in the championship battle, which means that he is relatively safe from elimination. On the other end of the spectrum, one can never say never in NASCAR, because the sport can be unpredictable.
READ MORE: Hendrick Motorsports Teammates Talk About Kyle Larson Ahead of Las Vegas Race
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]]>The post NASCAR Officials Provide Major Update on the Development Phase of Next Gen Car appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>A bit of positive news has now emerged as all three manufacturers, i.e. Toyota, Chevrolet, and Ford have had their Next Gen car designs approved by NASCAR. The tire testing sessions alongside the wheel-force data collections will also happen in the course 2021.
A report by the official NASCAR website states, “John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation, indicated that all three manufacturers — Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota — have had their designs for the Next Gen car approved.”
Proposed wheel-force data collection test for NASCAR Next Gen car in late March, said Probst
“The car will return to the track March 16-17 at Richmond Raceway, Probst said, and a handful of Goodyear tire tests were planned beyond that. All three automakers are set to have models on the track at the same time during a proposed test for wheel-force data collection at Martinsville Speedway in late March.”
The prototypes’ testing required ironing out the finer details in these models. Playing a massive role in the development was the drivers’ feedback on specific segments of these next generation cars.
Probst commented and said, “In hindsight, when we were on target for 2021 and now we’ve gone through all of this, we look back, and boy, we probably would’ve had our tongues hanging out right now if we were to launch it in 2021, which we could’ve done.”
NASCAR says near the end of March at Martinsville, they hope to have each manufacturer on track with Next Gen car. Expect car unveils in "late spring"
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 1, 2021
Few Cup Series drivers have had the opportunity to test some prototypes
“I think we’re certainly on schedule. We’re probably actually being able to spend a little more time since we pushed it out to 2022, focusing on a lot of the line-item costs,” concluded Probst.
Following the 2020 Cup Series season, NASCAR had requested some racers to undertake testing duties for the Next Gen prototypes. Martin Truex Jr, Kurt Busch, and Chris Buescher all tested at Charlotte, delivering pointers on areas for improvement.
Therefore, it sounds like things are coming together ahead of the competitive debut in 2022. NASCAR should hence take pride in all of its efforts in this regard, despite the ongoing tough times.
MORE – Can Kyle Busch End Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Daytona 500 Dominance With a Win in 2021?
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]]>The post “In Right Direction” – Kurt Busch Outlines Feedback After Newest NASCAR Next Gen Car Test at Charlotte appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>Referring to their tests back in November, NASCAR naturally wanted to evaluate the performance of the different components from similar prototypes. In doing so, drivers’ feedback plays a crucial part and the experience of Busch proved quite valuable in this case.
John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation, talked about the validation of their work and progress. Even the CGR No.1, Busch, had some words of praise following the session.
NASCAR Next Gen car progress headed in the right direction, says Busch
Probst stated, “We had a successful test at Charlotte Motor Speedway today and were able to validate some work we’ve done since our recent tests at Charlotte and Daytona. We wanted to return to Charlotte with Kurt to collect direct comparisons of data and driver feedback.
“We’re happy with what we saw on the track today.”
Busch had previously alongside Martin Truex Jr tested out one of the prototypes back in November 2020. During that time, both racers had some interesting observations to make about the sequential gearbox and power steering system.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver said, “I was honored to get a call to come back and verify things from our last test. I haven’t been in our current car since then, so it’s good for me mentally to have that benchmark and be able to explain what the car is doing on the track.
“It’s great to see the progress from November to January and know that we’re headed in the right direction,” concluded Busch.
The 2022 season will see the introduction of the new car
NASCAR also reportedly has a few more testing sessions planned with tire manufacturer Goodyear’s officials in 2021. A few more drivers will also undertake the responsibility of testing more models to determine and deliver their personal feedback.
It would herald the entry of a new era in Cup Series racing after the 2021 campaign is over. With a progressive approach in the sport, NASCAR fans will be eager to watch what lies ahead when these cars become a commonality from 2022 onwards.
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]]>The post WATCH: When Rain Wreaked Havoc in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Race at the Charlotte Roval appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>The NASCAR Xfinity Series race was probably the worst-affected. AJ Allmendinger eventually won the race, but there were so many spins that one would have mistaken it for a re-enactment of Swan Lake. So many cars and drivers pirouetted off the track and conditions were treacherous.
Memorable Moments of the 2020 NASCAR Season (according to @BobPockrass).
"No. 9: Xfinity drivers did their best in monsoon conditions on the Charlotte road course. The next day, Cup drivers also competed on a wet track, their first time using rain tires in a Cup points race." pic.twitter.com/oSZ3Rzcu5V
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) December 14, 2020
Things were so bad that the race even got red-flagged for a while. At the time of the red flag, Riley Herbst was the race leader with Josh Williams and AJ Allmendinger right on his tail. It is worth noting that Allmendinger won at the Charlotte Roval last year, so he was simply biding his time.
This race was very important to some of the NASCAR Xfinity drivers
As it turned out, the Charlotte race was vital, in terms of the championship. Apparently, it was a Playoff elimination race and the slots were filling up quickly. Ahead of the race weekend, Chase Briscoe and Justin Haley locked their places in the Round of 8, owing to wins in previous races.
Meanwhile, Noah Gragson clinched the third spot when the first stage concluded, based on points. In light of that, around nine drivers were battling for five available spots.
Admittedly, Allmendinger wasn’t in the playoff running, so nobody clinched a berth based on a win at Charlotte. However, Austin Cindric, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Ross Chastain, and Ryan Sieg took the final five spots. With that, they advanced to the next round.
READ MORE – “Everyone Has Seen My Growth” – Austin Cindric Opens Up On His Development In NASCAR and Facing Criticism
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]]>The post “Very Impressed With How It Works” – Martin Truex Jr Reveals The One Big Thing That Is Different In The Next Gen Car appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>Truex Jr had undergone a testing on Monday, and was pleased with what the car had to offer. Kurt Busch had also joined him at the venue, ahead of delivering feedback about what worked and what did not.
Speaking in a brief interview, Truex Jr revealed one standout aspect that was different from their existing Cup Series cars. And he felt that there was an adaptation process which was needed to drive the Next Gen model.
Martin Truex Jr believes the sequential gearbox “jumps out” for him
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was quoted as saying, “I think there’s a lot of differences. But I guess the biggest thing that jumps out for me is shifting, you know the sequential gearbox.”
“The sequential shift was a big change, you know definitely something you have to remind yourself. Very impressed with how it works, very efficient. We ran I think 150 miles or so and had no issues there. That’s probably the biggest thing that stuck out for me.”
ICYMI: @MartinTruex_Jr joined @DanielleTrotta & @LarryMac28 earlier today and shared some thoughts on the Next Gen car from the test at @CLTMotorSpdwy #SXMOnTrack pic.twitter.com/ZkoH8AX4zU
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) November 18, 2020
Truex Jr was also asked about how the gearbox shifting then impacts drivers during the races. And whether it is still possible to miss a shift whilst navigating through it, especially at road courses.
“Well I think there’s still potential for that. You know typically in the past, we ran the biggest problems especially on the road courses, going from third down to second when you’re supposed to go third to fourth or trying to go to second from third accidentally going for first.” stated Truex Jr.
The 2017 Cup Series champion believes that extra focus will be needed on the gearbox
Truex Jr continued to stress on the earlier fact and said, “That’s still going to happen if you have a mental breakdown and push the shift through to the wrong way at the wrong time, you could be in trouble.”
“As far as getting between gears it’s probably not gonna happen just because it is pretty quick. Little bit different, but still potential for error.”
The Next Gen cars were supposed to be rolled out for 2021 itself. But owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the instatement had to be shifted and will now commence from the 2022 season onwards.
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]]>The post What the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Scenario Looks Like Ahead of the Round of 8 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
]]>As a result, the drivers moving to the next round of the playoffs are – Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Kurt Busch. Also joining them are Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr, Alex Bowman, and Brad Keselowski. These eight drivers will now battle it out in the next round of the playoff to decide the final 4 in the championship fight.
Cup pts: Harvick +45, Hamlin +32, Keselowski +13, Elliott +5, Logano -5, Truex -10, Bowman -18, KuBusch -21 #nascar (also included points before reset) pic.twitter.com/Gk4hcZvqwF
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 11, 2020
Which NASCAR Cup Series drivers hold the advantage?
From a points’ perspective, Kevin Harvick is running away with a 45-point gap to the cutoff line. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin has a 32-point buffer, with Keselowski and Elliott, 13 and 5 points away, respectively.
Now, Logano, Truex Jr, Bowman, and Busch are the drivers in danger. Logano lies five points away from the drop zone, while Truex is 10 points adrift. Meanwhile, Bowman and Busch have to make up for 18 and 21-point deficits, respectively. As the NASCAR playoff field shrinks, the competition grows fiercer.
The 2020 NASCAR season is reaching its final stretch and edging closer to crowning its new champion. Sadly for the Joe Gibbs Racing team, it will not be Kyle Busch as he missed out on a berth.
Truthfully speaking, it is appearing more and more likely that Kevin Harvick will emerge at the champion. Harvick has won twice at Kansas, with a hat-trick of wins at Texas and four at Phoenix.
However, he has yet to stamp his authority at the Martinsville Speedway. This will provide his rivals with a much-needed boost to mount a fresh challenge to the #4 driver. One thing is for sure, the final four races will definitely provide plenty of entertainment.
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