Last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway changed everything as the resulting Chase Grid looks very different now than it did prior to Bristol.
– #34-Chris Buescher finished fifth, which catapulted him into the top 30 by 13 points – thereby placing him firmly in Chase contention for the first time since his victory at Pocono. All 12 race winners are now on the Chase Grid.
– Buescher’s finish, paired with #42-Kyle Larson’s 24th-place run, pushed Larson off the Grid.
– #31-Ryan Newman finished 28th, which dropped him three spots in the standings, and likewise, the Chase Grid. He’s now 16th on the Grid, and if there’s a new winner in the next three races, he’s in danger of missing the playoffs.
– #3-Austin Dillon (4th) and #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2nd) both turned in top fives, which either solidified their Chase standing (Dillon) or bolstered their chances (Stenhouse).
One winless driver, in particular, could threaten at Michigan International Speedway: #16-Greg Biffle. For one, Biffle’s Roush Fenway Racing team leads all organization in wins at Michigan, with 13. Secondly, Biffle boasts the Michigan wins lead among active drivers with four.(NASCAR)
