By Richard Tix
Eleven races in an NASCAR gets a break from points racing. Ironically they may get a break during the All-Star Race but they also unexpectedly added points to the very next race following the ASR. An extra stage was added to the Coke 600 which will give drivers another opportunity to rack up more playoff points.
Speaking of, it seems like a good time to get a season review thus far on how the season is shaping up for the playoff push including how many points drivers have for the playoffs. Eleven races in and fifteen left until the playoff spots are locked in, so who is looking good so far and who needs to get it going?
2017 Playoff Points
Driver
|
Playoff Points
|
Stage Wins
|
Race Wins
|
Martin Truex Jr.
|
15
|
5
|
2
|
Brad Keselowski
|
12
|
2
|
2
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
10
|
2
|
|
Kyle Larson
|
7
|
2
|
1
|
Kurt Busch
|
5
|
1
|
|
Ryan Newman
|
5
|
1
|
|
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
|
5
|
1
|
|
Kevin Harvick
|
3
|
3
|
|
Ryan Blaney
|
3
|
3
|
|
Chase Elliott
|
2
|
2
|
|
Kyle Busch
|
2
|
2
|
|
Joey Logano*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Matt Kenseth
|
1
|
1
|
|
Denny Hamlin
|
1
|
1
|
Notes:
These playoff points, in my opinion, do not get enough of our focus. Martin Truex Jr already has 15 points towards his chase to getting to Homestead, which is 14 more then the one point Denny Hamlin has. Stage points are key to finishing high in the regular season, but these stage win points will be a talking point come the last ten races, so why not start focusing on them now?
Winning races has even more importance now since it locks you into the playoffs and gives you five playoff points (see BK and JJ). Running well all race also gets you some extra help for the last ten races (see Truex). All in all, every point matters so even those with just a point or two already have a small step ahead of anyone not on this list.
This system, again in my opinion, is going to bridge the gap of old school and new school points system. It's not a straight up points system (old school), but these stage points that translate into the playoffs (new school) will prove to make sure a driver who has had a strong season will have a head up on those guys who haven't been as fast weekly. It's early, but you can notice that the fastest driver in the early going are on top of this list..
2017 Standings After Eleven Races
Rk
|
Driver
|
Races
|
W
|
T5
|
T10
|
P
|
Led
|
AvSt
|
AvFn
|
Points
|
Diff
|
Ppts
|
1
|
Kyle Larson
|
11
|
1
|
5
|
7
|
1
|
366
|
10.5
|
6.9
|
475
|
7
|
|
2
|
Martin Truex, Jr.
|
11
|
2
|
3
|
7
|
0
|
536
|
8.9
|
10.5
|
431
|
-44
|
15
|
3
|
Brad Keselowski
|
11
|
2
|
7
|
9
|
1
|
373
|
6.4
|
8.4
|
408
|
-67
|
12
|
4
|
Chase Elliott
|
11
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
169
|
10.3
|
13.3
|
361
|
-114
|
2
|
5
|
Jamie McMurray
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
0
|
13
|
8.9
|
12.7
|
354
|
-121
|
0
|
6
|
Kevin Harvick
|
11
|
0
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
469
|
8.6
|
13.3
|
347
|
-128
|
3
|
7
|
Kyle Busch
|
11
|
0
|
4
|
5
|
0
|
521
|
11.3
|
14.8
|
325
|
-150
|
2
|
8
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
11
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
130
|
21.5
|
14
|
323
|
-152
|
10
|
9
|
Joey Logano
|
11
|
1
|
6
|
8
|
1
|
250
|
8.7
|
12.2
|
320
|
-155
|
1
|
10
|
Clint Bowyer
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
0
|
13
|
13.5
|
11.5
|
317
|
-158
|
0
|
11
|
Ryan Blaney
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
233
|
9.8
|
18.9
|
291
|
-184
|
3
|
12
|
Denny Hamlin
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
140
|
11.7
|
17
|
289
|
-186
|
1
|
13
|
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
|
11
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
14
|
14.2
|
13.8
|
276
|
-199
|
5
|
14
|
Trevor Bayne
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
17.8
|
15.8
|
250
|
-225
|
0
|
15
|
Kurt Busch
|
11
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
12.1
|
17.5
|
246
|
-229
|
5
|
16
|
Kasey Kahne
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
7
|
19.8
|
16.1
|
242
|
-233
|
0
|
17
|
Ryan Newman
|
11
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
36
|
13.5
|
19
|
238
|
-237
|
5
|
18
|
Matt Kenseth
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
168
|
11
|
19.4
|
233
|
-242
|
1
|
19
|
Erik Jones
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
19.8
|
21.1
|
217
|
-258
|
0
|
20
|
Daniel Suarez
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
16.6
|
17.4
|
217
|
-258
|
0
|
21
|
Ty Dillon
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
21.7
|
18.8
|
204
|
-271
|
0
|
22
|
Austin Dillon
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
7
|
19.3
|
20.7
|
193
|
-282
|
0
|
23
|
Aric Almirola
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
22.4
|
17.3
|
188
|
-287
|
0
|
24
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
10
|
16.2
|
23.8
|
173
|
-302
|
0
|
25
|
Paul Menard
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
20.7
|
21.6
|
173
|
-302
|
0
|
26
|
Chris Buescher
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
28.9
|
23.2
|
155
|
-320
|
0
|
27
|
David Ragan
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
29.8
|
24
|
144
|
-331
|
0
|
28
|
Michael McDowell
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
26.1
|
24.5
|
137
|
-338
|
0
|
29
|
Cole Whitt
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
30.6
|
24.8
|
136
|
-339
|
0
|
30
|
A.J. Allmendinger
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
24.2
|
22.7
|
130
|
-345
|
0
|
31
|
Landon Cassill
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
27
|
25.4
|
128
|
-347
|
0
|
32
|
Matt DiBenedetto
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
28.5
|
25.8
|
123
|
-352
|
0
|
33
|
Danica Patrick
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
24.1
|
28.1
|
115
|
-360
|
0
|
34
|
Corey LaJoie
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
32.6
|
30.5
|
77
|
-398
|
0
|
35
|
Reed Sorenson
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
33.3
|
31.8
|
56
|
-419
|
0
|
36
|
Gray Gaulding
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
33.6
|
32.1
|
51
|
-424
|
0
|
37
|
Jeffrey Earnhardt
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
34.5
|
33.5
|
49
|
-426
|
0
|
38
|
Michael Waltrip
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
30
|
8
|
29
|
-446
|
0
|
39
|
Derrike Cope
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
36.1
|
35.6
|
16
|
-459
|
0
|
40
|
D.J. Kennington
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
28
|
36
|
1
|
-474
|
0
|
41
|
Cody Ware
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
39
|
39
|
1
|
-474
|
0
|
Head of the Class
- Larson, Johnson, Truex, and Keselowski
- This group is on cruise control. Keep battling, keep picking up stage points, keep getting stage/race wins and padding your playoff lead before they even start. Even Johnson who hasn't been as consistently fast week to week is safe here and will likely win another race ro two before race 27.
Strong Middle
- Harvick, Logano, Elliott, Ky. Busch, Stenhouse Jr, and McMurray
- No one is really worried about these guys for the most part. JoLo had a win for the playoffs, then had it become "encumbered," Harvick is on the cusp, and no one will ever count Kyle out from winning a race. Stenhouse Jr. already has a win and RFR have made huge strides this year so I see no issue with him getting a spot in 2017. Meanwhile McMurray is putting up one of his best season's as a Cup driver.
Work to Do
- Hamlin, Ku. Busch, Blaney, Newman, and Bayne
- Newman has a win, but securing some more playoff points and being safely inside the top 16 if we did somehow get 16+ winners has to be a focus for a few weeks. Blaney has run well, but if he doesn't win I can see him on the last three in come race 26 which means he needs to stay sharp and keep racking up those points every race. Lastly, good for Bayne to be in this spot, but a few slip ups will really hurt since he isn't killing the top tens right now (mostly top 15's).
Panic Button?
- Kenseth, Earnhardt Jr, Kahne, A. Dillon, and Allmendinger
- Sure, we still have plenty of time left in the season to get into the playoffs, but the lack of remaining races leaves less of a chance to win or even just rack up important playoff points that the top of the pack is already doing. I'm the least worried about Kenseth in this group, but still wonder what has been going on with the whole JGR team each week they fail to make strides. Even if Allmendinger wins (think road courses) he has to worry about penalties or poor finishes and making the top 30. Each guy is capable of winning in this group so the panic button is just a rhetoric, but they better get moving.
No comments:
Post a Comment