Aric Almirola’s New Hampshire win upset the Playoff balance(Photo: Getty Images)
The two most recent NASCAR Cup Series races held before the two-week Olympics break have seen drivers score wins who were either on the cutline in the series standings or were well out of contention in terms of making the NASCAR Playoffs based on their points position. As a result, the list of drivers who have a chance at making the cut and being in contention for the title has been in a state of flux during this midsummer time out.
And it would stand to reason that NASCAR and its television partners are just fine with that.
Others, however, may not be as excited about the current state of affairs. No doubt, there are some drivers and crew chiefs who have lost at least a little sleep during the time they were supposed to be recharging their batteries for the four-race stretch run to decide the sixteen playoff contenders is made.
Recent wins by Kurt Busch in Atlanta and Aric Almirola in New Hampshire have put numerous drivers in a must-win position. With the exception of Austin Dillon, who sits just below the cutline only five points behind Richard Childress Racing teammate Tyler Reddick, it would be unlikely anyone else can make the Playoffs solely based on the accumulation of points. Thus, winning is a must for drivers such as Chris Buescher, Matt DiBenedetto, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. if they are to have any chance at satisfying their championship aspirations.
When the various systems used to determine NASCAR’s champion were initially introduced with the Chase for the Championship back in 2004 all the way up to today’s current system, the objective was always to create a state of unpredictability along with guaranteeing a close finish in the season finale. If that wasn’t the intent, why bother changing the system?
Matt Kenseth won the 2003 Winston Cup title by stringing together an amazing run of consistency that allowed him to have the title locked up even before that year’s season finale ever even took the green flag. And more, Kenseth only won one race that year.
The sanctioning body, and perhaps more importantly, its television and marketing partners didn’t like the idea that such a thing as the 2003 scenario could happen. As a result, the 10-race dash for a title was born.
In some seasons, even with the playoff format in place, things have gone pretty much as those who follow the sport closely might have guessed. But in other years there have been surprises during the Playoffs run.
The 2021 version of the NASCAR Playoffs hasn’t even started yet and the surprises have already been plentiful. Sixteen drivers will eventually be chosen to run for the championship. Race winners get dibs on the invites provided the number of winners does not exceed 16 during the first 26 events. After the race winners are slotted in, those highest in the standings fill in the remaining positions.
It isn’t likely that very many followers of the sport could have foreseen 13 different drivers having won after the first 22 races of this season and seemingly locking themselves into the NASCAR Playoffs. But what that means for the next four races is that some drivers will have to take every gamble imaginable to make the cut following that 26th race. It is a situation that should make for great television intrigue and drama.
Remember, NASCAR is almost as much about entertainment as it is competition.
In other words, this is exactly what NASCAR hopes to get out of its playoff format. And again, it’s even more what the television and marketing partners hope to get out of any season. There’s chaos in terms of the playoffs before they even get underway.
Aric Almirola and Kurt Busch were obviously doing what was best for them and their teams. But at the same time, they did what was best for NASCAR and its team of partners.
Richard Allen is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association
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