When the green flag waves at New Hampshire on Sunday, every car will run the same 301 laps on the same track, chasing the same checkered flag. But with only two races left before the Chase begins, what counts as a good Sunday has a different meaning for every driver.
Start near the back of the Chase picture, where the margin for error is thinnest. Shane van Gisbergen currently holds the 16th and final Chase spot with a 50-point cushion over Ryan Preece. For SVG, Sunday is about keeping Preece from making a significant dent in that advantage. For Preece, it's about closing the gap enough to give himself a realistic shot at taking that final Chase spot when the regular season ends at Daytona.
Move up the standings and the picture changes. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell have already clinched their Chase spots and enter New Hampshire tied at 695 points. Getting in isn't the problem anymore. Now it's about improving where they'll start when the points reset.
Then there's Denny Hamlin, who's playing an entirely different game. He arrives 115 points ahead of Ryan Blaney with a chance to secure the Chase's No. 1 seed before Daytona. His magic number Sunday is 37 points. Get them, and the No. 1 seed is officially his.
The battle for the win will always demand the most attention. But this Sunday, some of the most important racing may happen nowhere near the lead. They'll all take the same green flag, but a good Sunday won't look the same for any of them.
#sunday #preece #points #start
Start near the back of the Chase picture, where the margin for error is thinnest. Shane van Gisbergen currently holds the 16th and final Chase spot with a 50-point cushion over Ryan Preece. For SVG, Sunday is about keeping Preece from making a significant dent in that advantage. For Preece, it's about closing the gap enough to give himself a realistic shot at taking that final Chase spot when the regular season ends at Daytona.
Move up the standings and the picture changes. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell have already clinched their Chase spots and enter New Hampshire tied at 695 points. Getting in isn't the problem anymore. Now it's about improving where they'll start when the points reset.
Then there's Denny Hamlin, who's playing an entirely different game. He arrives 115 points ahead of Ryan Blaney with a chance to secure the Chase's No. 1 seed before Daytona. His magic number Sunday is 37 points. Get them, and the No. 1 seed is officially his.
The battle for the win will always demand the most attention. But this Sunday, some of the most important racing may happen nowhere near the lead. They'll all take the same green flag, but a good Sunday won't look the same for any of them.
#sunday #preece #points #start
13 hours ago
