As the NASCAR Playoffs are down to a field of eight drivers at this week’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway, three familiar names are running atop the leaderboard. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. have dominated most of the season, so it is not surprising that the Big 3 are in the same position in the standings.
Only one point separates Busch and Harvick from the lead, while Truex is 17 points away from first place. The fourth driver is red hot Chase Elliott, who has won two races in the playoffs and would be the last driver into the final round if he can keep that position for the next three races.
That will be difficult to do. There is a three-point differential between Elliott and Clint Bowyer, Joey Lagano, and Kurt Busch, who are all tied for fifth. Aric Almirola, despite winning at Talledega two weeks ago, is in the eighth and final spot, and will probably need to win again if he wants to advance.
Big Three Becoming Big Two?
Busch and Harvick are co-favorites to win the Cup at 9/4, and Busch is the clear favorite to win this Sunday’s race at Martinsville. Busch told Vegasinsider.com that he likes his chances.
“I really look forward to this round,” Busch said. “I feel like it’s our best round. We run well at all three of those places and we won at Texas in the spring, we won Martinsville last fall and Phoenix has been getting better for us, too. We just need to continue to execute and do a good job.”
For the First Data 500, Harvick is a surprising 10/1 pick. The 42-year-old hasn’t won there since 2011, but is one of two drivers whose car ranks among the three fastest on all track types for the next three races.
Harvick might have had a victory last week, but got assessed a pit-road speeding penalty knocked him from the lead. He did earn a stage win, but was disappointed his error cost him a possible victory.
“Today wasn’t great from my standpoint,” Harvick said after the race. “Our Busch Lite Ford was really fast and leading the race there, and I got a speeding penalty. That was my fault. I tried to get a little too much and wound up going too fast.”
Thrill of the Chase
One driver who has been turning heads is Elliott. He is a bit of a surprise to get to the last eight drivers, considering he didn’t hit up until late in the season. He won the first week of August at Watkins Glen, they captured two races in October at Dover and last week at Kansas.
Despite being the fourth driver and in good position to advance to the next stage, Elliott knows he won’t make it unless he keeps the same philosophy he has had in the playoffs.
The points game is nice I guess to play,” Elliott said. “Really you just need to care about winning. If you’re trying to win, putting yourself in position to win, that’s way more important than just barely trying to squeak through.
Having the ability to win, do it weekly, putting yourselves in those positions week by week is the most important thing. If we can do that these next three weeks, I think we can give ourselves a chance.”