Playoff Points: Chicagoland Edition

By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

Following each points race, Kickin’ the Tires takes a deep look at the current playoff grids for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, evaluating each team’s postseason odds and highlighting those that made steps in the right direction, as well as those who dug themselves into a hole. 

Track: Chicagoland Speedway

Event: Tales of the Turtles 400

Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr.

Stage Winner(s): Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott

Who Won Big

• Martin Truex Jr.: His No. 78 team made mistakes and trapped themselves deep in the field, but it mattered not. Truex drove to the lead and, ultimately, the win – upping his playoff point total to 58 while guaranteeing himself into the Round of 12. The championship goes through Furniture Row Racing.
• Chase Elliott: He played the role of bridesmaid once more, but Elliott’s strong afternoon in Illinois was enough to elevate the Georgian to a 33-point cushion on the bubble. Without wins Elliott is going to need consistency to advance through the playoffs. Runs like Sunday’s will help.
• Kevin Harvick: He didn’t quite have a race-winning car, but Harvick delivered a strong top-five performance to rise 41 points clear of elimination in Chicagoland. The 2014 Cup Series champ can now afford one mistake over the next two races.

Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Kurt Busch: Ouch. Busch was running inside of the top five at one point in the second half of Sunday’s race, but a vibration required the Daytona 500 winner to come to pit road, where a speeding penalty derailed his day. Now the elder Busch brother sits directly on the cutoff line, with work to do over the next two weeks.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: From a trip into the outside wall to a late penalty on pit road, Stenhouse suffered through a torrid day in the Land of Lincoln. Roush Fenway Racing’s lone playoff entrant ran the worst of all playoff contenders, but is only four points out of the top 12 leaving Illinois thanks to the playoff points for his two regular season wins. The No. 16 team is still in contention, but can’t afford any more execution issues moving forward.
• Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman: These two veterans of the sport were also two of the worst contenders on-track on Sunday. Neither managed to contend for anything meaningful throughout the afternoon, and both drivers find themselves outside of the top 12 leaving Chicagoland because of it. Their performance has to improve at New Hampshire and Dover.

Playoff Standings: 

Where They Stand

Safe (For Now)

• Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson
  • Truex is safe with a win.
  • Larson holds a healthy advantage in points.

More Work to Do

• Kevin Harvick
  • Harvick is 41 points clear, but one mistake from falling back into the clutches of his competitors.

On the Bubble

• Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Blaney, Jamie McMurray, Austin Dillon

Within Reach 

• Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman

Likely Need to Win

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Previous Race Results

Playoff Totals

Season Totals