With only one race remaining in the NASCAR regular season, the final spots in the Chase are on the line as the Cup Series returns to Daytona this weekend.
Once the checkered flag falls at Daytona, the championship battle will narrow down to just 16 drivers. Each will have 10 races to accumulate points and fight for the title.
This season has been defined by stretches of dominance from various drivers. On a recent episode of Inside the Race, Kyle Petty noted that the Chase format is perfectly timed to allow one final hot streak to decide the championship.
“What I find interesting about the whole year, as I look at the year in its totality, is how hot Tyler Reddick was when the year started, the run in points that Denny Hamlin made to get to where he’s at. Now the run from Joey Logano,” Petty said. “Who in the fourth quarter is going to make that run for the championship? It is a year of streaks. To me, that is what this year has played out as.”
Petty pointed out that Joey Logano’s recent surge propelled him from outside the postseason picture into true contender status. However, he emphasized that the final 10 races offer anyone in the field a chance to rise to the challenge.
“Who’s going to get hot right here?” Petty asked. “Is it going to be a Ryan Blaney? Is it going to be a Ty Gibbs? Is it going to be someone like that, who gets hot, who is really pretty good at all of these race tracks, and pretty consistent? Is it going to be Denny Hamlin who makes his second streak?”
With NASCAR’s first year back using the Chase as the postseason format, the race for the title carries extra intrigue.
Traditional wisdom suggests that drivers need to be in the top six or top seven heading into the Chase to have a realistic shot at the title. However, given the multiple hot streaks seen throughout the season, it feels like any of the 16 qualified drivers could lift the trophy if everything breaks their way.
The first race of the Chase is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway.
