There were only 15 race winners this year. Blaney got in on points. Until July started, I really did think there would be more than 16 winners, but it just didn't happen with Elliott adding 2 more wins, Larson getting another one and Reddick and Harvick getting 2 each.
As for Bell and Byron, both have just been too inconsistent this year for me to think they get far in the Playoffs. Both are very good drivers but they make a single mistake to take them out of contention far too often. RCR hasn't been a championship-level team for a long time (really since Harvick and Burton left). But they have been getting better the past few years. This is the 3rd time Dillon has made the playoffs and he just missed it last year to his teammate. Reddick has made the playoffs the past 2 years. Both of those drivers know what to expect in the final 10 races, but I highly doubt either is one of the final 4 drivers. Trackhouse was one of the best teams for the first half of the season, but the field has caught up to them over the past couple of months. Suarez has bad luck too often and Chastain made way too many enemies that will ensure that he doesn't win another race if they can do something about it. Cindric only got in with a D500 win and a rookie is not going to win the Championship. He's also been inconsistent all season. I think the Final 4 comes down to 2 HMS cars and 2 Fords. My guess is Elliott and Larson for Chevy and Blaney and Harvick for Ford, although Logano could replace one of them.
It seems that a lot of people weren't thinking about how consistent Harvick was all season until he won a race to lock himself into the playoffs. Harvick was usually finishing in the Top-10 except at road courses. He didn't start the season well as it took him some time to adjust to a completely different car than he was used to driving for the past 21 years. I think the new car is the whole reason that Johnson and Bowyer decided to retire. If they had to start all over with something new, it might as well be by doing something different. Clint is awesome in the booth and JJ is finally starting to figure out the IndyCar Series. I think Almirola agreed to come back for a couple more seasons for Smithfield and SHR because he likes this new car and he didn't think he would. I'm wondering if Kurt Busch even comes back at all. He might be forced out by health like Kahne and Dale Jr. were. Then I wonder what 23XI does for the #45 car next season. I really think Kyle Busch is going to buy into Kaulig Racing and Ty Gibbs takes the #18 seat next season.
As for the rain caution that didn't happen in time, there was nothing NASCAR could have done differently in that specific scenario! It wasn't raining the lap before and it was pouring by the time the cars got back to that spot. Instant loss of grip when the cars are going up to 190mph. Even if they threw the yellow before the cars got back to that spot, it would have still caused a wreck as many drivers would have checked up much sooner and harder than the cars behind them. That was nothing like the New Hampshire race where it was raining for a couple of laps at a shorter track and NASCAR let the leaders wreck before throwing the caution for rain. But I bet NASCAR throws more cautions in the future based on radar instead of what spotters around the track are seeing considering what happened Sunday. I don't mean car spotters, but the NASCAR officials that are stationed around the tracks to report debris, fluid and weather conditions.
As for the current playoff conditions, the only thing I would change is the number eligible with a win. I would drop it to Top-25 in points. Top-30 in points only eliminates 6 cars that race every week and that mostly consists of Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports. The Cup Series has rarely had a 40-car field since the Charter System came into play. Most races only have the 36 charter cars at the track with an occassional test car or driver. I think the only races with a full 40-car field now are the D500, the Spring Talladega race and a few of the road course races. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the final 10 races this year and the culmination of "silly season" when we find out where every driver and car in question ends up. I also want to see who ends up replacing M&M's/Mars Candy Co. for the sponsorship of the #18 car. It can't just be Interstate Batteries all year! To be continued...
NO PWE's EVER!!! PLZ PM me 1st before sending any offer. ONLY selling cards as of March 2024. No trades or purchases right now.
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Largest total PC card collections by Team, then Athlete (as of 3/22/24):
STL Cardinals (MLB) - 8810; Carolina Panthers - 2888; GB Packers - 1790+ cards
Mark Martin (NASCAR) - 2038 cards; Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR) - 1875 cards; Jeff Gordon (NASCAR) - 1594; Ricky Rudd (NASCAR) - 839; Ozzie Smith (MLB) - 707
