The Sprint Cup Series isn’t decided in one week or one month. It is a grueling series that spans over ten months of competition at more than 20 different venues. To change things up and make it more interesting for drivers and fans and viewers around the world, NASCAR has recently added their version of the playoffs. The Chase was set in motion back in 2008 and selects drivers that have found their way into victory lane during the season and then where they in the point standings before it starts.
In this article I will be reviewing the performance of the drivers that rank in the 11th through the 15th positions in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. The second half of the NASCAR season will be a crucial time for these racers and their teams to make the necessary adjustments that could propel them higher into the points positions or capture a victory that all but assures them their spot in the chase for the coveted NASCAR championship.
The Sprint Cup Series most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., sits in the 11th spot, just one point behind tenth place Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Kenseth. The Hendricks Motorsports mainstay has yet to capitalize on the super speedways where he excels. The larger, faster tracks suit Earnhardt Jr. better because of his extensive experience in the restrictor-plate races and knowledge of the drafting that occurs. The #88 Nationwide Chevrolet team has been fast at times and last week in Pocono they came up just a little shy, finishing second for the second time of the year.
The son of the former NASCAR legend and Hall of Fame inductee Dale Earnhardt Sr. is improving on the 1.5 mile ovals and can be very competitive at times on the shorter mile tracks. To his credit, Earnhardt Jr. has amassed five top five’s and six top 10’s in 2016. His three did not finishes is the reason the speedster sits outside the top 10 in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. Because of the inconsistency keeping his car on the raceways and him tending to struggle at times on the wide variety of tracks, Las Vegas places him at a 15/1 favorite to capture his first championship.
Sitting behind Dale Jr. in the 12th spot is the Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. The #11 FedEx Toyota Camry driven by Hamlin is the only car outside the top ten in the Sprint Cup Series point standings that has a win to his credit.
Another member of the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Hamlin has been very fast in his qualifying efforts over the last ten races, not starting lower than tenth. The big win at the sports most coveted track will probably be enough for him to receive a spot in the chase but I fully expect the versatile racer to grab another checkered flag in the second half of the season. Hamlin has collected one win, four top five’s and six top 10’s. His two did not finishes probably have been the reason he sits in 12th. The odds-makers aren’t convinced that the FedEX Ground team can win it all and have him at a 12/1 favorite.
Austin Dillon and his #3 Dow Chem Chevrolet team have exceeded expectations through the first half of the NASCAR season. Dillon has claimed a Coors Light pole position award this year to help pad the teams pocket book and at times has been competitive up front with the big boys. Slugger Labbe, the Dow Chem teams, crew chief is a savvy veteran who has plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
The combination of the driver and the crew chief for this team could be the deciding factor if Dillon reaches the chase. He has reeled in three top five’s and six top tens in 2016. The Vegas gurus need alot more proof from the up and coming racer and slotted him in at a distant 100/1.
Jamie McMurray sits in 14th and his #1 Cessna Chip Gnassi Racing team seems to have settled in over the last ten races. The seasoned veteran has only one top five and two top ten’s so far through the 2016 Sprint Cup Series campaign but has been cruising along with a 18.2 average starting position and a 16.6 average finish. Vegas places him at 125/1 to somehow win his first NASCAR championship.
The second rookie driver that has been overlooked a little because of the performance of fellow rookie Chase Elliott is Ryan Blaney. The Woods Brothers Racing prodigy has driven his way to 15th in the point standings so far this year. Blaney has shown a competitive side on the larger speedways and some obvious improvement on the 1.5 mile ovals.
He has raced to one top five finish and an impressive six top 10’s. Whether or not the rookie will capture his first Sprint Cup Series victory in 2016 remains to be seen and bookmakers need to see a lot more racing laps and consistent top five’s before they move him up the odds charts. Blaney is a 150/1 favorite to pull of the massive upset and race to glory.
2016 Sprint Cup Series Point Standings:
1 Kevin Harvick 1 Chevrolet SS 490
2 Kurt Busch 1 SS Chevrolet 465
3 Brad Keselowski 2 Fusion Ford 432
4 Carl Edwards 2 Camry Toyota 437
5 Kyle Busch 3 Camry Toyota 416
6 Jimmie Johnson 2 SS Chevrolet 415
7 Chase Elliott SS Chevrolet 413
8 Joey Logano Fusion Ford 410
9 Martin Truex Jr. 1 SS Chevrolet 403
10 Matt Kenseth 1 Camry Toyota 382
11 Dale Earnhardt Jr. SS Chevrolet 381
12 Denny Hamlin 1 Camry Toyota 372
13 Austin Dillon SS Chevrolet 348
14 Jamie McMurray SS Chevrolet 342
15 Ryan Blaney Fusion Ford 340
16 Ryan Newman SS Chevrolet 338
17 AJ Allmendinger SS Chevrolet 334
18 Kasey Kahne SS Chevrolet 325
19 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fusion Ford 325
20 Trevor Bayne Fusion Ford 319
21 Kyle Larson SS Chevrolet 302
22 Paul Menard SS Chevrolet 265
23 Clint Bowyer SS Chevrolet 252
24 Aric Almirola Fusion Ford 249
25 Greg Biffle Fusion Ford 245
26 Danica Patrick SS Chevrolet 245
27 Landon Cassill Fusion Ford 221
28 Casey Mears SS Chevrolet 212
29 Brian Scott Fusion Ford 192
30 David Ragan Camry Toyota 189
31 Regan Smith SS Chevrolet 180
32 Michael McDowell SS Chevrolet 161
33 Chris Buescher Fusion Ford 161
34 Matt DiBenedetto SS Chevrolet 151
35 Cole Whitt SS Chevrolet 119
36 Tony Stewart SS Chevrolet 118
37 Michael Annett SS Chevrolet 111
38 Brian Vickers SS Chevrolet 86
39 Josh Wise SS Chevrolet 61
40 Jeffrey Earnhardt 44
