Who… should you talk about after the race?
If you hadn’t Austin Dillon If you have a shortlist of contenders to win the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, you are not alone.
Dillon qualified sixth, his best starting position since starting fifth at Talladega Superspeedway in April. He showed he was fast all day and took the lead with 28 laps to go by passing Denny Hamlin. From there, Dillon built a commanding lead before a tussle between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Preece with two laps to go, prompting a final round of pit stops to put on a set of the softer, faster tires NASCAR had on offer this week.
Joey Logano passed Dillon on the final restart, outpaced him and took the white flag. Dillon didn’t get close enough to attempt a pass, but he got close enough to hit Logano’s bumper, pass him, and then, after Hamlin squeezed past both of them, he swerved into Hamlin’s right rear, sending him hard into the outside wall. Dillon held off Hamlin and Tyler Reddick to take the win – and an unexpected playoff spot.
And don’t forget Bubba Wallace. Wallace again put in a strong race-long performance on Sunday, qualifying eighth and running in the top 10 and top five for much of the race. He finished fifth and eighth in the opening stages, picking up some much-needed points as he battles for a playoff spot with three regular-season races remaining. Wallace finished fourth on the day, his second top-five finish in the last two races.
What… is the big question once you leave this race behind?
After tire strategy was a deciding factor in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR tried something different to make the Richmond race more exciting. Teams were able to use two different tire compounds during the race. Did the option tire work as advertised and should it become standard equipment?
Yes, it worked. It didn’t drastically change the course of the race (nor should it have been expected), but it gave the teams the opportunity to control their own destiny. The softer option tyre had more grip and was much faster than the regular tyre, but didn’t last as long before the speed dropped.
Because the teams had different plans with the tires, there were some players who might not have otherwise been included in the discussions.
So yes, NASCAR should definitely look at tire options for future races. It could look a number of ways, but choosing Richmond definitely helped some teams and made racing more interesting. Good call on this one, NASCAR.
Where… did the other key players end up?
Pole winner Hamelin is a champion at Richmond and had a great car. He led the first 45 laps before being passed by teammate Christopher Bell. Hamlin was never far from the front all day, leading seven times for a race-high 124 laps. He was also in a solid position on the final restart to take advantage of a mistake by Dillon or Logano. He proved it by passing Dillon after he sent Logano spinning. Dillon knocked him off the lead and he still finished second, but Hamlin was the better driver that day.
Defending champion Chris Bushr qualified well and started seventh. An early pit mistake under green proved to be Buescher’s undoing for the day. A loose wheel meant Buescher had to stop and back up as he left his pits, costing him a lap on the track. Buescher managed to get back on the lead lap but ended up in a disappointing 18th place, and his playoff hopes are now in jeopardy with Dillon’s win.
Daniel Suárez And Michael McDowell were the first to switch to the faster option tyre. It was clear from the start how fast the tyre was, but the question was how long this advantage would last. As it turned out, the softer tyre was optimal for about 35 laps – which was enough for Suarez to take the lead. The #99 was running in the midfield before the tyre change and Suarez was able to use this strategy to win the second stage and stay in the race, finishing a solid 10th.
McDowell finished 15th, also a better result than he might have otherwise achieved after losing a lap early on before getting clear before the tire change.
When… was the moment of truth?
It’s impossible to separate Dillon’s victory from the way he got it. Desperate for a playoff spot (and 32nd in the points standings heading into the weekend), Dillon had a great car, but on the final restart, it wasn’t enough for Logano, so he resorted to the bumper. And then when Hamlin passed him, he did it again, egged on by his team.
Dillon said afterwards that he was not the first driver to challenge the leader for a win.
He’s not wrong when he says that moving the leader is nothing new, but there’s a big difference between letting another driver move on the track (as Dillon said Logano and Hamlin did) and intentionally ruining not one but two drivers between you and the checkered flag. Other drivers had plenty to say about Dillon’s win afterward, most of it (deservedly) less than flattering.
Dillon’s maneuver was unfair driving. While he’s not the first to make such maneuvers to win, the playoffs have increased the pressure on drivers to make desperate maneuvers, and by allowing this to happen, NASCAR is setting itself up for more ugly, intentional destruction to win. And eventually, someone will get hurt. It’s time to draw a line between a bump and run and bowling for trophies.
Why… should you pay attention this week?
With no more free weekends, now is the time to head to Michigan. For teams outside the playoffs or on the brink, there are only three chances left to make the cut.
The teams already in the title race have three weeks to find the speed and momentum they need to start the playoffs in a way that will at least keep them in the field, if not compete from the start.
Michigan International Speedway is next on the schedule. Buescher is the most recent MIS winner and will be joined by Ryan Blaney and Logano, who have won in the last five years.
Thanks to a dominant Kevin Harvick, there haven’t been many drivers with MIS wins in recent years. Kyle Larson is the only other currently active driver to have a win there in the last decade. That either gives Buescher, Blaney, Logano and Larson an advantage or makes it a completely wide open race for someone else to snatch a playoff spot at the last minute.
How many winless drivers have a real chance of qualifying for the playoffs in the next three weeks?
Aside from the fact that the Daytona International Speedway is a game of chance where virtually everyone has a chance, it is probably due to a handful of outsiders.
Martin Truex Jr. shouldn’t be an underdog, but that’s just how it is. He was fast, but then had bad luck or problems on pit road – whatever it was, it continues to take the wind out of Truex’s sails. Still, he has speed and experience on his side.
Buescher is hovering around the cut line, but is far from certain. He has a win at Michigan, the track that is probably his best chance to take a win into the playoffs. Wallace has been fast lately, but not consistent
And Kyle Busch? He hasn’t shown he has what it takes to win. But despite his struggles, he can’t be written off just because he’s Kyle Busch.
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