The chaotic end to the Brickyard 400 produced another first-time 2017 NASCAR Cup Series winner, but that’s a bad thing for several drivers.
The 2017 Brickyard 400 was following the same script most of the NASCAR races at Indianapolis have stuck to for about 350 miles. Then all hell broke loose, with two incidents needing red flags to clean up and two overtime attempts needed before Kasey Kahne emerged as the victor.
Kahne was in a group of drivers who absolutely needed a win to make the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs,and he got it. A dozen drivers (not including Joey Logano, whose win this season is encumbered) are locked into the playoffs thanks to victories, leaving only four spots open to drivers who have piled up the points.
Only six races remain in the regular season, but the way this year has gone, no one would be surprised if another winless driver punched a ticket to the playoffs before Chicago. That leaves precious few spots for anyone to get it on points, so unless your name is Kyle Busch, you’re sweating things right now.
Whose playoff chances were hurt the most by Kahne’s Brickyard win? We break it down from least affected to most.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick and every rookie
Everyone in this group was in “win or go home” mode already, so Kahne winning does nothing to change that. Dale Jr. has been frank on his weekly podcast about the 88 team taking more chances to try to win because they understand the situation. All that happened at the Brickyard is that someone else beat them to it.
Next: What will Dale Earnhardt Jr. bring to NBC Sports?
Jamie McMurray and Chase Elliott
These guys have been consistent enough that they will probably make it into the playoffs on points. Maybe.
No one below McMurray and Elliott who isn’t currently in on points is going to run them down, barring something disastrous like back-to-back-to-back DNFs. They aren’t the first driver out if someone new wins, so as long as they can get through Pocono and Watkins Glen without that changing, they should be feeling a little better. Not comfortable, but better.
Matt Kenseth
Welcome to the hot seat, Matt Kenseth. To be honest, he’s been there for a while, but even with a top-5 finish at the Brickyard, he’s right on the bubble. One more win by a first timer would put him on the outside looking in.
One good thing: Kenseth now has a 33-point lead on the next driver on this list, so he can absorb one bad points day over the next few weeks without the world ending. But it would be much better if the 20 was the next car to win.
Clint Bowyer
It’s been such a good story for Clint Bowyer to be competitive since he’s back in a quality ride, but the wheels are starting to come off. Like many other drivers, Bowyer got caught up in some of the carnage late at Indy, ending up with a 30th-place finish he really couldn’t afford. It’s not impossible for him to catch Kenseth over the next six weeks; the question is whether that will even matter if there’s another new winner.
Joey Logano
It seems so rare for NASCAR penalties to actually matter that it’s hard to believe Logano is in this position. Team Penske started the 2017 season off running well, but the performance of the 22 has fallen off more than the 2, and Logano’s win that doesn’t count has gradually become extremely painful.
Here’s the truth: Logano is now in the “must win” boat with about 20 other drivers. Can he nab one before Chicago? If he doesn’t, he won’t be in the playoffs.