Well, what do we have here?
Brad Keselowski’s veteran-like fuel conservation earned him a win last Sunday, inching him closer to the top 20. He now sits 21st, seven points out.
His victory shines a massive spotlight on the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility wrinkle put in place at the start of 2011 – the Wild Card.
After race No. 26 at Richmond International Raceway, the top-10 drivers in points earn berths into the 12-driver Chase field. Spots 11 and 12 – the Wild Cards – go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20.
The Wild Card widens the focus throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, with interest reaching all the way to 29th place. Some stories worth watching …
If Keselowski can creep into the top 20, watch out: Keselowski can shake up the championship picture. Keselowski’s two career wins both took place at Chase tracks – Talladega and Kansas. Last year, his first in full-time series competition, Keselowski had two top 10s. Both came during the Chase.
Chase regulars may need it: Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon have all made multiple Chases. They also share this problematic stature: A points position outside the top 10. All three have won at Pocono Raceway (Hamlin and Gordon have four victories apiece at the Tricky Triangle), so an immediate win doesn’t seem too out-of-the-question. Said Biffle, who was a guest on this week’s NASCAR video teleconference, “A win would certainly secure you a fairly comfortable spot as a Wild Card, although we have [three] guys with wins now. So it may, in fact, take two wins. Two wins would probably guarantee you a spot if you stay in that top 20 in points.”
Road-course races approaching: Between now and the Chase, there are two road-course races – at Infineon Raceway (June 26) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 14). That’s a juicy proposition for two road-course experts – Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose – who are winless, but inside the top 20.
Don’t forget about Regan Smith: Smith’s win at Darlington Raceway immediately puts him in the Wild Card discussion. There’s ground to cover – 29th in points, he sits 49 points outside the top 20. If only he could finish as well as he starts. Smith’s average starting position of 9.9 ranks second in the series (behind Carl Edwards’ 9.6).
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