2019 NASCAR CHASE PREVIEW - ROUND 2

16 has been cut to 12 as the Chase for the Cup continues. In this round, we have 3 very different tracks – the Monster Mile of Dover, the 2.6-mile behemoth in Talladega and the 1.5-mile cookie cutter track at Kansas to decide who continues to the Eliminator 8. Let’s look at each race, analyze who has the upper hand and who has the best chance of advancing.

1. Gander RV 400 at Dover – 10/6, 1 PM Eastern, NBCSN

Dover – that means but one thing…Miles the Monster will be out for revenge on 40 unsuspecting drivers, 12 of which are chasing the Monster Energy Cup. Chase Elliott is the defending winner of this race, but he will have to escape Kyle Busch, who narrowly slipped by him for the win here 2 years ago and is a 3-time winner at Dover. However, his average finish is among the worst of the Chasers – 15^th, compared to Chase Elliott’s 4^th. Advantage – Elliott.

Chaser Running Order: Elliott (Winner), Kyle Busch (2^nd), Truex (5^th), Harvick (9^th), Bowman (10^th), Byron (12^th), Hamlin (15^th), Keselowski (16^th), Larson (20^th), Logano (28^th), Ryan Blaney (32^nd), Bowyer (35^th)

Points:

1. Elliot – 3048 points (IN)

2. Kyle Busch – 3043 points

3. Martin Truex Jr. – 3040 points

4. Kevin Harvick – 3035 points

5. Alex Bowman – 3034 points

6. Will Byron – 3032 points

7. Denny Hamlin – 3029 points

8. Brad Keselowski – 3028 points

9. Kyle Larson – 3025 points (-3 from 8^th)

10. Joey Logano – 3018 points (-10 from 8^th)

11. Ryan Blaney – 3014 points (-14 from 8^th)

12. Clint Bowyer – 3011 points (-17 from 8^th)

2. 1000Bulbs.Com 500 at Talladega – 10/13, 2 PM Eastern, NBCSN

Talladega is one of 2 wildcards left on the schedule – meaning anyone can win. Anything can happen and most likely will. I’ll be picking an out of the woods name to emerge from this and advance – that being Will Byron! He’ll be the one to escape the madness and punch his ticket to the Eliminator 8.

Chaser Running Order:

Byron (Winner), Elliott (3^rd), Truex (4^th), Larson (5^th), Bowman (9^th), Blaney (14^th), Logano (17^th), Harvick (20^th), Bowyer (24^th), Keselowski (26^th), Hamlin (27^th), Kyle Busch (30^th)

Points:

1. Elliot – 3090 points (IN)

2. Martin Truex Jr. – 3080 points

3. Will Byron – 3080 points (IN)

4. Alex Bowman – 3069 points

5. Kyle Larson – 3065 points

6. Kevin Harvick – 3060 points

7. Kyle Busch – 3058 points

8. Joey Logano – 3056 points

9. Brad Keselowski – 3047 points (-9 from 8th)

10. Denny Hamlin – 3045 points (-11 from 8^th)

11. Ryan Blaney – 3044 points (-12 from 8^th)

12. Clint Bowyer – 3032 points (-24 from 8^th)

3. Hollywood Casino 400 – 10/20, 2 PM Eastern, NBCSN

Another 1.5-mile track in the Chase, another track that Chase Elliott has won at, but also another track that Martin Truex Jr. has claimed victory at. This may come down to Elliott vs. Truex in the final laps. In this scenario, advantage to Truex.

Chaser Running Order:

Truex (Winner), Elliott (2^nd), Keselowski (4^th), Hamlin (7^th), Kyle Busch (10^th), Bowman (12^th), Harvick (13^th), Byron (15^th), Larson (18^th), Blaney (24^th), Logano (29^th), Bowyer (30^th)

Points:

1. Elliot – 3134 points (IN)

2. Martin Truex Jr. – 3128 points (IN)

3. Will Byron – 3110 points (IN)

4. Alex Bowman – 3101 points

5. Kevin Harvick – 3092 points

6. Kyle Busch – 3092 points

7. Kyle Larson – 3091 points

8. Brad Keselowski – 3087 points

9. Denny Hamlin – 3083 points (-4 from 8^th)

10. Joey Logano – 3071 points (-16 from 8^th)

11. Ryan Blaney – 3064 points (-23 from 8^th)

12. Clint Bowyer – 3046 points (-41 from 8^th)

After Kansas: Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer…I’m sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the Chase.