With two NASCAR Cup Series regular-season races remaining, Chase Elliott is far off the playoff-bubble pace, placing 19th, down 80 points.
The 2020 circuit champion enters Sunday’s GoBowling.com at The Glen in a win-only situation. A road-course ace, Elliott claimed back-to-back checkered flags at the 2.45-mile, multi-elevational course. Can the 2018 and ’19 race winner break through again?
Elliott was the betting favorite to visit Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International, listed at +350 by NBC Sports Bet on Thursday …
Chase Elliott’s simplest path to the playoffs? WIN.
But with just two races to go, the pressure is on at Watkins Glen. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/mw3OYhaegJ
— NBC Sports Bet (@NBCSportsBet) August 17, 2023
Chase Elliott Needs To Win
While Elliott’s path is clear, three open spots remain after Michael McDowell’s win last Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
McDowell’s second career victory dropped Bubba Wallace into last place on the postseason list. That’s where the pressure starts.
Barring another pilot earning win No. 1 this season at Wakins Glen, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski could mathematically clinch postseason berths, if they finish Sunday 56 points ahead of the 16th-ranked driver.
A similar situation played out in 2022. Martin Truex Jr. was eliminated when Austin Dillon won during the regular-season finale at Daytona. Ryan Blaney qualified via points.
Here are the drivers on the 2023 playoff bubble …
Bubble trouble.
Bubba Wallace holds the last #NASCAR playoff spot, but the points gap has closed significantly. pic.twitter.com/jWnj6jNvLp
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 13, 2023
No. 16: Bubba Wallace (plus-28)
Wallace was recently called out by his boss, Denny Hamlin, who suggested Wallace failed to drive the No. 23 Toyota up to its capabilities. Some insiders said the criticism was deserved considering Wallace has more DNFs (five) than top-five finishes (four) this season. How did Wallace respond? …
Bubba Wallace appeared to flip the middle finger during his post-race interview with Fox… 😳
Watch: https://t.co/bKxyaIDahG pic.twitter.com/GX4O35g3Ie
— Pro Talk (@On3ProSports) May 22, 2023
No. 17: Daniel Suarez (minus-28)
Suarez, who compiled 17 points during the opening two stages at Inday last Sunday, lost six valuable seconds during a mid-race pit stop, possibly costing him a chance to catch McDowell, settling for an impressive P3. Still winless, Suarez, who placed fifth at Watkins Glen last season, is eyeing Wallace’s position and needs to rally with more aggressive driving …
Daniel Suarez SHUNTS Chase Elliott out of the way!
Watch #NASCAR on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/d8SmJR81o5
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 13, 2023
No. 18: Ty Gibbs (minus-49 points)
A rookie, Gibbs is proving to be a future Cup contender. Is it this season? Last week at Indy, he recovered from a spin and still finished P12. The Xfinity Series winner at IMS Road Course, Gibbs remains a long shot to make the playoffs, considering he’s recorded just one top-five in 24 Cup starts this season …
Big win! Bigger burnout!@TyGibbs and @MonsterEnergy couldn’t be stopped en route to Victory Lane Saturday at @IMS. #NASCARUnleashed pic.twitter.com/RW4cTtl172
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) August 15, 2023
No. 20: Alex Bowman (minus-80)
It may surprise some casual Cup fans that Bowman is well off the cutline, considering he earned top-10s in one-third of his 21 starts this season, including a P5 last Sunday at Indy. But the three races he missed via injury cost him valuable points. At Watkins Glen, Bowman will be pulling double duty…
.@Alex_Bowman is behind the wheel of the https://t.co/c8UD8QZ9FE No. 17 this weekend. Get ready.https://t.co/l44ywBz2cH
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) August 15, 2023
No. 21: AJ Allmendinger (minus-87)
A road course ace, Allmendinger endured a Blaney-induced spin at Indy and mostly raced a lap down, eventually placing a disappointing P26. Allmendinger won at Watkins Glen in 2014 and was runner-up to Kyle Larson last season. Can Allmendinger refocus his recent frustrations and end his slide? …
“If I get back to that 12, he’s getting crashed.” 🌶
AJ Allmendinger isn’t happy with Ryan Blaney. pic.twitter.com/0CpEqgZ0nv
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 13, 2023
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