14. Ross Chastain (+66)
Chastain regarded primed to repeat at Nashville, proving to be the dominant automobile of Stage 3. Nevertheless, a late-race incident with Kyle Larson relegated Chastain to thirty third on the outcomes sheet and threw away what may’ve been a stellar factors day. Chastain remains to be on the lookout for his first win of 2024, and if yet another driver under the minimize line had been to win, he could possibly be within the hazard zone.
15. Chris Buescher (+56)
Buescher continues to hover round fifteenth place, however a fifth-place end for Buescher is definitely a welcome signal for the No. 17 staff. Anticipate Buescher to be a contender on the Chicago Avenue Race subsequent Sunday — he is been the most effective road-course racers for the reason that introduction of the Subsequent-Gen automobile in 2022.
16. Alex Bowman (+51)
Regardless of a season through which he is tied for the third most top-10 finishes within the Cup Collection, Bowman now finds himself because the final man contained in the provisional playoff image with seven races to go. Bowman has been quietly constant — he survived the Nashville carnage and earned a 14th-place end on Sunday — however it might take a win for the No. 48 staff to really feel snug in regards to the playoff positioning.
17. Bubba Wallace (-51)
Wallace did the whole lot proper on Sunday, driving via the sector early and capitalizing on technique late to earn a seventh-place end. The issue? His largest minimize line competitor in Joey Logano discovered victory lane, that means Wallace misplaced 38 factors to the playoff bubble after driving one in every of his higher races of the season. The aim for Wallace in Chicago ought to merely be survival, nearly as good tracks for the No. 23 staff in Pocono and Indianapolis observe the Chicago road race.
18. Chase Briscoe (-78)
Briscoe discovered himself working as excessive as second late in Sunday’s race earlier than working out of gasoline. With everyone under the playoff minimize line probably needing a victory to make the postseason, it is as much as Briscoe to fabricate a victory over the following seven races.
19. Kyle Busch (-104)
It is time for Kyle Busch to hit the panic button. The 2-time champion hasn’t completed higher than twelfth during the last seven races, and now wants a win to make the Cup Collection playoffs. All the things choice is on the desk for Busch, and whether or not he wins a race on pace or technique, he’ll be grateful to get in victory lane any manner he can.
20. Josh Berry (-131)
A late crash relegated Berry to twenty sixth on the finish of Sunday’s race, ending a mini-run for the No. 4 staff of top-seven finishes. With just one quick observe — Richmond on Aug. 11 — remaining within the regular-season, it might be clever for Berry to place all of his eggs within the Richmond basket, because the quick ovals have been the No. 4 staff’s bread and butter this season.