DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Rain and lightning proved to be a great omen for Alex Bowman, the motive force on the bubble for the ultimate NASCAR Cup Collection Playoff berth.
With the qualifying session for Saturday Night time’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 canceled due to inclement climate, Bowman will begin on the surface of the entrance row subsequent to Ryan Blaney within the race that may decide the ultimate two positions within the postseason.
When time trials are canceled, grid positions are decided by NASCAR’s metric formulation, comprised of proprietor factors place, ending place from the earlier race and quickest lap rank from the earlier race.
Bowman is 60 factors above the present elimination line getting into the final regular-season race. If one of many 15 drivers above him within the Playoff standings occurs to win on Saturday, Bowman will clinch a berth on factors.
The hazard lies in the potential of a driver beneath the reduce line successful the pivotal race. If that occurs, both Bowman or Tyler Reddick shall be eradicated. Reddick, who begins twenty seventh, enters the Coke Zero Sugar 400 with a 29-point edge over Bowman.
The motive force of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet views the second staring spot as extraordinarily useful.
“An excellent pit stall choice is nice,” Bowman stated, highlighting an necessary perk of a prime beginning place. “Speedway racing has grow to be solely harder to go at, I really feel like. So beginning up entrance is certainly a great factor.”
It additionally provides Bowman choices in attempting to overhaul Reddick on factors.
“I believe with the factors take care of the 45 (Reddick), we have to get stage factors,” Bowman stated. “Stage 1 will decide how we race Stage 2 and type of go from there. I must do all we will to catch and beat the 45 on factors. It’s a extremely tall order, however it’s doable.
“If it doesn’t seem like we’re going to do this, then I’m going to modify to simply monitor place on the finish and go attempt to win the race. We’re going to do every part we will to win the race regardless, but when we’ve received to burn some gas to attempt to win phases, I believe we’re positively factors, too.”
Roush Fenway Keselowski drivers Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, closest to Bowman within the standings, will begin twenty fourth and thirty first, respectively. Buescher, Preece and people beneath them within the standings have just one path to the Playoffs—they have to win the race.
Daytona 500 winner William Byron, who clinched the regular-season championship final Saturday at Richmond Raceway, begins eighth in his try and grow to be the sixth driver to brush each factors races on the 2.5-mile superspeedway in the identical season.
A victory by the motive force of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet would guarantee Bowman, his teammate, of a Playoff berth.
Behind Blaney and Bowman, the remainder of the highest 10 contains (so as) Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Byron, Chase Briscoe and Brad Keselowski.
