NASCAR: Winners And Losers From Chicagoland
By Cole Mentzel
Winner: Staying Out Late
If you’re a driver that is in the Chase and you’re in a good position late, you’ll likely go conservative and eliminate the risk of a wreck that could mess up your day.
However, if you aren’t in the Chase, you have nothing to lose and sometimes you might decide to take a risk late in the race.
That was the case for Ryan Blaney and Kasey Kahne on Sunday. Both drivers had run well throughout the day, staying in the top-15 and occasionally working into the top-10, but they decided to try something different with overtime in the future.
Michael McDowell was the reason for the caution that came out with just four laps to go. At the time, Chase Elliott led Martin Truex Jr., but Blaney, Kahne and Carl Edwards all stayed out while the leaders hit pit road.
The final restart of the race saw Edwards drop to 15th, but Kahne ended up earning a seventh-place finish for his ninth top-10 of the season, while Blaney held his own for a while, eventually ending fourth.
Two non-Chase drivers who fell just short of making the Chase led the field with just two laps to go. It’s not often that you see that happen during this time of the year.