NASCAR: Dover Post-Race Grades
By Dustin Smith
#4 through #1
What’s next?
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At any rate, the class size will be smaller next week with just 12 drivers still in the hunt for the championship. If there is any good news for the field, it would be that the first race is at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Kyle Busch has never won in the Cup Series. However, in May he did finish 2nd to Austin Dillon in a fuel mileage race. Had Dillon ran out of gas, Busch would have easily made the pass on the final lap to win.
Furthermore, the Round of 12 is set and the world’s best drivers will battle over the next three weeks to see who makes the Round of 8. Both Charlotte and Kansas will be tracks where disaster can be avoided. However, anything is possible. The second leg of the Round of 12 is the “wild card” Talladega. This means gaining a strong finish at Charlotte to kick off the round is crucial.
In any case, we say goodbye to the playoff chances for Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Austin Dillon. The Round of 12 will be a battle for all of those involved, with consistency being crucial toward making it to the Round of 8.
Next: 10 NASCAR drivers who deserve better rides
Will Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch continue their dominance, or will one of the other 10 Round of 12 drivers take home a win? Will Talladega play nice for the playoff drivers or will drivers be swept up in the “big one”, ruining their championship dreams?