NASCAR Cup Series: How Kevin Harvick can be eliminated at Charlotte

By Asher Fair | Sep 24, 2018

RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 22: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's New 9-Grain Wheat Sub Ford, is introduced prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway on September 22, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

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RICHMOND, VA – SEPTEMBER 21: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Richmond Ford (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

What Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman must do

If Ryan Blaney finishes the race in third place, he must outscore Kevin Harvick by 54 points because he would no longer have this tiebreaker. There are no scenarios by which he can outscore Harvick by this amount of points by finishing in third.

There is also no way by which Blaney can outscore Harvick by 53 points while leaving a scenario for Bowman outscore Harvick by 53 points as well. Alex Bowman would need to outscore Harvick by 53 points as opposed to 52 points because of the fact that he cannot finish in second place if Blaney finishes in second so therefore cannot win a tiebreaker with Harvick.

To outscore Harvick by 53 points and get the tiebreaker over him, Blaney must finish the race in second (35 points), win either stage one or two (10 points) and finish in second the other stage (nine points). Harvick must finish in 36th or lower (one point).

This means that Bowman would not be able to outscore Harvick by 53 points even if he finishes the race in third place (34 points), wins either stage one or two (10 points), the stage that Blaney doesn’t win, and finishes in second the other stage (nine points), the stage that Blaney wins. Harvick would score one point simply by taking the green flag and finishing in 36th or lower, so Bowman would only be able to outscore him by 52 points.

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