NASCAR has the same points leader, but just barely
By Asher Fair
Denny Hamlin managed to hang on to his lead in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings following the doubleheader at Pocono Raceway, but just barely.
What was a seemingly comfortable 101-point lead in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings following the 2021 season’s 13th race at Dover International Speedway in mid-May has been dwindling ever since for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin.
This lead has dwindled primarily due to the hot streak of Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, which includes three wins and four runner-up finishes in the last eight races.
Must Read. Dale Earnhardt Jr. still annoys Martin Truex Jr.. light
Hamlin has yet to win a race this year, and despite the fact that four drivers have won multiple races and seven others have won one, he has managed to lead the point standings after every race except the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in mid-February, putting him on an 18-race streak at the top.
More from NASCAR Cup Series
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
- NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500
Larson was in position to take the lead of the point standings following Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway, leading the race with just one turn to go on the 130th and final lap, but a flat left front tire sent him into the turn three wall of the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Tricky Triangle in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
He finished in ninth place instead of first, and Hamlin finished in fourth instead of fifth. Hamlin, who entered the race leading Larson by 10 points in the standings (686-676), led him by eight points afterward (729-721). Had Larson held on to win, he would have been five points ahead of Hamlin (733-728).
Then in Sunday’s race, the script was somewhat flipped. Hamlin was in line to secure the win and the five playoff points that came with it, but he came into the pits for fuel with just over one lap remaining. He ended up finishing in 14th place, and Larson finished in second as opposed to third because of it.
Hamlin now leads Larson by two points in the standings (761-759). Had he held on to win the race, he would have been 20 points ahead of him (778-758).
There are seven races remaining on the 26-race regular season schedule leading into the four-round, 10-race playoffs, where playoff points, points which championship-eligible drivers carry with them through every round of the playoffs leading up to the Championship 4, could and probably will be of utmost importance.
Winning the regular season points championship is worth 15 bonus playoff points. Finishing in second place is worth 10.
Will those five additional provisional bonus playoff points change hands from the driver of the #11 Toyota to the driver of the #5 Chevrolet at some point in the near future?
Who will enter the postseason with 15 extra playoff points instead of 10?
Next. Top 25 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
The next race on the 2021 Cup Series schedule is the Jockey Made in America 250 Presented by Kwik Trip, which is set to be broadcast live from Road America on NBC beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 4. Will Hamlin’s lead in the point standings survive this race to extend his streak at the top to 19 races?