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With only three races left until the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, it’s time to check up on Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, as he tries to rebound from missing 11 races to early season injuries and make the Chase. He is currently the only driver with multiple wins who has yet to mathematically clinch a spot in the Chase.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED: After a spin and ensuing rough-and-tumble ride through the infield grass in Saturday practice, Busch started his backup No. 18 at the back of the pack in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400. His wisest move may have come before the race was even a lap old as he lagged behind at the start, leaving him well clear of David Ragan‘s Turn 2 spin. From the back, he rallied to an 11th-place finish, his best result in his last five races at Michigan International Speedway.
WHAT HE NEEDS: Merely to avoid trouble and stay among the top 30. Busch, who cracked the threshold last week at Watkins Glen, gained a spot to move to 29th in the Sprint Cup driver standings, 18 points ahead of 30th-place Justin Allgaier and 23 points clear of 31st-place Cole Whitt. Should the four-time winner this year remain among the top 30, he’ll complete that requirement for postseason eligibility.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Sprint Cup circuit makes its second stop of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s annual Irwin Tools Night Race (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM). Though the high-speed short track is often fraught with potential pitfalls, Busch has had a great share of Bristol successes with five wins in 20 Sprint Cup starts on the .533-mile oval, tying him for the most among active drivers. On the flip side, his last four finishes in Bristol’s August race under the lights have been outside the top five.