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Bubble Watch: Where drivers closest to cutline stand before Richmond
By Staff Report | Thursday, August 11, 2022
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The playoff pressure couldn't be more intense with one open spot remaining and three races left before the postseason begins. See where drivers sit before Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with stats and ratings provided by Racing Insights.
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Ryan Blaney
Points above cutline: 19 | Full standings
Trending -- Michigan Snapped Cold Streak: A fifth-place run at Michigan ended a streak of three-straight results of 18th or worse. He owns five finishes of sixth or better in the last nine races.
Richmond outlook -- Warming up: Blaney scored a career best seventh-place finish at Richmond in April, which was his second-straight top 10 on the short track. He had finished outside the top 10 in his 10 previous starts at Richmond.
Points above cutline: 19 | Full standings
Trending -- Michigan Snapped Cold Streak: A fifth-place run at Michigan ended a streak of three-straight results of 18th or worse. He owns five finishes of sixth or better in the last nine races.
Richmond outlook -- Warming up: Blaney scored a career best seventh-place finish at Richmond in April, which was his second-straight top 10 on the short track. He had finished outside the top 10 in his 10 previous starts at Richmond.
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Martin Truex Jr.
Points below cutline: 19 | Full standings
Trending -- Mostly Warm: Truex is fourth in the Cup Series in total points (709) but the goose egg next to his name is what's currently holding him out of the playoffs. He has three finishes of seventh or better in the last four races.
Richmond outlook -- Red Hot: Like Kevin Harvick at Michigan, this is the week for Truex to solidify his playoff spot as he's won three of the last six at the 0.75-mile short track. He also owns seven-straight top fives at the track.
Points below cutline: 19 | Full standings
Trending -- Mostly Warm: Truex is fourth in the Cup Series in total points (709) but the goose egg next to his name is what's currently holding him out of the playoffs. He has three finishes of seventh or better in the last four races.
Richmond outlook -- Red Hot: Like Kevin Harvick at Michigan, this is the week for Truex to solidify his playoff spot as he's won three of the last six at the 0.75-mile short track. He also owns seven-straight top fives at the track.
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Erik Jones
Points below cutline: 190 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss: Jones had one of his best races of the season last Sunday at Michigan with an eighth-place finish. He's finished eighth or better in three of the last eight races but that includes five results of 11th or worse.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Jones has failed to score a top-10 finish in his last eight starts on the 0.75-mile short track, which includes a 23rd-place run in April.
Points below cutline: 190 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss: Jones had one of his best races of the season last Sunday at Michigan with an eighth-place finish. He's finished eighth or better in three of the last eight races but that includes five results of 11th or worse.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Jones has failed to score a top-10 finish in his last eight starts on the 0.75-mile short track, which includes a 23rd-place run in April.
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Aric Almirola
Points below cutline: 210 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Almirola was caught up in the multi-car wreck at Michigan and left the Irish Hills with a 34th-place finish. He's only scored three top 10s across the last 20 races.
Richmond outlook -- Hit or Miss: Two top 10s in the last four races at Richmond but also two finishes of 14th or worse don't bode well for a promising run Sunday. Almirola finished 21st in the spring.
Points below cutline: 210 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Almirola was caught up in the multi-car wreck at Michigan and left the Irish Hills with a 34th-place finish. He's only scored three top 10s across the last 20 races.
Richmond outlook -- Hit or Miss: Two top 10s in the last four races at Richmond but also two finishes of 14th or worse don't bode well for a promising run Sunday. Almirola finished 21st in the spring.
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Bubba Wallace
Points below cutline: 235 | Full standings
Trending -- Hot: Wallace won the pole at Michigan and matched his best finish of the season with a runner-up result at the 2-mile oval. His four-straight top-10 finishes are also his best stretch of his Cup career.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Wallace's top-10 streak is certainly in jeopardy after running 26th on the short track in April. He's also never finished better than 12th in eight career races at Richmond.
Points below cutline: 235 | Full standings
Trending -- Hot: Wallace won the pole at Michigan and matched his best finish of the season with a runner-up result at the 2-mile oval. His four-straight top-10 finishes are also his best stretch of his Cup career.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Wallace's top-10 streak is certainly in jeopardy after running 26th on the short track in April. He's also never finished better than 12th in eight career races at Richmond.
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Austin Dillon
Points below cutline: 245 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Dillon finished 13th at Michigan and has only scored one top 10 in the last 11 races.
Richmond outlook -- Warm: Dillon owns five top-10 finishes in his last seven starts on the 0.75-mile short track and earned a career best fourth-place result during his surprise playoff run in 2020. His five top 10s at Richmond is his most at a non-superspeedway.
Points below cutline: 245 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Dillon finished 13th at Michigan and has only scored one top 10 in the last 11 races.
Richmond outlook -- Warm: Dillon owns five top-10 finishes in his last seven starts on the 0.75-mile short track and earned a career best fourth-place result during his surprise playoff run in 2020. His five top 10s at Richmond is his most at a non-superspeedway.
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Justin Haley
Points below cutline: 283 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Haley finished 17th at Michigan, which now makes four-straight finishes of 17th or worse for the Kaulig Racing driver.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: In three starts on the 0.75-mile oval, Haley doesn't have a finish better than 27th and ran 29th at the track in April.
Points below cutline: 283 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Haley finished 17th at Michigan, which now makes four-straight finishes of 17th or worse for the Kaulig Racing driver.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: In three starts on the 0.75-mile oval, Haley doesn't have a finish better than 27th and ran 29th at the track in April.
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Chris Buescher
Points below cutline: 286 | Full standings
Trending -- Mostly Cold: Buescher finished 16th at Michigan and has four finishes of 16th or worse over the last five races, including a DNF.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: While Buescher scored a career-best finish at Richmond in April, it was only good enough for a 15th-place run. He also has 10 finishes of 22nd or worse in 12 starts on the short track.
Points below cutline: 286 | Full standings
Trending -- Mostly Cold: Buescher finished 16th at Michigan and has four finishes of 16th or worse over the last five races, including a DNF.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: While Buescher scored a career-best finish at Richmond in April, it was only good enough for a 15th-place run. He also has 10 finishes of 22nd or worse in 12 starts on the short track.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Points below cutline: 333 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Stenhouse has nine-straight finishes of 13th or worse and was caught up in the early multi-car wreck at Michigan, settling for a 33rd-place result.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: While having a career-best finish of fourth at Richmond, Stenhouse has nine-straight finishes of 13th or worse on the 0.75-mile oval. He's also only led two laps in 18 career starts on the short track.
Points below cutline: 333 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Stenhouse has nine-straight finishes of 13th or worse and was caught up in the early multi-car wreck at Michigan, settling for a 33rd-place result.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: While having a career-best finish of fourth at Richmond, Stenhouse has nine-straight finishes of 13th or worse on the 0.75-mile oval. He's also only led two laps in 18 career starts on the short track.
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Cole Custer
Points below cutline: 338 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss Recently: Custer has two top 10s in his last five races but cut a tire at Michigan and his car caught on fire, forcing him to finish 31st. He's led just one lap this season.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Custer's never finished better than 14th in five career Richmond starts and finished 22nd on the 0.75-mile track in April.
Points below cutline: 338 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss Recently: Custer has two top 10s in his last five races but cut a tire at Michigan and his car caught on fire, forcing him to finish 31st. He's led just one lap this season.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: Custer's never finished better than 14th in five career Richmond starts and finished 22nd on the 0.75-mile track in April.
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Michael McDowell
Points below cutline: 343 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss: McDowell finished 28th at Michigan after being involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 25. However, it was only the second time in the last 12 races McDowell failed to finish on the lead lap.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: McDowell finished 30th at Richmond in April and has never finished better than 12th at Richmond in 22 career starts.
Points below cutline: 343 | Full standings
Trending -- Hit or Miss: McDowell finished 28th at Michigan after being involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 25. However, it was only the second time in the last 12 races McDowell failed to finish on the lead lap.
Richmond outlook -- Cold: McDowell finished 30th at Richmond in April and has never finished better than 12th at Richmond in 22 career starts.
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