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NASCAR Playoffs: Round of 8 performance reviews
By Steve Luvender | Published: October 24, 2019 9
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Welcome, Round of 8 drivers! We’re conducting some reviews of your performance so far in this year’s playoffs. We’ll cover your strongest areas as well as a few areas where you might be able to make some improvements. Don’t worry; we’ll keep it constructive.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Ryan Blaney
Best accomplishment: Ryan, you had a huge moment at Talladega during the Round of 12 by greeting your dog in Victory Lane. Oh, you finished first in the race, too. That’s pretty good.
Room for improvement: You’ve managed to upset the entirety of Garrett Smithley’s fan base on the last episode of Glass Case of Emotion.
Best accomplishment: Ryan, you had a huge moment at Talladega during the Round of 12 by greeting your dog in Victory Lane. Oh, you finished first in the race, too. That’s pretty good.
Room for improvement: You’ve managed to upset the entirety of Garrett Smithley’s fan base on the last episode of Glass Case of Emotion.
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Chris Trotman | Getty Images
Kyle Larson
Best accomplishment: Great job, Kyle! You’ve made the Round of 8 for the first time in your career. Now when I say, “It’s Kyle’s year” I’ve got a 25% chance of sounding correct.
Room for improvement: We keep getting anonymous complaints in the suggestion box that say people shouldn’t spin Joey Gase. Nobody mentioned you, specifically, but we’ve got a feeling we can pinpoint the incident that triggered all this.
Best accomplishment: Great job, Kyle! You’ve made the Round of 8 for the first time in your career. Now when I say, “It’s Kyle’s year” I’ve got a 25% chance of sounding correct.
Room for improvement: We keep getting anonymous complaints in the suggestion box that say people shouldn’t spin Joey Gase. Nobody mentioned you, specifically, but we’ve got a feeling we can pinpoint the incident that triggered all this.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Chase Elliott
Best accomplishment: We’re still super impressed by the comeback at the Charlotte Roval. In fact, when your engine blew up at Dover, we half-expected you to miraculously repair the car and get all your laps back the hard way in the style of Elliotts past.
Room for improvement: Only one win in the playoffs? Yeah, we’re gonna need you to go ahead and win a few more. We like free wings.
Best accomplishment: We’re still super impressed by the comeback at the Charlotte Roval. In fact, when your engine blew up at Dover, we half-expected you to miraculously repair the car and get all your laps back the hard way in the style of Elliotts past.
Room for improvement: Only one win in the playoffs? Yeah, we’re gonna need you to go ahead and win a few more. We like free wings.
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Jeff Zelevansky | Getty Images
Kevin Harvick
Best accomplishment: You had a beer named after you? Few other drivers can claim such a feat. We’re impressed, Mr. Harvick!
Room for improvement: My report here says you led no laps during the Round of 12? You can’t just coast on your past accomplishments, you know.
Best accomplishment: You had a beer named after you? Few other drivers can claim such a feat. We’re impressed, Mr. Harvick!
Room for improvement: My report here says you led no laps during the Round of 12? You can’t just coast on your past accomplishments, you know.
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Joey Logano
Best accomplishment: You somehow managed to survive the Round of 12 without a single top-10 finish. Way to put in work at the beginning of the season and collect all those playoff points so you can slack off now. Yeah, we can see you browsing Reddit at work.
Room for improvement: Your post-Talladega collectible die-cast car is literally just a ball of aluminum foil. We’ll have to work on that for next year.
Best accomplishment: You somehow managed to survive the Round of 12 without a single top-10 finish. Way to put in work at the beginning of the season and collect all those playoff points so you can slack off now. Yeah, we can see you browsing Reddit at work.
Room for improvement: Your post-Talladega collectible die-cast car is literally just a ball of aluminum foil. We’ll have to work on that for next year.
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Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Denny Hamlin
Best accomplishment: You made your 500th start earlier in the Playoffs. Congrats, Denny! Although, in your job interview, you told us you’d started 10,000 races.
Room for improvement: Really — three top-five finishes and a win in the Round of 12? Some of the others around here are saying you’re trying a little too hard and making them look bad. If you could give it a rest, they’d appreciate it.
Best accomplishment: You made your 500th start earlier in the Playoffs. Congrats, Denny! Although, in your job interview, you told us you’d started 10,000 races.
Room for improvement: Really — three top-five finishes and a win in the Round of 12? Some of the others around here are saying you’re trying a little too hard and making them look bad. If you could give it a rest, they’d appreciate it.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Martin Truex Jr.
Best accomplishment: Two wins to open the playoffs — and both at your home tracks, Las Vegas and Richmond? Well done! What’s that? No, I don’t think this joke is tired.
Room for improvement: We don’t really have anything for you to do better, Martin, but we’re a little worried about Cole Pearn staying warm as the weather cools. It’s almost November and he’s still wearing t-shirts.
Best accomplishment: Two wins to open the playoffs — and both at your home tracks, Las Vegas and Richmond? Well done! What’s that? No, I don’t think this joke is tired.
Room for improvement: We don’t really have anything for you to do better, Martin, but we’re a little worried about Cole Pearn staying warm as the weather cools. It’s almost November and he’s still wearing t-shirts.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Kyle Busch
Best accomplishment: All right, Kyle. You and I both know you’re doing some exceptional work this year. Let’s just sit here in my office and pretend we’re doing your performance review for a few minutes.
Room for improvement: It’s been 18 races since you’ve won, yet you’re still the favorite to win the championship. Think you’d mind winning another race or two here soon to keep up appearances? Thanks.
Best accomplishment: All right, Kyle. You and I both know you’re doing some exceptional work this year. Let’s just sit here in my office and pretend we’re doing your performance review for a few minutes.
Room for improvement: It’s been 18 races since you’ve won, yet you’re still the favorite to win the championship. Think you’d mind winning another race or two here soon to keep up appearances? Thanks.