.Bob Pockrass.FOX NASCAR Expert.The largest concern of those defending a playoff spot in the NASCAR Mug Series is actually that a motorist that isn't from another location in the mix vaults into the playoffs with a dismayed victory.Hello, Austin DillonDillon, that was 32nd in the standings getting into Richmond, put themself in the playoffs with a triumph-- albeit a questionable one-- on Sunday, the 23rd race of the 26-race routine season.Following Richmond, 3 races remain to set the playoff farmland: Michigan, Daytona as well as Darlington.The NASCAR playoffs include 16 vehicle drivers-- the regular-season champ and afterwards the next 15 vehicle drivers placed through victories along with dead heats broken through points.With the top seven drivers in the status all having at minimum one success, the regular-season champion likely will be one of the victors. Thirteen chauffeurs have gained this year, suggesting around three spots could be on call on aspects. So who remains in, that performs the blister and also that is at win-at-all-costs? Those 13 drivers with triumphes that are in: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Alarm, Ryan Blaney, Pursuit Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Austin Dillon.The blister modified significantly with Dillon's victory as today at most simply 3 places-- not four as prior to the Richmond competition-- may be on call to winless vehicle drivers. Each Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain fell beneath the cutline while Bubba Wallace transferred to the good side of being just one of the 3 winless vehicle drivers with the best points.Joey Logano talks about Austin Dillon's overtime transfer to gain the 400 So allow's get to the points: There are actually five winless motorists that would certainly be battling for the existing 3 locations accessible only on points.Martin Truex Jr. has a 78-point edge on the cutline (presently Buescher and also Chastain), with 60 factors on Ty Gibbs, who is 15 aspects above Wallace. Buescher and Chastain, tied in the standings, are actually three aspects responsible for Wallace.In various other phrases, it is actually mosting likely to be a match to the finish.Buescher gained at Michigan and Daytona in 2014, but those additionally are actually areas where Wallace traditionally has actually managed properly. Gibbs still seeks his first profession Cup succeed. Chastain is actually the vehicle driver along with one of the most recent adventure in playoff pressure scenarios, where he mainly has actually shown he can easily create points happen.There are actually 16 other playoff-eligible motorists who more or less face must-win circumstances: Pursuit Briscoe, Kyle Busch, Todd Gilliland, Josh Berry, Michael McDowell, Carson Hocevar, Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Erik Jones, Ryan Preece, Daniel Hemric, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, John Seeker Nemechek, Harrison Burton and Zane Smith.Bob Pockrass deals with NASCAR for FOX Sporting Activities. He has devoted decades dealing with motorsports, featuring over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Headlines, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Get extra coming from NASCAR Mug Series Follow your preferences to receive information about games, news and also more.