.Bob Pockrass.FOX NASCAR Insider.The most significant problem of those fighting for a playoff area in the NASCAR Mug Series is that a vehicle driver who isn't remotely in the mix vaults in to the playoffs along with a distressed victory.Hello, Austin DillonDillon, that was actually 32nd in the status getting into Richmond, placed himself in the playoffs with a victory-- albeit a debatable one-- on Sunday, the 23rd ethnicity of the 26-race normal season.Following Richmond, three ethnicities remain to place the playoff range: Michigan, Daytona and Darlington.The NASCAR playoffs consist of 16 motorists-- the regular-season champion and after that the following 15 motorists positioned through triumphes with ties breached by points.With the best 7 drivers in the standings all contending the very least one victory, the regular-season champ more than likely will be among the victors. Thirteen vehicle drivers have actually gained this year, implying as much as 3 places might be on call on aspects. Thus that resides in, who performs the blister and also that goes to win-at-all-costs? Those 13 drivers with victories that reside in: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Hunt Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Austin Dillon.The bubble changed significantly with Dillon's success as right now at most only 3 spots-- not 4 as before the Richmond race-- may be on call to winless chauffeurs. Both Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain fell below the cutline while Bubba Wallace moved to the good side of being among the three winless vehicle drivers with the most points.Joey Logano discusses Austin Dillon's overtime relocate to gain the 400 So that let's specify: There are five winless chauffeurs who will be actually combating for the present 3 spots on call exclusively on points.Martin Truex Jr. possesses a 78-point edge on the cutline (currently Buescher and Chastain), with 60 points on Ty Gibbs, who is actually 15 factors over Wallace. Buescher as well as Chastain, incorporated the standings, are actually 3 factors responsible for Wallace.In other words, it is actually going to be a fight to the finish.Buescher gained at Michigan and also Daytona in 2014, yet those also are locations where Wallace commonly has managed properly. Gibbs still seeks his initial occupation Cup succeed. Chastain is the chauffeur with the most current expertise in playoff pressure scenarios, where he typically has actually proven he can easily create factors happen.There are actually 16 other playoff-eligible chauffeurs that basically 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 actually invested decades covering motorsports, featuring over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Setting journal and also The (Daytona Seashore) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Acquire more coming from NASCAR Mug Series Observe your preferences to acquire info concerning games, updates and also more.