There are now only two races left in the regular season for the NASCAR Cup Series.
After an off week, that leaves teams on the bubble and those outside the top 16 on the playoff grid with just two weeks to either win or find a way to get it on points.
NASCAR America analysts Jeff Burton and Parker Kligerman discussed which storylines they think standout the most ahead of this weekend’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
“I hope you collected your breath because there’s a bunch of people who aren’t going to be sleeping well the next few weeks,” Burton said. Among those currently in the 16-team field without wins are Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth.
Kligerman is focused on teams that are already in the playoffs, specifically seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
“He is once again limping into the playoffs,” Kligerman said. “They have had an abysmal last six races.”
It’s more like 11 races. Johnson hasn’t finished better than 10th (twice) since he last won at Dover in June. All four of his DNFs this season also have come in that stretch.
Kligerman raises the question of if Johnson will do what he did last year after going into the postseason under the radar.
“That’s what all the teams have told me, that when they go to Chicago, now that they’re locked into the playoffs they have to unveil something new,” Kligerman said. “Something they feel is an improvement to compete. I just wonder if that 48 team is doing what we’ve seen them do so often, which is not be that flashy going in and then suddenly turn of the wick.”
Watch the video for the full segment.