Only four races remain in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season and only seven points separate the bubble drivers hovering on opposite sides of the playoff cutline.
Ross Chastain, who entered Sunday's Brickyard 400 with a 27-point cushion, is now only seven points to the good after finishing 15th with no stage points. Bubba Wallace, for comparison, is now only seven points out of a playoff spot after a strong points day.
MORE: Bubble driver points
The 23XI Racing driver won stage 2, his first stage win since 2022, and then he finished the race in fifth place. He left Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 42 points, the third-most in the Cup Series field. Chastain only scored 22 points.
"The finish is making my mood better, but it was really difficult to pass," Wallace said after the race. "All-in-all, a good day. A good points day."
A Brickyard BURNOUT and fourth win of the season for Kyle Larson.
A look at the NASCAR playoff standings as we head into the Olympic break. pic.twitter.com/89HPjI3g8M
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 21, 2024
The Trackhouse Racing driver has dealt with struggles over the past four weeks. Chastain finished outside the top 30 at Nashville Superspeedway and Pocono Raceway. He finished 22nd in Chicago. He has seen his cushion disappear while Wallace has finished 13th or better in the same stretch of races.
Chastain was not the only bubble driver who experienced issues during the returning crown jewel race. Chris Buescher is now only 17 points above the cutline after a 22nd-place finish in which he fell two laps down due to tire issues.
This afternoon of struggles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway continued a perplexing streak for the RFK Racing driver. Buescher finished fifth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway before finishing 20th in Chicago and 11th at Pocono Raceway.
Like Chastain, Buescher has watched his points cushion disappear as the playoffs have drawn closer.
The bubble battle will continue with the final four races of the regular season, and it will do so at tracks where the three main drivers near the cutline have contended. This includes a wild card track in Daytona where anyone in the field can win.
Buescher's three wins last season were at Richmond, Michigan, and Daytona, three of the four remaining tracks.
Wallace has three top-two finishes at Daytona and one at Michigan. He has a top-five finish at Darlington Raceway. Chastain has top-five finishes at Darlington and Richmond. He has top-10 finishes at Daytona and Michigan.
All three drivers are likely to be in contention for wins at these tracks, provided the increasing pressure does not lead to mistakes on the track or on pit road.