Six races remain in the Cup Series regular season. Four spots remain in the 16-driver playoff field, which puts particular emphasis on Bubba Wallace vs. Ryan Preece.
The reason these two drivers are the focus is due to their close points battle. Wallace is the first driver above the playoff cutline. He has a three-point advantage over Preece, the first driver below the cutline.
These are the two drivers who could easily swap positions at Dover, Indianapolis, Iowa, Watkins Glen, Richmond, or Daytona based on myriad factors. Stage points, track position, or mechanical issues could all play a role in which one comes out on top.
The other three drivers above the cutline on points are Tyler Reddick (+149), Chris Buescher (+34), and Alex Bowman (+32). The three drivers immediately behind Preece are Kyle Busch (-37), AJ Allmendinger (-50), and Ty Gibbs (-60).
The reason Wallace vs. Preece is the main battle to watch is the chance that a new winner or multiple new winners could disrupt the playoff picture. If this doesn't happen, however, the battle for the final playoff spot could come down to whichever one of these two drivers scores the most points over six weeks.
The expectation heading into this most recent stretch was that multiple new winners would take some of the remaining spots at wild cards such as Mexico City, Atlanta, Chicago, and Sonoma.
This partially played out. Shane van Gisbergen won in Mexico City and took a playoff spot after being 30th in points, but he has since won at Chicago and Sonoma. Chase Elliott scored his first win of the season at Atlanta, but he was top five in points at the time, so he wasn't moving the cutline further.
Of the remaining races in the regular season, only Daytona is the true wild card. This superspeedway event is the regular-season finale, and it will have the most potential for a driver stunning the field from below the cutline. After all, Harrison Burton and Austin Dillon have both done so in the Gen 7 era.
This track, which could be the finale of Wallace vs. Preece, is also one where they have both run well. They have also both been involved in unexpected crashes. If they are both winless heading into the regular-season finale, Daytona will only take on greater importance.
But what about the other tracks left in the regular season?
Dover and Indianapolis will both favor such teams as Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. Watkins Glen will have van Gisbergen, Kyle Larson, Buescher, and Elliott as favorites.
Richmond has been the playground for championship contenders in recent seasons. Active drivers such as Larson, Hamlin, and Buescher have all won. The exception was last season as Dillon dominated the race before a late caution. He still won his way from below the cutline, but NASCAR took away his playoff eligibility due to a controversial finish.
Iowa is a bit of a question mark. Team Penske's Ryan Blaney won the inaugural Cup Series race at the .875-mile track, but he led a top five featuring Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Hyak Motorsports. Will the drivers with previous wins this season contend for the checkered flag, or will Iowa provide the opportunity for an upset?