.Bob Pockrass.FOX NASCAR Insider.The largest worry of those defending a playoff spot in the NASCAR Mug Series is actually that a chauffeur that isn't remotely in the mix vaults into the playoffs along with a dismayed victory.Hello, Austin DillonDillon, that was actually 32nd in the status entering into Richmond, put themself in the playoffs with a triumph-- albeit a questionable one-- on Sunday, the 23rd race of the 26-race frequent season.Following Richmond, three ethnicities stay to place the playoff range: Michigan, Daytona and also Darlington.The NASCAR playoffs are composed of 16 drivers-- the regular-season champion and afterwards the following 15 vehicle drivers positioned by victories with dead heats breached by points.With the best 7 chauffeurs in the standings all contending least one triumph, the regular-season champion most likely is going to be among the victors. Thirteen drivers have succeeded this year, implying as much as three areas can be available on points. Therefore that resides in, who gets on the blister and that is at win-at-all-costs? Those 13 vehicle drivers along with triumphes that remain in: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Alarm, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric as well as Austin Dillon.The blister transformed considerably along with Dillon's victory as today at most simply 3 areas-- certainly not 4 as just before the Richmond competition-- may be offered to winless motorists. Each Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain dropped beneath the cutline while Bubba Wallace relocated to the silver lining of being one of the three winless motorists with the most points.Joey Logano explains Austin Dillon's overtime relocate to succeed the Cook Out 400 Thus allow's specify: There are 5 winless motorists who would certainly be actually fighting for the present three locations readily available solely on points.Martin Truex Jr. possesses a 78-point side on the cutline (currently Buescher and also Chastain), along with 60 factors on Ty Gibbs, who is actually 15 factors over Wallace. Buescher and Chastain, tied in the standings, are 3 points responsible for Wallace.In various other words, it is actually going to be actually a battle to the finish.Buescher gained at Michigan and also Daytona last year, but those likewise are places where Wallace commonly has actually operated well. Gibbs still seeks his very first profession Mug succeed. Chastain is the vehicle driver with the best recent experience in playoff tension circumstances, where he mostly has actually proven he may create things happen.There are 16 various other playoff-eligible motorists that basically skin must-win situations: 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 covers NASCAR for FOX Sporting Activities. He has actually devoted many years covering motorsports, featuring over 30 Daytona 500s, along with assignments at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Setting journal as well as The (Daytona Seashore) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Get extra from NASCAR Mug Collection Follow your favorites to receive details regarding games, headlines and even more.