NASCAR To Race in the Rain, Who Will Make the Chase [Video]

There is only a slight chance of rain this weekend, but the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series could race in it this weekend at Watkins Glen. Plus, we look at the Chase to the Chase.

NASCAR Racing in the rain? Video...

A NASCAR race in the rain is not completely new...

NASCAR officials are prepared to race Sunday’s race even if inclement weather become an issue. Saturday's XFINITY Series will also be prepared to run under west conditions.

Although a first for the Sprint Cup Series, the XFINITY Series has already raced with "wet tires" three other times - in 2008 and '09 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Montreal) and last year at Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI).

Regardless of the track conditions, the battle to make the final sixteen drivers in the Chase of the Championship will get even hotter.

Chase to make the Chase...

There are 11 different winners. There are five races left in the regular season. And there will be 16 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

In other words, after this weekend, the playoff picture will come closer into focus.

Here’s where it stands now...

With the exception of Kyle Busch, all drivers with multiple wins have clinched a spot in the Chase, assuming all start the remainder of the regular season races. That includes Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. (Kyle Busch has not clinched a spot yet because he needs to first lock up a top 30 spot.)

None of the single-win drivers have fully clinched a Chase spot yet. Here’s the reason: There’s still the potential of a zero-win points leader – and the regular season points leader is guaranteed a Chase spot, regardless of win total.

Which leads us to the math above… 

Because there aren’t enough races left to fill out the Chase Grid with more than 16 unique winners, if there is a repeat winner at Watkins Glen this weekend, all single-win drivers will clinch a spot as long as they have also clinched a top-30 spot. All except Carl Edwards have already done this, and Edwards will likely accomplish the feat this weekend.

If there’s a new winner this weekend, a number of different scenarios can play out. 

This weekend, Kevin Harvick can mathematically guarantee that the points leader at regular season’s end has a win. If he leaves Watkins Glen with a 176-point lead over the highest non-winning driver, it would guarantee the points leader after race No. 26 would have at least one win – and all one-win drivers would then clinch a spot as long as they also have clinched a top 30 spot.

If Harvick doesn’t accomplish the above, and there’s a new winner, single-win drivers could lock up a Chase spot, but would need help (a clinching single-win driver would need to ensure that the lowest ranked winner could not pass him/her in the points – and that includes drivers who could potentially win).

Here is a video preview for this weekend at Watkins Glen...