Bristol dramatics threaten NASCAR playoff standings

There were moments when the status quo seemed under threat, but at the end of a chaotic Bristol Night Race, the four drivers that entered below the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff cutline all finished there.

Facing must-win odds, Josh Berry was an early casualty of the very quick tire cording dilemma, his right front catching fire from all the rubber build-up. Shane Van Gisbergen had no idea how to even approach a race like this and was an immediate non-factor.

Austin Dillon was the third driver to suffer tire failure and was trapped three laps down for most of the race and needing several above him to have issues. That left Alex Bowman as the only candidate to upend the expected result.

Cindric and Elliott spend time on the hot seat

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Now, Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott made it dramatic but their pre-race cushion was too much to be overcome. Cindric suffered a right front fire, similar to Berry, but was able to get it put out and returned to the track four laps down. Elliott was involved a crash and found himself at risk of being the last driver in on points until Cindric had his issue.

This was an important subplot because Bowman was threatening to win the race over the final stint and was left out front on old tires. Restarts bit him all night.

“I thought our car, when we had some green-flag running, was really good,” Bowman said. “It just cycled really poorly for restarts. I would drive off into Turn 1 and just hope to make the corner. For whatever reason, it just wouldn’t take off.

“Then after five laps or so, go again. I couldn’t figure it out if it was something that I was doing, not cleaning the tires off enough, but I felt like I was cleaning the tires off too much at some point. I don’t really know what we lacked there.”

For Cindric, it could have been worse than what it was because the smoke nearly forced him out of the car and into what could have been a more precarious points position. He could have lost up to five more points and Bowman would have advanced instead.

“I was going to wait till I saw a color other than smokey gray,” Cindric said. “I don’t think the stress was there. I think everyone was pretty well prepared with the transfer of information once I got back out on track and with a scuff right-front tire, old-as-hell left-side tires and an old right-rear tire.

“I got a handle on the car and got all the fire-extinguisher stuff burned off the tires and dripping everywhere, and was able to finish the race. Hectic, and I’m sure it was crazy for a little while on paper.”

Bowman fails to win his way into the next round

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Jeffrey Vest / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Bowman, who is still winless on the season, now turns his attention to just winning a race and building momentum for next season even if circumstances made it closer than it ever appeared likely.

“A top 10 with stage points and a solid day — the guys on pit road did a really good job,” said Bowman about the crew he inherited from the Spire Motorsports No. 77 this week. “I’m sure the guys on the 77 did a good job, too. Those guys are like family, so it’s been a rough week. Just got to keep digging, right? There’s a lot of points we can still score. We can still finish way better than wherever we’re at in points right now.”

But instead, it’s Cindric who will now advance into the Round of 12.

“Everyone kept their cool,” Cindric said. “Credit to all the guys from the top down, transferring information, being prepared, not getting any penalties for going over the wall. I mean everything that went on there and still being able to come out and only lose a handful of laps and be in the position we needed to. Whenever we do great things, we do it as a team.”