.Bob Pockrass.FOX NASCAR Insider.The most significant worry of those defending a playoff location in the NASCAR Mug Series is that a vehicle driver who isn't remotely in the mix safes into the playoffs with a dismayed victory.Hello, Austin DillonDillon, who was 32nd in the status going into Richmond, placed himself in the playoffs with a success-- albeit a controversial one-- on Sunday, the 23rd ethnicity of the 26-race frequent season.Following Richmond, 3 ethnicities remain to establish the playoff ground: Michigan, Daytona as well as Darlington.The NASCAR playoffs feature 16 drivers-- the regular-season champion and afterwards the following 15 vehicle drivers rated by victories along with dead heats violated by points.With the leading seven vehicle drivers in the standings all having at the very least one victory, the regular-season champion likely will be among the victors. Thirteen drivers have actually succeeded this year, suggesting as much as 3 spots could be accessible on aspects. Thus that resides in, that performs the blister and also that is at win-at-all-costs? Those 13 motorists along with triumphes that remain in: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Alarm, Ryan Blaney, Hunt Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric as well as Austin Dillon.The bubble modified considerably along with Dillon's victory as today at most merely 3 locations-- certainly not four as before the Richmond race-- could be offered to winless vehicle drivers. Each Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain dropped below the cutline while Bubba Wallace moved to the good side of being just one of the 3 winless vehicle drivers along with the most points.Joey Logano covers Austin Dillon's overtime move to win the Cook Out 400 So allow's get to the points: There are actually five winless vehicle drivers who will be combating for the existing 3 places readily available exclusively on points.Martin Truex Jr. has a 78-point edge on the cutline (presently Buescher as well as Chastain), with 60 factors on Ty Gibbs, that is actually 15 points over Wallace. Buescher as well as Chastain, incorporated the status, are actually 3 aspects behind Wallace.In other phrases, it is actually heading to be a fight to the finish.Buescher succeeded at Michigan as well as Daytona last year, but those also are places where Wallace typically has actually managed well. Gibbs still seeks his initial job Cup gain. Chastain is the chauffeur with the most current expertise in playoff pressure situations, where he usually has confirmed he can create traits happen.There are 16 other playoff-eligible vehicle drivers that basically face must-win conditions: 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 Hunter Nemechek, Harrison Burton as well as Zane Smith.Bob Pockrass deals with NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has invested years covering motorsports, featuring over 30 Daytona 500s, with jobs at ESPN, Sporting Headlines, NASCAR Setting magazine as well as The (Daytona Beach Front) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Get much more coming from NASCAR Cup Collection Observe your faves to get relevant information about video games, updates as well as more.