.Bob Pockrass.FOX NASCAR Insider.The biggest issue of those defending a playoff place in the NASCAR Cup Series is actually that a driver who isn't remotely in the mix safes right into the playoffs along with a distressed victory.Hello, Austin DillonDillon, that was actually 32nd in the standings entering into Richmond, placed themself in the playoffs with a success-- albeit a questionable one-- on Sunday, the 23rd ethnicity of the 26-race routine season.Following Richmond, three races continue to be to establish the playoff farmland: Michigan, Daytona as well as Darlington.The NASCAR playoffs feature 16 chauffeurs-- the regular-season champ and then the upcoming 15 vehicle drivers ranked by success with ties violated by points.With the top seven vehicle drivers in the status all having at the very least one victory, the regular-season champion probably will be just one of the winners. Thirteen motorists have actually won this year, indicating approximately three areas can be on call on aspects. Thus that's in, that gets on the blister as well as that is at win-at-all-costs? Those thirteen vehicle drivers with wins that are 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 bubble transformed significantly with Dillon's success as right now maximum merely 3 spots-- certainly not 4 as just before the Richmond race-- may be available to winless chauffeurs. Each Chris Buescher as well as Ross Chastain dropped under the cutline while Bubba Wallace moved to the silver lining of being one of the 3 winless drivers with one of the most points.Joey Logano goes over Austin Dillon's overtime move to win the 400 So permit's get to the points: There are actually five winless motorists that would be combating for the present 3 spots offered exclusively on points.Martin Truex Jr. has a 78-point side on the cutline (presently Buescher and Chastain), with 60 aspects on Ty Gibbs, who is 15 aspects over Wallace. Buescher and also Chastain, incorporated the standings, are three aspects behind Wallace.In various other terms, it's visiting be actually a match to the finish.Buescher succeeded at Michigan as well as Daytona in 2014, but those additionally are actually locations where Wallace generally has actually run well. Gibbs still finds his very first profession Mug succeed. Chastain is the motorist with the most recent adventure in playoff pressure scenarios, where he typically has actually shown he may create traits happen.There are actually 16 various other playoff-eligible vehicle drivers that essentially face must-win situations: Hunt 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 covers NASCAR for FOX Sporting Activities. He has actually spent years dealing with motorsports, featuring over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Updates, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Seaside) News-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Acquire even more coming from NASCAR Cup Collection Follow your faves to obtain details about video games, updates and even more.