Win and you’re in. That is practically the bottom line when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs for any NASCAR driver. Be it through points or through stage wins, the goal is simple: finishing first in the race. The playoffs are of immense importance to the career of the drivers. With just 5 races remaining till the first round of the playoffs begins, every driver is feeling the heat. One of the most-loved drivers of his generation, Dale Earnhardt Jr, recently pointed out a bitter truth revolving around the playoffs.

In The Dale Jr Download, Junior and his co-host Mike Davis talked about how that bitter truth could affect the relationship of several drivers with their respective teams.

Dale Earnhardt Jr gives a reality check to all NASCAR drivers

As the Pocono 400 is knocking on the door, Dale Earnhardt Jr is excited about the Xfinity Series practice and qualifying races. However, he expressed how the playoffs could affect the psyche of the critics, engineers, audience, and team owners and alter their behaviors toward the drivers.

He mentioned, “When you do not make the playoffs, it is freaking embarrassing. Especially when you don’t and a teammate does, even worse. And there is no way that your team owner just smashes in off season and let you go again. He is changing something cause if you’re not making a change you’re assuming that you are okay with it.”

While talking about what might happen if one misses the playoffs, Junior added, “… you can expect things to be different about your program next season in some way or another.”

It is just a matter of time before we know who is in and who is out. With NASCAR stars like Chase Elliott still dangling on the cusp of getting into the playoffs, the upcoming races at Pocono, Richmond, Michigan, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, and lastly, Daytona, will be of paramount importance.

Will Chase Elliott make it to the playoffs this season? Industry Insiders are concerned as 5 races are left

Trending

Joe Gibbs Racing Potentially Blocking Truck Series Phenom on Denny Hamlin’s Radar After On-Track Bad Blood

NASCAR Fans Back Kyle Busch’s Son’s Desperate Plea Amidst Denny Hamlin’s ‘Bad Luck’ Reluctance

Reality Struck Shane van Gisbergen Has His Playoffs Chances Cut Short Even Before His Full Time Debut in 2025

After Dale Jr., Joey Logano Blames NASCAR for Creating ‘Bulldozers’, Destroying ‘Respect’ in Cup Series

Trackhouse Racing’s Drastic Downfall to Potentially Get Worse With One of Their Founding Fathers Leaving Mid-Season

In a recent episode of Door Bumper Clear, two veteran spotters talked about the chances of Chase Elliott making it to the playoffs this year. A fan asked this question to the hosts, Brett Griffin and Freddie Kraft: “What would the effects be of Chase not making the playoffs for NASCAR as a whole?”

Kraft referred to the chance of Elliott making it and replied, “The light is dimming I will say, I don’t think it is completely impossible, obviously. He could win a race at any point, but the point is where he is, it’s gonna be a lot harder.”

Veteran spotter Brett Griffin has a somewhat different opinion on this. Even though he personally likes Chase Elliott, he did not cut short on stating the obvious: “I feel like he is not out yet, he is not out of the playoffs…there are things that could take other drivers out of the playoffs..look at Kurt Busch we had no idea that he would not be in the playoffs even though he was playoff eligible, right?

However, he thinks qualifying for the playoffs would do Elliott no good as he had led just 38 laps in 13 races. Brett further added; “That’s less than 1% or around 1% of total laps that he has run, 3000 laps!”

The future is uncertain, and that has its pros and cons. Will the most celebrated driver in NASCAR miss the playoffs this year? Or will something miraculous happen that will have the 2020 Cup Series champ in the playoffs? We are as excited to know as you are!

Read more: “Chase [Elliott] Has Failed” – NASCAR’s Favorite Driver Loses the Fans’ Preference as Insider Bashes His Questionable Performance