Jeff Burton isn’t being a ‘Debby Downer’, attempting to steal among the pleasure from Ryan Blaney’s win final Sunday at Nashville. However he additionally needs to guarantee that Blaney, now that he lastly has a win this season and has a provisional berth within the playoffs, doesn’t take that win with no consideration.
The rationale: Blaney has a whopping 5 DNFs within the first 14 races this yr, which may probably value him dearly when the ultimate playoff seedings are established on the finish of the 26-race common season.
That lack of extra playoff factors may additionally damage him when it’s time to advance to the second, third and closing spherical of the playoffs. If Blaney stays brief on factors, it could possibly be the distinction between advancing or seeing his championship hopes fade into obscurity.
“There’s a value to be paid for the failures,” Burton mentioned on this previous Monday’s NASCAR Contained in the Race on YouTube. “Because the playoffs get going, we’ve seen the shortage of these factors being the place you want them within the playoffs, they arrive again and chunk you.
“You miss (advancing to the following spherical within the playoffs) round by one or two factors, so don’t dismiss by any means. Simply because they received this race that it doesn’t matter, as a result of it does matter what you do within the common season, it 100% issues.”
For the reason that Cup playoffs started in 2004, there’s been a saying that “win and also you’re in.” However that’s solely to begin the playoffs. Should you don’t persistently earn extra factors throughout the 26-race common season, like stage factors, nothing is assured as soon as the post-season begins.
The answer is easy: Win extra races or earn extra stage factors
Burton acknowledged that Blaney can nonetheless go on to win extra common season races and develop into a critical contender as soon as the playoffs start. However within the subsequent 12 common season races, Blaney and his group should do every little thing they’ll to earn both extra wins or stage factors
“They’ve floor to make up,” Burton mentioned. “Don’t assume that as a result of they received this race (Nashville), they’ve a transparent path to profitable a championship. They’re at a deficit. They’ve room to make it up, they’ve time to make it up, however it might probably value you.”
Whereas Blaney picked up eight playoff factors for Sunday’s win, he remained in seventh place within the standings, the identical place he was going into the race. He wants at the least a couple of extra wins or stage factors to provide himself some cushion factors come playoff time to basically wipe away the injury incurred by these 5 DNFs.
