Austin Dillon, Michael McDowell See ‘Opportunity’ At Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. – Three finishes in the top five and six within the top ten. 

Numbers like that as the NASCAR Cup Series makes its way through July would have most drivers on track for a successful season, but there’s one problem for multiple drivers, two of whom are Austin Dillon and Michael McDowell.

In a season that has seen 13 different winners in NASCAR’s top division, even stringing together a handful of strong points finishes between now and the end of the regular season at Daytona may not be enough to get into the playoffs.  

For that reason, drivers like Dillon and McDowell are in a precarious position going into Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. A solid points season is one accomplishment, but due to so many race winners this season, odds are a race win may very well be needed for a postseason spot.  

“I’ve got to get a win because there’s so many different winners and that’s what really matters,” Dillon said. “Somebody could ask me at the end of the year, ‘how was your season?’ and I could be tenth in points but not make the playoffs. I guess it’s a bad season because you didn’t make the playoffs.

“I’ve had a consistent year, I’ve had opportunities and been there where it matters. I think it’s been a strong competitive year for us, but we obviously don’t have that one thing that matters right now.” 

For drivers at, near or below the cutline, like those two drivers and the likes of Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace, the second race on the reprofiled Atlanta Motor Speedway is simple. Win and you are more or less assured of being in the Playoffs.  

If the playoffs were set today, Harvick, Almirola, Erik Jones and Dillon would be the top four drivers in points to miss the playoffs.  

Count McDowell below that line as well. McDowell, like Dillon, has a restrictor-plate win at Daytona to his name, and his agenda going into Sunday is summed up in one word: “opportunity.”

“All in all, this is an opportunity race, and we want to maximize every opportunity that we have,” McDowell said. “If you’re running 15th and don’t have a shot at winning, you need to make sure you get a top 15 or top 10. If you’re running third or fourth, you have to try and throw caution to the wind and get in position to win.” 

Dillon echoed that sentiment on Saturday.  

“For guys like myself that need a win to get in the playoffs, this is a huge opportunity…