Playoff Projections: Christopher Bell & Post-Daytona Road Course

 

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    After Christopher Bell took the win in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course on Sunday, he made it back-to-back races, that a driver would make their 1st career Cup Series win. First with Michael McDowell and his Daytona 500 win, and now Bell. 

I must say, that, Bell's win wasn't as surprising as McDowell's.

After two races of the 2021 season, the Top-16 drivers had changed quite a bit. Here is last weeks, after the Daytona 500:

Liam Marshall-Stark/Stock Car Media

And now, the updated, Top-16 drivers after the Daytona Road Course race:

1. Denny Hamlin [No. 11 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 104 Points [3 Stage Points] (+1)
2. Joey Logano [No. 22 Ford / Team Penske] - 92 Points (+7)
3. Kevin Harvick [No. 4 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing] - 83 Points 
4. Christopher Bell [No. 20 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 82 Points [1 Win] (+6)  
5. Chase Elliott [No. 9 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - 79 Points [1 Stage Point] (-1)  
6. Michael McDowell [No. 34 Ford / Front Row Motorsports] - 75 Points [1 Win] (-1)  
7. Ryan Preece [No. 37 Chevrolet / JTG Daugherty Racing] - 74 Points (-1)
8. Kurt Busch [No. 1 Chevrolet / Chip Ganassi Racing] - 65 Points (+12)
9. Austin Dillon [No. 3 Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing] - 64 Points (-8)
10. Brad Keselowski [No. 2 Ford / Team Penske] - 64 Points (+6)
11. Cole Custer [No. 41 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing] - 54 Points (+4)
12. Kyle Larson [No. 5 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - 53 Points (-6)
13. Bubba Wallace [No. 23 Toyota / 23XI Racing] - 52 Points (-5)
14. Martin Truex, Jr. [No. 19 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 47 Points (+9)
15. Corey LaJoie [No. 7 Chevrolet / Spire Motorsports] - 38 Points (-3)
16. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. [No. 47 Chevrolet / JTG Daugherty Racing] - 38 Points (+1)

Austin Dillon was the early leader for the points, but a 34th place finish in the road course race dropped him all the way to 9th in the standings, losing these points will move Denny Hamlin to first in the standings. The biggest move this week was from Kurt Busch, who went 20th in points, to now sitting in 8th. Another big time mover this weekend was Martin Truex, Jr. Going into the road course race 23rd in the standings, and ended the race moving up 9 places in points.

We are not quite done in the state of Florida, as we move on to Homestead-Miami next weekend! Stay tuned for the Pre-Race Predictions for this week.