Playoff Projections: William Byron & Post-Homestead

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    William Byron didn't wait long to write his ticket to the playoffs, instead he took his 2nd career win in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 

Byron was not mentioned in my Pre-Race Predictions article for the Dixie Vodka 400, but runner-up driver Tyler Reddick certainly was. Martin Truex Jr.,  Kyle Larson (finished 3rd and 4th), and Kevin Harvick, we’re all mentioned in my top 5 drivers. The odd ball out? William Byron. 

Let's look to see who the Top 16 drivers in the standings this week (Post Homestead-Miami):

1. Denny Hamlin [No. 11 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 139 Points [3 Stage Points]
2. Kevin Harvick [No. 4 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing] - 119 Points (+1)
3. Joey Logano [No. 22 Ford / Team Penske] - 108 Points (-1)
4. Michael McDowell [No. 34 Ford / Front Row Motorsports] - 106 Points [1 Win] (+2)
5. Chase Elliott [No. 9 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - 105 Points [1 Stage Point]
6. Kurt Busch [No. 1 Chevrolet / Chip Ganassi Racing] - 104 Points (+2)
7. Christopher Bell [No. 20 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 99 Points [1 Win] (-3) 
8. Kyle Larson [No. 5 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - 97 Points (+4)
9. Martin Truex, Jr. [No. 19 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - 96 Points (+5)
10. Brad Keselowski [No. 2 Ford / Team Penske] - 95 Points
11. Austin Dillon [No. 3 Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing] - 90 Points (-2)
12. Ryan Preece [No. 37 Chevrolet / JTG Daugherty Racing] - 90 Points (-5)
13. William Byron [No. 24 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - 76 Points [1 Win, 1 Stage Point] (+16)
14. Cole Custer [No. 41 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing] - 68 Points (-3)
15. Chris Buescher [No. 17 Ford / Roush-Fenway Racing] - 67 Points [1 Stage Point] (+3) 
16. Bubba Wallace [No. 23 Toyota / 23XI Racing] - 67 Points (-3)

What was last week’s Top 16 after the Daytona Road Course? Here it is:

Liam Marshall-Stark/Stock Car Media

Two drivers left the Top 16 in a week. Stenhouse fell from 16th to 19th place. Corey LaJoie dropped 12 places from 15th, way down to 27th. 

William Bryon shot up from 29th to 13th, with his trip to victory lane this week, and Chris Buescher's stage win, and laps lead moved him up 3 places, into 15th.

So far this season has been very unpredictable, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. With McDowell and Bell as 1st-time winners in the first-two races, it is only going to be more interesting as we move on from week to week.