Playoff Projections: Aric Almirola & Post-New Hampshire

 

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    As I told you in this week's Pre-Race Predictions for New Hampshire, a few drivers would be desperate for a win to clinch a playoff berth. Aric Almirola, was one of those drivers.

Almirola came into the race 27th in points, so he had to get a win in order to clinch the playoffs. Without his win, there would have been no way that Almirola could have made it into the playoff field on points.

Here is last week's Top 16 after Atlanta:

Liam Marshall-Stark/Stock Car Media

And now for this week's Top 16 after New Hampshire:

1. Denny Hamlin [No. 11 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] 874 Points [5 Stage Points]
2. Kyle Larson [No. 5 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] 861 Points [4 Wins, 12 Stage Points]
3. William Byron [No. 24 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] 749 Points [1 Win, 3 Stage Points] (+1)
4. Kyle Busch [No. 18 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] 740 Points [2 Wins, 4 Stage Points] (-1)
5. Chase Elliott [No. 9 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] 736 Points [2 Wins, 1 Stage Point]
6. Joey Logano [No. 22 Ford / Team Penske] 733 Points [1 Win, 1 Stage Point]
7. Martin Truex, Jr. [No. 19 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] 696 Points [3 Wins, 3 Stage Points]
8. Ryan Blaney [No. 12 Ford / Team Penske] 689 Points [1 Win, 4 Stage Points]
9. Brad Keselowski [No. 2 Ford / Team Penske] 676 Points [1 Win, 2 Stage Points]
10. Kevin Harvick [No. 4 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing] 673 Points 
11. Alex Bowman [No. 48 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] 637 Points [3 Wins]
12. Tyler Reddick [No. 8 Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing] 596 Points [1 Stage Point]
13. Austin Dillon [No. 3 Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing] 591 Points
14. Kurt Busch [No. 1 Chevrolet / Chip Ganassi Racing] 552 Points [1 Win, 3 Stage Points]
15. Christopher Bell [No. 20 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] 532 Points [1 Win]
16. Chris Buescher [No. 17 Ford / Roush-Fenway Racing] 475 Points [1 Stage Point]

 - Who has moved around inside the Top 16?

Denny Hamlin is still hanging on to the points lead, by now 13 points over 2nd place Kyle Larson. 

No one left or moved up and into the Top 16, so I'll skip that section this week.

The current Playoff field looks like this:

1. [No. 5] Kyle Larson / 4 Wins / 861
2. [No. 19] Martin Truex, Jr. / 3 Wins / 696
3. [No. 48] Alex Bowman / 3 Wins / 609
4. [No. 18] Kyle Busch / 2 Wins / 740
5. [No. 9] Chase Elliott / 2 Wins / 736
6. [No. 24] William Byron / 1 Win / 749
7. [No. 22] Joey Logano / 1 Win / 733
8. [No. 12] Ryan Blaney / 1 Win / 639
9. [No. 2] Brad Keselowski / 1 Win / 676
10. [No. 1] Kurt Busch / 1 Win / 558
11. [No. 20] Christopher Bell / 1 Win / 532
12. [No. 34] Michael McDowell / 1 Win / 448
13. [No. 10] Aric Almirola / 1 Win / 377
14. [No. 11] Denny Hamlin / 874 [Points Leader]
15. [No. 4] Kevin Harvick / 673
16. [No. 8] Tyler Reddick / 596
17. [No. 3] Austin Dillon / 591
18. [No. 17] Chris Buescher / 475
19. [No. 21] Matt DiBenedetto / 453
20. [No. 42] Ross Chastain / 452