Chase Elliott remains wild card as NASCAR's playoff picture becomes clearer

The current 16th and 17th place drivers – the cutoff between making and missing the playoffs – are separated by only three points. However, Alex Bowman, currently 16th, missed three races earlier in the year with a back injury. He would be safely in if not for that and will likely pull away from those on the outside looking in.

That said, there's always the possibility of somebody else winning their way in. The obvious candidate to do that is Chase Elliott. Elliott is currently sitting at 27th, but has missed seven races between an injury and suspension. Last year's regular season points leader, Elliott has now 10 chances to earn one win -- and his five victories last year suggest it's likely he will. Also working in Elliott's favor, the fact that three of the next 10 races are on road or street courses, a track type where he's earned seven of his 18 career wins.

Elliott has uncharacteristically struggled this season, leading only 37 laps in his nine starts while only posting one race with an average running position better than 10th. His injury is likely a part of that, but the No. 9 team as a whole seems off -- Corey LaJoie also disappointed in his sub role when Elliott was suspended at Gateway.

Elliott will probably find his way to victory lane at some point or another, but if he doesn't, maybe it's the type of wake-up call that he and his team would need. Perhaps a crew chief change could be in order if Elliott were to miss the playoffs, as all of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates have fresher faces atop the pit box.

Just like any sport, NASCAR is better when its most popular athlete is having success. We'll see if Elliott can climb his way up the standings in these coming weeks.