The 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs started in style on Sunday, and what better locale for drama, controversy and oodles of Miller Lite than Las Vegas?
The attrition rate and unpredictability bodes well for the playoffs, as we’re just one race in and there’s already questions about whether star drivers will be able to overcome poor starts to move on.
And while Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick dominated the regular season, as we move into the postseason, it’s Brad Keselowski taking care of business. He picked up the win in the playoff opener for the third time in his career (the only driver to win the opener three times).
What other kind of history is Keselowski making?
Three-race win streaks aren’t all that common
Keselowski entered the playoffs as just the second driver to win the last two races of the regular season. Jimmie Johnson is the other, doing it in both 2007 and 2008 (and won the championship both years). But Keselowski is the first driver to do it and then win the playoff opener as well.
For the first time in his Cup career, Keselowski has won three races in a row. But three-race win streaks this season are downright commonplace. Busch and Harvick have already done it.
That many win streaks is an unusual occurrence. It’s just the third season in Cup series history we’ve seen that many win streaks of three-plus races in a season, and the first time we’ve had three drivers do it in a single season.
In 1971, Richard Petty did it three times, and Bobby Allison made it a fourth. And in 1968, Petty did it once and David Pearson did it twice.
Now a four-race win streak, that’s something to write home about. The past two times that has been done in Cup were in the 2007 playoffs (Johnson again) and 1998 (Jeff Gordon).
The last time it has been done by a non-Hendrick driver was in 1993, when Mark Martin did it.
Larson one of the best at being second
Kyle Larson finished second Sunday at Las Vegas. Just like he did earlier this season at California, Bristol, Pocono, Chicago and Bristol once again. What he hasn’t done this season is win a race.
Larson has nine more shots to win a race this season, but if he doesn’t, he’ll be just the third driver in series history to have at least six runner-up finishes in a season without a win.
In 1981, Harry Gant had seven seconds without a win, and in 1982, Terry Labonte had six. Both of those drivers finished the season third in points.
Larson is a regular in the top two. Just last year, he had 12 top-two finishes (four wins). That was tied for the fourth-most in the series dating back to 2000.
Ross Chastain capitalizes on his chance
My favorite moment of the weekend was when Ross Chastain went full Gallagher (not Spencer) and spiked a watermelon on the finish line after he picked up his first Xfinity Series victory.
Not only do I like seeing exploding melons (duh), but it was an example of what a talented driver can do when he gets in competitive equipment. Hopefully, Chastain gets a few more chances in that car in order to run for a championship this season.
Chastain’s win came in his 132nd career start in the series, tied for the fifth-most starts needed before getting the first win in series history. However, Chastain is just 25 years old, and the other drivers in the top five of that list were all 29 or older when they picked up their first series win. In fact, the driver one spot ahead of Chastain on the list is Dale Jarrett, who went on to win a Cup Series championship after getting his first Xfinity Series win in his 141st start at 29 years old.
Chastain also dominated, leading 180 of 200 laps, or 90 percent of the total laps. 156 drivers have won a race in series history, but only seven of them led at least 90 percent of the laps in his first win.
Add Chastain to the list that includes Busch, Jarrett and Tommy Ellis.