by Dan Beaver
Updated On: July 5, 2021, 9:54 pm ET
Three road course races in five weekends changed the complexion of the season, not only for the Hendrick Motorsports drivers who swept them and gathered momentum, but also because it causes the rest of the field to shift their focus and find a different balance than they’ve had any season previous to 2021.
For any moderately capable driver and team, road courses allow them to control their fate to a degree we are not currently seeing on unrestricted, intermediate speedways and certainly not plate tracks. That is even truer for the dark horse teams that found their way into the top 10 at Road America. Kurt Busch, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Briscoe, and Ross Chastain needed those runs to gain momentum for the final run to the playoffs. It could be the difference between being in the top 16 or outside that mark when the final 10 races roll around.