Now that the fizz from that refreshing big drink of Coca-Cola has settled, what does Austin Dillon's maiden Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win mean? Is it the turning point or floodgate opening for becoming a weekly contender? Or was the fuel mileage gamble that saw Dillon milk his No. 3 Chevy to the finish line, as Jimmie Johnson ran out of fuel a fluke? Either way, Dillon's first victory and at his Charlotte Motor Speedway home track no less makes for two Richard Childress Racing entries in the 16-team 2017 playoff.

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NASCAR is in a really good stretch of races right now. Saturday night's Go Bowling 400 was thrilling from flag to flag (with 15 flags in between), with a balanced mixture of lead changes, side-by-side racing in the pack, contact, and confrontation. All of this transpired on a 1.5-mile track, the oft-maligned type of racing venue that receives the brunt of the blame for why the numbers for NASCAR are down. The 267-lap race had much of what fans clamor for (aside from the horrific Aric Almirola wreck - we are praying for his recovery), but did it resonate?

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Talladega Superspeedway always has a wildcard lurking in its shadows. The track lends itself to surprise winners, big crashes, close finishes, and the bizarre. Sunday's GEICO 500 had all of that - an extremely competitive and dramatic overtime affair that awarded pole-sitter Ricky Stenhouse Jr. his long-awaited first-career win. On a weekend where the crowd begged for soon-to-be retired Dale Earnhardt Jr. grab his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series-leading seventh 'Dega win, the track had plans to coronate a new victor.

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