CONCORD, N.C. – The second half of the Cup playoffs begins today at the Charlotte Roval and four drivers will be eliminated.
Here’s a look at the major storylines heading into today’s race (2 p.m. ET on NBC).
1. Elimination Sunday
Which four drivers will be eliminated? Two-time Roval winner Chase Elliott holds the final transfer spot.
Two-time Cup champion Joey Logano (-13 points), Daniel Suarez (-20), Austin Cindric (-29) and Chase Briscoe (-32) are below the cutoff.
“We just have to attack,” said Logano, who starts fourth. “I don’t think our mentality is changing.”
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Saurez, who starts thirteenth, said extra effort has gone into this event.
“I have been preparing for this race for almost two weeks, together with my team,” he said.
Suarez said he spent four days in the simulator this week.
“We’ve been working really hard on this track, trying to get used to it, learning different styles and what types of styles are going to work,” he said. “…So hopefully all these things will lead us in the right direction. We’ll find out. Maybe we have a rocket, or we have to turn everything back.’
2. Roval chaos
Changes have been made to the track to increase passing zones… and increase the potential for chaos.
A longer straight section was constructed in the infield between turns 5 and 6. That leads to the new turn 7, a hairpin bend.
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Changes to the Charlotte Roval could cause more turmoil in the playoffs.
It was at the hairpin where Sam Mayer made his winning move over Parker Kligerman in overtime of Saturday’s Xfinity race. Shane van Gisbergen, who starts on the pole today, used the hairpin to pass several drivers in the Xfinity race.
The frontstretch chicane has been tightened, creating a tighter turn that could lead to more contact shortly before the start/finish line.
Some Cup drivers have complained about how jarring the curbs are on that part of the track. Martin Truex Jr. said, “It feels like you’re getting a concussion every round.”
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Martin Truex Jr. said: “It feels like you’re getting a concussion every round.”
3. Non-playoff drivers
Both races in this round were won by non-playoff drivers: Kansas’ Ross Chastain and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. last weekend in Talladega.
Non-playoff drivers have won three of the five playoff races this season (Chris Buescher won at Watkins Glen).
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The New Zealander captures his first Cup pole in his 12th start after qualifying first in Xfinity earlier Saturday.
Two of the top three qualifiers for today’s race are non-playoff drivers: Shane van Gisbergen, who is on pole, and AJ Allmendinger, who starts third.
Kyle Busch, looking to win a Cup race for the 20th consecutive season, has finished in the top five in each of the last three races at the Roval. He starts 11th.
4. Damaged Vehicle Policy
After the confusion caused by Josh Berry’s departure from Kansas due to the DVP and the towing of some cars from the Talladega crash site, NASCAR met with crew chiefs this week to explain the policy.
If a car has one or more flat tires and repairable damage, the car is towed to the team’s pit box, as was done with some cars at Talladega.
If the car is clearly not repairable by NASCAR, the car will be prepared.
If a car has four intact tires but can’t take them to pit road – as was the case with Ryan Blaney at Watkins Glen – the car is ready to race.
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William Byron is the only driver to secure a spot in the next round for Sunday’s elimination race.
