CONCORD, N.C. — The second half of the Cup playoffs begin today at the Charlotte Roval and four drivers will be eliminated.
Here is a look at the key storylines heading into today’s race (2 p.m. ET on NBC).
1. Elimination Sunday
Which four drivers will be eliminated? Chase Elliott, a two-time winner at the Roval, 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 cutline.
“We’ve just got to go attack,” said Logano, who starts fourth. “I don’t think our mindset changes.”
Saurez, who starts 13th, said extra effort has been put into this event.
“I have been preparing for this race for almost two weeks, along with my team,” he said.
Suarez said he was in the simulator four days this week.
“We have been working really hard on this racetrack, trying for me to get used to it, learning different styles, what kind of styles are going to work,” he said. “ … So, hopefully, all these things will lead us in the right direction. We’ll find out. We may have a rocket ship, or we may have to turn everything back.”
2. Roval chaos
Changes to the track were made to increase passing zones … and the potential for chaos.
In the infield, a longer straight was created between Turns 5 and 6. That leads into the new Turn 7, which is a hairpin.
Changes to Charlotte Roval could add to more upheaval in playoffs.
It was at the hairpin where Sam Mayer made his winning move on Parker Kligerman in overtime of Saturday’s Xfinity race. Shane van Gisbergen, who is starting on the pole today, used the hairpin to get by multiple drivers in the Xfinity race.
The frontstretch chicane has been tightened, creating a sharper corner that could lead to more contact shortly before the start/finish line.
Some Cup drivers have complained about how jarring the curbing is in that section of the track. Martin Truex Jr. said “It feels like you get a concussion every lap.”
Said Martin Truex Jr.: “It feels like you get a concussion every lap.”
3. Non-playoff drivers
Both races in this round have been won by non-playoff drivers: Ross Chastain at Kansas and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. last weekend at Talladega.
Non-playoff drivers have won three of the five playoff races this season (Chris Buescher won at Watkins Glen).
The New Zealand native 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 the pole, and AJ Allmendinger, who starts third.
Kyle Busch, who is seeking to win a Cup race for a record-extending 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 created by Josh Berry’s departure at Kansas due to the DVP and some cars being towed from the crash site at Talladega, NASCAR got with crew chiefs this week to explain the policy.
If a car has one or more flat tires and repairable damage, the car will be towed to the team’s pit box — as was done for some cars at Talladega.
If the car is clearly not repairable to NASCAR, the car will be done.
If a car has four tires intact but can’t drive it to pit road — as was the case with Ryan Blaney at Watkins Glen — the car is done for the race.
William Byron is the only driver to have clinched a spot in the next round going into Sunday’s elimination race.