The Round of 12 will come to an end with four NASCAR Playoff drivers being eliminated form championship contention following this weekend’s Bank of America ROVAL 400.
This weekend’s NASCAR race is a “Wild Card” if there ever was one. The road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway has only been on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit for two years. That makes it both a challenge and an opportunity to all teams (large and small) and all drivers (rookies and veterans).
For the NASCAR Playoff drivers it is equally a chance and a risk. There are 10 drivers that still need to secure their spot in the next round. A win would get them in the Round of Eight. A disaster could take them out of it as quickly. Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch have both clinched their spots by winning the first two races of the Round of 12. Below is a look at the NASCAR Playoff Standings heading to the Charlotte ROVAL.
For some drivers the path to the Round of Eight is a lot easier. An example of that is Kevin Harvick who needs to only score eight points this weekend to clinch his spot in the next round. For other drivers the path is a lot more difficult. An example of that is Joey Logano needing to score 55 points to clinch. Yet a few other drivers will pretty much have to win to advance.
Here is a look at the data the drivers will be facing this weekend at the ROVAL and in the race.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (ROVAL) Data
Track Size: 3.67-kilometers / 2.28-miles
Track Type: Road Course
Number of Turns: 17
Elevation Change: 35 degrees
Bank of America ROVAL 400 Data
Race Length: 109 laps / 400 kilometers
Season Race #: 32 of 36 (10-12-20)
Playoff Race #: 6
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 25 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 59 laps
The active drivers have the best overall driver ratings based on the two Cup Series races held so far at the ROVAL.
Top 10 Charlotte ROVAL Driver Ratings
Chase Elliott………………………. 122.0
Kevin Harvick…………………….. 111.7
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 105.0
Clint Bowyer………………………. 103.5
Martin Truex Jr.………………….. 101.3
William Byron……………………….. 98.6
Brad Keselowski…………………. 97.6
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 96.1
Kurt Busch………………………….. 85.9
Joey Logano……………………….. 85.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (two total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
Note: Drivers names in red are currently in championship contention in Playoffs.
As I stated earlier, there have only been two drivers that have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte ROVAL.
Ryan Blaney (2018 Winner)
Chase Elliott (2019 Winner)
Note: Driver names in red is currently in championship contention in Playoffs.
What will it be? A playoff driver low in the standings winning to advance and shake up the post-season standings moving forward? Perhaps a driver high in the standings finding a catastrophe early in the race opening the door for another driver lower in the standings? Will it be a non-playoff driver winning leaving the advancement of the final six drivers to the Round of Eight to points earned in the race?
We will watch the story being told lap-by-lap and turn-by-turn Sunday, October 11th starting at 1:30pm central time (2:30pm eastern time) in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
By: Buck Stevens
