Saturday Charlotte Notebook

October 12, 2024

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

Chase Briscoe is clear-eyed about approach to Sunday’s elimination race
CONCORD, N.C.—It might seem strange, but Chase Briscoe asserts he’d rather be 32 points below the cut line for the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs than 15.
Why? Because it provides clarity in his approach to Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400, the Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The 32-point deficit isn’t hypothetical. It’s the unfortunate reality for the driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, who enters Sunday’s race 12th in the Playoff standings. Only the top eight drivers will make the cut for the next round.

“I think, for us, it’s honestly better that we’re kind of in the position that we are, being 32 out, or whatever it is, versus 15, just because if you’re 15 to even 20, that is doable,” Briscoe explained. “Where we’re 30, at least for us, we’re just looking at it as a must-win. You could maybe point your way in, but a lot of things would have to go your way.

“I think it honestly opens up a lot for us from a strategy standpoint of just going in with the approach of flipping the track position and everything else. So, yeah, to be below the cut line is obviously unfortunate, but honestly, I would much rather it be 30-something points than 15, just because I think it makes it a little clearer of what you need to do from a strategy standpoint.
“And out of all the tracks in this round, this is the one where I feel the most confident to come and battle for the win, so hopefully we can do that.”

Briscoe can be forgiven if his mind hasn’t been focused on racing this week. On Wednesday, he announced that wife Marissa had given birth to twins—Cooper Banks Briscoe and Collins Ivy Briscoe.

And how much sleep has Briscoe gotten?

“More than Marissa, for sure,” he said. “I would say four or five hours a night maybe. That’s being generous though.”

Denny Hamlin sees potential for chaos in new Turn 7 on Charlotte Roval
In common sports parlance, the “hot corner” typically applies to third base on the baseball diamond.

But the new configuration at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course—notably Turn 7—has the potential to produce action that’s equally torrid.

That particular corner, which leads back onto the banking on the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, is a flat 180-degree hairpin. NASCAR Cup Series drivers universally agree that the new turn will give them an additional passing zone.

How passing in Turn 7 is accomplished provides the potential for chaos, with “dive-bombs” and hard braking expected to be the order of the day.

“It will certainly be different for sure,” Denny Hamlin said. “As time goes on, everyone is going to adapt their style to a very similar style, as we do on most tracks.

“It’s inviting to go in there and dive-bomb, and that will get rewarded sometimes, and sometimes it won’t. It’s the same track for everyone, someone is going to win, so you just hope you are it.”

Hamlin enters Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 fourth in the standings, 30 points above the cutoff for the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. But that may not be a cushion sufficient to guarantee advancement.

“If I don’t have a horrible day, yes,” Hamlin said of his position. “But I’ve had horrible days here. I feel better about it than I did with five to go at Talladega, certainly. I think that I just have to do my part in all of this. That starts (Saturday) and goes on to (Sunday).

“I just need to do my job to the best of my ability, and if so, then we will be fine. If not, we will see how it all stacks up, but 30 points—if you would have asked me before Talladega (the second race in the Round of 12), would you be all right with 30 points to the good going to the Roval, I would have said yes.”

Longer lap times may enhance strategic choices at Charlotte Road Course
William Byron, the only Playoff driver already locked into the Round of 8, thinks the course changes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course may affect strategy in Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 (2 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Specifically, it might enhance the efficacy of short-pitting the ends of the first two stages to set up track position for the finish.

“Yeah, I think if we’re not very good tomorrow, then we might try and go for the stage win,” said Byron, whose primary interest in the Round of 12 elimination race is collecting Playoff points. “But it’s tough here, because pit road only takes 30 seconds, I believe, including the pit stop. So it’s a big advantage to short-pit here because you can still come out and get stage points.

“I think the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) did that last year. When he came out, he lost like three positions. I think the lap times being slower this year, it might be more that way. So it will be tough for these guys that don’t—if you’re not running well, I don’t think you’re going to just luck into some stage points. I think you’re going to have to be up front. So it’ll be interesting, but I’m excited to watch everyone else; see how nervous they are and just go race.”

That’s the luxury Byron has after scoring enough points in the first two races of the round to assure his advancement.

“Yeah, it’s great.. it’s awesome,” Byron said. “It changes the whole mood and vibe for the weekend, for sure. I mean, I haven’t really thought a lot about it, in terms of just trying to do the normal preparation and be ready for the race and try to go win.

“But, yeah, there aren’t consequences for us, so that’s a great feeling, and I feel like it’s one that we can take advantage of. We don’t have to worry about going out here in practice and try to ease into it. We can just try to send it and see what happens.”