"Stubbs: 4 Racers Whose Postseason Hopes May Conclude at the Roval"
When the checkered flag flies at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday, it will signify the conclusion of four drivers' aspirations for the NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The Roval is considered a wildcard race, and while anything can occur, it is likely that the top contenders will prevail. Here are our forecasts for the four drivers who will be eliminated in the Round of 12.
Austin Cindric
Cindric will always be a contender for a top-10 finish when the circuit visits a road course, but he needs much more than that on Sunday. Cindric currently sits 29 points below the top-eight cut line and must secure his third victory in the Cup Series in order to advance. With finishes of 21st and 25th in his two starts at the Roval, it is probable that his 2024 playoff run will end in a similar fashion to his 2022 run.
Chase Briscoe
Like Cindric, Briscoe (-32) requires a perfectly timed victory to advance to the Round of 8 for the second time in three seasons. However, his previous finishes at the Roval do not instill much confidence that he can achieve this. While he was able to advance to the Round of 8 in 2022 with a ninth-place finish, his results of 22nd in 2021 and 28th in 2023 make it unlikely that his Cinderella postseason run will continue. While he cannot be counted out, as he proved at Darlington, it would be surprising to see the No. 14 car in victory lane.
Daniel Suarez
Unlike Cindric and Briscoe, Suarez (-20) is not in a must-win situation, and he has had a couple of solid runs at the Roval. He finished 13th in 2021 and collected stage points in both 2022 and 2023. Although he did not have the opportunity to finish those races, he has shown the ability to consistently run at the front. However, a 20-point deficit, especially to road-course expert Chase Elliott, does not bode well for Suarez, whose playoff run will once again end in the Round of 12.
Tyler Reddick
This may seem improbable given Reddick's 14-point lead over ninth-place Joey Logano and his reputation as a top road-course racer, but the No. 45 team has been in a terrible slump since the playoff opener at Atlanta. In the last four races, Reddick has led only 12 laps, has not scored more than 24 points, and has not finished better than 20th. These are not the numbers that qualify a driver for the Round of 8, let alone a championship. Reddick will have to dig deep to advance, which he is certainly capable of, but the momentum is not on his side. Although Reddick has had an impressive 2024 season, he has not been able to put together a successful postseason run.
--Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media
