Amidst Constantly Changing Playoff Storylines, Can Joe Gibbs’ Pole-Winning Pride Retain his ROVAL Crown?

Seasoned drivers like Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have frequently championed the thrills of oval racing, often casting a shadow over road courses. Hamlin even candidly revealed on a podcast his diminishing fondness for road courses, given his middling performance there. Yet, the racing world isn’t short of road course maestros. Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, and Christopher Bell, to name a few, have mastered the art of maneuvering these intricate tracks. However, it’s not just the nature of the track that defines a racer’s prowess.

The intense atmosphere of the race itself plays a pivotal role. Take the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race, for instance. As the climactic showdown of the second round intensifies and just one race to secure a spot among the elite top-8 steps up, it promises to be a battleground of epic wrecks. In the midst of this potential vehicular maelstrom, the question looms large: Can the reigning Charlotte champ from Joe Gibbs Racing carve a path to victory once more?

Will Joe Gibbs’ championship contender defend his ROVAL title?

The #20 car, a beacon of dominance in the playoff poles with a stellar record of three pole victories in five playoff races, is gearing up for another triumphant Sunday on the Charlotte track, reminiscent of the previous year. Last year, at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, the 2021 NASCAR champ and Charlotte winner, Kyle Larson, faced a shocking twist when he hit the wall. And ultimately, when the dust settled and the checkered flag waved, it was Christopher Bell basking in the victory glow.

The JGR star’s overtime triumph at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course marked his entry into the round of eight and potentially stamped his authority as a serious title contender last season. As a result of a strategic pit stop by the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Bell’s Toyota was equipped with fresh tires. A golden decision, granting Bell the edge to maneuver his way to the front, claiming his second win that season.

Fast forward to the present: while Christopher Bell consistently features among the potential top five at Charlotte by various analysts, the driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry has been rarely touted as the prime contender. The maestro had one win this season at the Bristol dirt track but has amassed an impressive eight top-5 finishes. On the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Bell’s record boasts of a win and another top-10 placement, having secured the eighth spot in 2021 out of three starts.

Even without clinching the top spot this Sunday, Bell can still progress to the next round by amassing 33 points. But, given his commendable performance on road courses—a tally of 10 top-10s in 19 races of the 2023 Cup season with an average position of 11.0 at Charlotte—Bell is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with. However, in a playoff landscape rife with unexpected turns, surprise victors taking the top spots, and underrated drivers like Bubba Wallace consistently improving their positions, which other racers might rise to challenge Bell?

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Who’s poised to conquer Charlotte if not Bell?

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The ROVAL, while categorized as a road course, stands distinct from traditional tracks, presenting drivers with a unique blend of challenges. In the ROVAL’s inaugural five years, Chase Elliott has emerged as the undisputed king. The No. 9’s record is dazzling, boasting two victories, leading 94 laps, and a remarkable driver rating of 112.5. Alex Bowman, Elliott’s teammate, isn’t far behind, flaunting the finest average finish of 6.0 and clinching four top-10s in as many starts. But don’t count out the rest: Tyler Reddick averages a 7.3 finish across three starts, Joey Logano stands at 9.4 in five outings, and Ryan Blaney trails slightly with 9.8 across five races.

Diving deeper into the statistics reveals an intriguing fact: among the 37 contenders this weekend, only four have tasted victory at the Charlotte ROVAL in the Cup Series. Elliott, clinching wins in 2019 and 2020, is the sole driver to win multiple times. Ryan Blaney was inaugurated with a victory in 2018, and the previous two championships went to Kyle Larson in 2021 and Christopher Bell in 2022. While AJ Allmendinger hasn’t clinched a Cup Series win at the ROVAL, his track record is solid in the Xfinity Series, with a quartet of victories from four starts.

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For those looking for prominent names to possibly sidestep, Ross Chastain stands out. Despite being a finalist in the 2022 Championship 4, he’s had a rocky journey on the ROVAL, with an average finish of 26.5 and a driver rating of 47.1 from four appearances. However, since Ross Chastain is in dire need of a spectacular performance to secure a spot in the Round of 8, 2023 could be his year to improve his ROVAL stats. So, as the engines roar and anticipation builds, who’s your bet to steal the spotlight on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course?