A last-lap wreck, a photo-finish victory by Ryan Blaney, and a post-race disqualification of Kevin Harvick can perhaps sum up the playoff race at Talladega. After being relegated to the elimination line, Blaney capitalized on his past superspeedway stronghold to turn the tables and keep his championship hope burning bright. Nonetheless, after a nail-biting performance by the drivers in Talladega, NASCAR is set to burn tires on the iconic road course track of Roval.

Moreover, with two playoff drivers gliding to the Round of 8, only one more seat is left for grabs, while 4 other drivers would be bidding adieu to the championship contention. Among the drivers who stand in a precarious state, are the two prodigies of Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team. With the final race of the round at Roval, will Jordan’s road course ‘Jesus’ be able to advance to the Round of 8?

Will Michael Jordan’s star be able to seize the first championship victory?

It was a breath of relief for the 23XI Racing drivers in the playoff’s first round. Tyler Reddick had clinched a victory on the track of Kansas and qualified for the Round of 12. At the same time, his teammate Bubba Wallace earned a buffer in points after Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick were struck out of the contention. However, the Round of 12 proved to be a learning curve for both the Toyota drivers.

The beginning for the Round of 12 started on the wrong foot for Tyler Reddick in Texas. The driver had hit the wall at the exit of Turn 4. The No.45 sustained huge damages to the car but was able to jump back in the race after undergoing repairs to the car, and subsequently finished 25th in the race. As a result, the driver lost his point cushion. Moreover, the driver was able to steer clear of any troubles in Talladega and finished 16th in the race.

Owing to the disappointing results in the first two races of the round, Reddick with a two-point deficiency will be revving up the engine on the track of Roval, a road course where the No.45 driver has shown immense success. Being termed as the ‘Jesus’ of the road course, Reddick holds a favorable position of winning on the track. 

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The driver in his last three starts has recorded a best finish of P2 while his worst finish being P12. Moreover, he has notched an average finish of 7.3 and has been able to earn a sufficient amount of stage points, which would provide him with the probability of jumping back into the championship contention.

Moreover, the driver has shown a considerable amount of prowess on the road tracks. He has usurped Chase Elliott from his road course dominance. Reddick’s first victory of the season was notched on the track of the Circuit of The Americas, a road course. He has also scored three victories in Next-Gen on various road courses.

Joe Gibbs Racing prodigy battles to defend his crown

Michael Jordan’s driver may have an upper hand entering the track of the Roval, but to surpass the other playoff drivers will be a daunting game, especially the Joe Gibbs Racing prodigy Christopher Bell.

The No.20 Toyota driver has been cruising in the playoffs and has netted three consecutive pole positions, placing him on the pages of history. However, the driver has also encountered his fair share of disappointment, especially the persistent pit road problems, even after swapping crews with Ty Gibbs. Although being mired in a plethora of on-track problems, Bell has delivered a consistent performance. 

Entering the road course of Charlotte, with a 22-point cushion, the young prodigy is assuredly not in a desperate position as his other Toyota counterpart. However, the driver would have to put his best foot forward, in order to defend his crown as the past season’s champion. Nevertheless, Bell has been one of the top 5 points earners on road courses.

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With that being said, and stage breaks making a return on the road courses, it will be interesting to see, which of the Toyota drivers is able to clinch a victory and enter the Round of 8 with a points cushion and ease his way to the championship contention.