Being below the cutline going into the final race of a playoff round is never a good place to be. So imagine how tense Michael Jordan must feel knowing that both his drivers are below the cutline. Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick have had their moments so far this season but they both need to perform exceptionally well at the Roval to get through to the round of 8. Thankfully, they have started out on the right foot.

The Roval is never an easy place to race no matter how good a driver may be. The track may be classified as a road course but in reality, it is a hybrid that boasts a part-oval as well. Switching from one kind of track to the other within the space of a lap is often a challenge and Michael Jordan’s drivers will have to overcome it on Sunday.

Michael Jordan’s prodigies shine in the face of adversity

Despite their troubles, the Toyota team has been absolutely outstanding so far at the track. At the end of qualifying, 23XI Racing stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Bubba Wallace will start from P4 while Tyler Reddick is on pole position. Michael Jordan could not have asked for a better situation.

The only thing that’s left to be done is executing the race. This should not be much of a problem for the pole sitter. Tyler Reddick has proven this year that he is a master of the road course. He has finished in the top 10 in three of the last four road courses this season, including winning at the iconic COTA.

His numbers at the Charlotte Roval are quite impressive as well. The 27-year-old has raced on the track three times so far in his Cup Series career. He has finished in the top 10 twice. Tyler Reddick’s best finish at the Roval is a P2 finish that came in 2021. Starting from pole in 2023, one wouldn’t be unwise to bet on the 23XI Racing star to win the event.

However, that is not the case with his teammate. Bubba Wallace is yet to win a race this year and his record on road courses has not been the best. The 23XI Racing driver is 9 points behind the cutline and has not finished in the top 10 in any road course race in 2023.

His stats at the Roval do not do him any good either. The 29-year-old has started five races at the track and has finished outside the top 20 on three of those occasions. However, his best finish of P7 came just last year, so he will be looking to build on that. Bubba Wallace will be looking to finish as high as possible and get as many points as possible on the tricky road course. His starting position will be quite crucial.

Both drivers have cleared the first Roval roadblock successfully. They will now look to take the form on Sunday. But what strategy will they employ? As far as Tyler Reddick goes, he believes that it is not his call.

Read More – Hours Before Intensifying Charlotte Battle, Bubba Wallace Lands Stamp of Approval From Michael Jordan’s Home State

Tyler Reddick is still unaware of his Roval strategy

After slapping his car on pole position, Reddick was asked by reporters whether he would go for stage points or the win. The 23XI Racing star did not reveal anything, stating that the decision was up to the team.

“I mean, that is a scenario, right? Like I said, I’ll leave that up to [crew chief] Billy [Scott] and the team, but certainly we’ve seen it, right? Last year’s race was going to end a lot differently on points before that caution came out, and it really changed a lot of things for a lot of drivers and teams,” Reddick said as per Racing America.

“I’m going to leave that up to them. I’m staying in my lane and figuring out what I can do as a driver,” he added.

No matter what the strategy is for either driver, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace will have a lot of confidence going into the race on Sunday. Neither driver would want to disappoint boss Michael Jordan and they will drive their hearts out even if they don’t get the job done.

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