Chase Briscoe heads into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Roval, focusing closely on his approach to advancing in the playoffs. With his position above the cutline and the Chase Briscoe Charlotte Roval strategy in play, Briscoe’s main priority is to stay ahead of his nearest rivals in the standings to secure his place in the next round.
Briscoe’s Position Entering the Charlotte Roval Race
In the lead-up to the Charlotte event, Briscoe currently sits in seventh place overall—21 points clear of elimination. Right behind him is Joey Logano, who holds onto eighth position, 13 points ahead of the cutoff. Below the cutline, Ross Chastain trails by 13 points, Bubba Wallace by 26, Tyler Reddick by 29, and Austin Cindric remains in a must-win scenario at -48 points. These numbers highlight the tight margins that separate drivers fighting for playoff survival.
Strategy: Focused Rivalry on Track
Briscoe, racing for Joe Gibbs Racing, has stated his plan is to directly outpace Logano and Chastain, which would essentially secure advancement to the next playoff round.
“I think this weekend, we’re obviously really just racing the 22 (Logano) and the 1 (Chastain),”
Briscoe said during media availability.
“If we can just go and outrun them in both stages and the race, then we’ll move on no matter what.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Challenges Posed by the Charlotte Roval
The Charlotte Roval has not historically favored Briscoe. In his four previous Cup Series starts at the 2.28-mile road course, his best finish is ninth, with an average placement of 23.8. Nonetheless, his recent playoff performance has been strong, including a victory at Darlington, a second place at Gateway, and a top-ten finish at Bristol in the opening playoff rounds. In the current Round of 12, Briscoe placed tenth at New Hampshire and fourth last week at Kansas, but even with these results, a single misstep could end his championship pursuit.
Briscoe recognizes the unpredictable nature of the Roval, especially the risk of being caught in another competitor’s crash, which would jeopardize his playoff prospects.
Concerns and Determination
Briscoe acknowledged the competitive tension.
“Crazy, we’re averaging a top-five finish in the playoffs, and we’re only (21) points above (the cutoff line),”
Briscoe said according to The Tennessean.
“Never feel safe at the Roval, but go there and try to do our job. Our road course stuff is pretty good there. See what we can do.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
The Road Ahead for Briscoe and Competitors
As the playoff battle intensifies, Briscoe’s performance at the Charlotte Roval will determine whether he advances to the Round of 8, set to start in Las Vegas. The outcome will hinge on how well he executes his plan of finishing ahead of Logano and Chastain while navigating the complexities of the unique road course. The next chapter of the NASCAR Cup playoffs will depend on survival, strategy, and a bit of luck as the drivers look to keep their championship hopes alive.
