By ZECH YODER
The first cut-off race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup playoffs is set to begin at Bristol Motor Speedway at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Sept. 16.
Four of the 16 playoff drivers will be cut from the playoffs, leaving their championship hopes for another year. Bristol, “the last great colosseum,” is a high-banked, half-mile concrete racetrack with a stadium like atmosphere. A fan favorite because of the high speed and tight racing, Bristol Motor Speedway has played host to many fantastic races. The added dimension of it being a cut-off race pushes tension higher, especially for those on the brink of elimination.
Entering Bristol, the playoff bubble looks like this:
- Michael McDowell –40
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. –22
- Bubba Wallace –19
- Martin Truex Jr. –7
- Kevin Harvick +7
- Joey Logano +12
- Christopher Bell +13
- Chris Buescher +13
- Ross Chastain +18
The biggest surprise of those below the cutline is regular season champion, Martin Truex Jr. A mediocre finish at Darlington and a crash from a punctured tire at Kansas has erased his 36-point advantage. He now sits 7 points below the cutline at a track where he has not been particularly strong. If he wants to keep his championship hopes alive, he must figure out a way to stay out of trouble and get to the front, which is not an easy feat at Bristol.
Bubba Wallace is on the cusp of elimination. Entering the playoffs in the 16th position, he had a strong run at Darlington and was running up front at Kansas when he slapped the fall after losing a right-rear tire. Wallace will need stage points and a strong finish plus help from those above the cutline to move to the next round.
Of those currently above the cutline, I am most concerned about Christopher Bell. Bell has been hampered by issues on pit road all season. After reaching the playoffs, his pit crew was swapped with the pit crew for Ty Gibbs, arguably the best pit crew in the Cup Series, in hopes of improving his team’s performance on pit road. Unfortunately, Bell’s new pit crew has been nothing short of disastrous. Given the size of Bristol and the difficulty passing under green, a poor pit performance could put Bell deep in the field.
Additionally, I have concerns about Joey Logano and team. Despite a brilliant strategy call at Kansas, which resulted in a top-5 finish, Logano and his number 22 Penske team has lacked speed all year long. Do not be surprised if he fails to make it out of the round of 16.
My pick again this week is Brad Keselowski. I picked him last week and will pick him again. RFK Racing has been strong on short tracks and Keselowski’s teammate won the Fall Bristol race last year. He has put himself in position to win all year long. I believe he gets it done at Bristol.
Zech Yoder is a local resident, an attorney at Adler Attorneys in Noblesville, and a lifelong race fan.