Short-track specialists gear up for Bristol showdown in NASCAR playoffs
Posted : 16 September 2023
As the NASCAR playoffs continue, the focus is shifting towards short-track specialists in the Next Gen car, particularly Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, and Joey Logano.
Kyle Larson has already secured his spot in the Round of 12 with a victory at Darlington Raceway, and Denny Hamlin is comfortably above the elimination line with a 49-point cushion. This leaves the spotlight on Buescher (+13), Bell (+13), and Logano (+12) as they prepare for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Joey Logano presents an interesting case. He boasts an impressive average finish of 8.88 on short tracks in the Next Gen car, second only to Larson.
However, his performance at Bristol has been inconsistent, with a 27th-place finish in last year's playoff race and a 37th place earlier this season in the Bristol Dirt Race. To advance, Logano needs to translate his short-track success from other venues to Bristol.
Chris Buescher had a strong season going until a disappointing 27th-place finish at Kansas. Prior to that, he had won three of the previous six races, including a short-track victory at Richmond Raceway.
Buescher, who won this race last season as a non-playoff driver, and Larson have combined to win four of the last five short-track races. Bouncing back from Kansas will be crucial for Buescher's championship aspirations.
Christopher Bell is another contender in the short-track category, sitting third in points scored on short tracks in the Next Gen car. His average finish ranks third as well, behind Larson and Logano. Bell recently faced adversity at Kansas, overcoming multiple incidents, including a slow pit stop. While he showed resilience, Bell and his team need to clean up their performance, as they've had only one incident-free race in the last 11 outings.
These short-track specialists will have to bring their A-game to Bristol Motor Speedway to secure their advancement in the playoffs and keep their championship hopes alive.
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