Alex Weaver and Alan Cavanna preview an elimination-filled weekend in Charlotte as the Cup Series takes on the Charlotte Roval for the last race in the Round of 12.
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00:00 - Christopher Bell right now,
00:01 praying that there will be no more cautions.
00:03 Austin Sendrick spins.
00:05 - He tagged you, get it going.
00:07 White flag, just one smooth one here.
00:09 Keep going, keep going, it's a 20-way, keep passing.
00:12 Slow up, I think we got a flat tire.
00:13 Check up, check up.
00:14 - Custer throwing a block right there on everybody.
00:17 - Coming to the checkered flag this time.
00:19 - Here comes C-Bell,
00:20 working his way into the next round.
00:22 - The defending Cup Series champion has been knocked out.
00:26 Daniel Suarez is out.
00:28 So is Austin Sendrick and of course Alex Bowman.
00:31 - That's why I said this week, never give up, man.
00:33 I believe in you, good job.
00:35 - Hey everybody, welcome into Studio 3
00:47 for the preview show delivered by DoorDash.
00:49 I am Alex Weaver, that is Alan Kavanaugh,
00:52 and we get to take our own personal vehicles
00:55 all the way down 85 to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
00:58 It's time to race at the Bank of America,
01:01 Roval 400, the home track for most of us
01:04 and most of our teams, and it's an elimination race.
01:08 It's the final race, the round of 12.
01:09 - All right, we are gonna set the round of eight on Sunday.
01:12 It's the most important race being elimination style,
01:15 so let's look at those points.
01:16 We know William Byer and Ryan Blaney, they are good.
01:19 They are feeling great.
01:20 Denny, he doesn't worry me with all those points,
01:23 nor does Christopher Bell,
01:24 but look at Brad Keselowski and Below Alex.
01:26 That is who I am looking at.
01:28 Remember, going into this weekend,
01:29 this road course race now has the stage brakes back.
01:33 That gives teams the options to either chase stage points
01:37 or put yourself in best track position for a win.
01:40 Teams probably have to choose which one they wanna do.
01:43 It just depends on who you are.
01:45 Brad Keselowski probably has to chase the points.
01:47 Kyle Busch, all the way down in the bottom,
01:50 he can just go for that win
01:51 and not worry about anything else.
01:53 So it's up to the crew chiefs.
01:54 What strategy are you gonna be on?
01:55 - Yeah, a lot of strategies come into play for this weekend,
01:58 but the team that has the shortest drive
02:01 to Charlotte Motor Speedway is Hendrick Motorsports.
02:04 It's right down the road from the racetrack,
02:06 and they've shown domination when it comes to the Roval.
02:10 They've won three of the last five Roval races,
02:13 obviously two with Chase Elliott, one with Kyle Larson.
02:16 Kyle Larson now is seventh in the playoff standings,
02:20 so he looks like he's okay in points,
02:23 but I think you need better than an okay day at the Roval.
02:26 - Yeah, you need to be clean and free
02:28 of any damage at the Roval.
02:29 Kyle Larson impressed me last week
02:31 'cause Talladega, not one of his strengths,
02:33 but he made it out of there fairly clean,
02:35 got a lot of points and a good finish.
02:37 On Sunday, all he has to do is keep it clean,
02:39 but what we saw last year from Kyle Larson
02:41 is one mistake can take you out.
02:43 There are so many twists and turns
02:45 and narrow walls at the Roval.
02:47 You hit that, your day could be done.
02:48 All he has to do is avoid that.
02:50 I think Kyle Larson is just fine.
02:52 A lot of skills on those road courses.
02:53 - So are you worried about Larson, yes or no?
02:55 - No, not anymore.
02:56 - Okay, that's a no answer.
02:57 All right, let's look at 2311 Racing, however,
03:00 because possibly, let's be worried,
03:03 heading into the Roval.
03:04 Both drivers right there with Bubba Wallace
03:06 and Tyler Reddick are below the elimination line.
03:09 So if we were to cut it off right now,
03:11 they are not advancing to the round of eight.
03:13 Can they turn the book around?
03:15 - Well, I think one of them,
03:16 it'll be easier for one of them.
03:17 It'll be easier for Tyler Reddick.
03:18 We know his prowess, his skills on road courses,
03:22 but as we were talking about before,
03:24 there are two situations you can chase.
03:25 If Tyler Reddick wants to get the win,
03:27 they have to maybe, likely punt on all those stage points.
03:30 Now, Tyler Reddick can absolutely get the win,
03:33 but you have to get the checkered flag
03:35 if you're not getting any stage points.
03:36 He could get second place and no stage points,
03:39 and that may not be enough.
03:41 So if I'm Billy Scott as crew chief,
03:42 I am just wondering, going through my head,
03:44 going through my notes, which strategy should I take?
03:46 Should I worry about the points?
03:47 Should I just go get the win?
03:49 I don't wanna be a crew chief going into this race.
03:50 That's what I'm saying.
03:51 I don't wanna be a crew chief or a driver
03:53 going into this race.
03:54 I'm worried and I'm not even in the playoffs.
03:56 All right, let's do our playoff polls.
03:58 We've done this every week for the playoffs.
03:59 This is where we pick our good, our bad,
04:01 and our wild card for this weekend's race.
04:03 So for the Bank of America Roval 400, who's your good?
04:06 - Chris Buescher.
04:07 I keep telling everybody he's the road course king.
04:10 Nine out of the last 10 road course races,
04:12 he's finished in the top 10.
04:14 By average finish, he is the best road course driver
04:16 in the next gen car.
04:17 Chris Buescher.
04:18 - Chris Buescher, good pick.
04:20 A lot of momentum there for the 17 this year.
04:22 I am gonna go with the driver who told me
04:23 not to worry about him at the Roval, Tyler Reddick.
04:28 So I'm gonna stick with the confidence
04:31 of old T. Redd over there.
04:32 And that's my good.
04:34 What about your bad?
04:35 - My bad, I'm worried about Brad Keselowski in the six car.
04:38 Look, he is in a bad spot points wise.
04:40 He doesn't have a great track record.
04:42 This year at road courses, best finish of 15th,
04:45 not a great track record at the Roval.
04:47 Needing points going into such an elimination race,
04:49 I'm a little worried BK.
04:50 We'll see what we can do.
04:51 - All right, my bad.
04:52 I am a little worried about the Rowdy Nation
04:55 continuing to chase a championship.
04:57 Unfortunately, he is right now
04:59 at the bottom of the standings.
05:01 He's the 12th driver in the playoff standings.
05:04 So I know he has had some solid days at the Roval,
05:07 but I don't know.
05:08 It's just kind of a must win situation for me.
05:10 - Well, those solid days,
05:12 that's why Rowdy Bush is my wild card.
05:14 Is he in the worst spot?
05:15 Yes.
05:16 Is he a road course king?
05:17 No.
05:18 If you look at his record at the Roval,
05:20 recently he has two top five finishes there.
05:24 Why can't he mess around and maybe get the win?
05:26 That will be the only strategy.
05:27 They're not going to worry about getting the stage points.
05:29 They will do everything they can to put themselves
05:31 in the best track position for the victory.
05:33 Maybe he can do it.
05:33 That's why he's my wild card.
05:35 - Alan, do you know how many winners we have
05:37 at the end of the day?
05:38 - Just one?
05:39 - Just one.
05:39 That worries me a little bit.
05:41 All right, my wild card,
05:42 I'm going to go with the five of Kyle Larson.
05:44 He's won at the Roval before.
05:45 He sits decently in points,
05:48 but wouldn't surprise me if it's kind of a,
05:51 I don't want to call it a rebound week,
05:53 but he's hoping to go into the round of eight
05:55 with a little bit more of a cushion.
05:57 So I think Cliff Daniels brings out all the punches.
05:59 - Love it.
06:00 - Let's do it.
06:01 All right, we've had some great memories at the Roval,
06:03 and it's only been five races of them.
06:06 So we don't have a lot to throw back to
06:08 in our NASCAR 75 flashback,
06:09 but the very first one was a special one.
06:11 - Yeah, the very first one, we invented the word Roval.
06:14 What is this?
06:15 - We kind of knew what to expect,
06:16 and we certainly didn't expect what we got
06:18 out of the first race.
06:19 Fast forward, seven to go,
06:21 it's leader Brad Keselowski on the restart,
06:23 driving straight into the wall.
06:25 Heartburn turn, taking out other contenders with him.
06:28 Fast forward to the final lap, the final turns.
06:31 Jimmy Johnson coming in hot, overcooks it.
06:33 Martin Turek Jr. tries to avoid him, doesn't,
06:36 and then like a hero out of nowhere, Alex,
06:39 Ryan Blaney cuts through the chaos,
06:41 gets the victory, such a memorable moment.
06:44 And if you don't remember,
06:45 that spin cost Jimmy Johnson to advance
06:49 in the playoff that year, it eliminated him.
06:51 So it was a very costly spin, fun memory though.
06:55 - Jimmy Johnson fan over here, not a fun memory.
06:57 I remember it well.
06:59 Well, we've had some great memories
07:00 at the Bank of America Roval 400,
07:02 and it's time to make a new one for 2023.
07:05 It's the elimination race for the round of 12,
07:07 and we might have a driver that locks
07:09 into the round of eight via a win.
07:11 You'll have to watch and find out.
07:12 It's Sunday, 2 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
07:15 - Make sure you join us right back here
07:16 on the preview show delivered by DoorDash.
07:18 She's Alex, I'm Alan.
07:20 We'll see you then.
07:21 (car engine revving)
07:24 (crowd cheering)
07:27 (upbeat music)
07:29 (upbeat music)