NASCAR Cutoff Race at Charlotte Roval Trumps Antitrust Lawsuit... at Least on Sunday

• In this case, “biggest story” mean doesn’t necessarily mean “most important story.”

• Twelve drivers remain Cup-eligible after Round 2 Playoff races at Kansas and Talladega.

• It’s almost a lock that Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, and Chase Briscoe – ranked 10th, 11th, and 12th –will need an extraordinary day to reach the top-eight.

There’s no doubt the biggest story in racing right now is the lawsuit filed last week against NASCAR by team co-owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin of 23XI Racing, with lesser-known owner Bob Jenkins of Front Row Motorsports. The civil filing came in the federal district court in Charlotte, N.C.

It accuses NASCAR CEO Jim France and his organization with (among other things) antitrust violations, restraint of trade, and of being monopolistic bullies. Not surprisingly, neither France nor anyone in Daytona Beach has commented on the highly publicized action. It’s unclear whether the suit will appear on any docket or be settled out of court as are most lawsuits against the sanctioning body.

But in this case “biggest story” mean doesn’t necessarily mean “most important story.” A handful of owners would agree with that, especially with this weekend’s important Round 2 elimination race on the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Twelve drivers remain Cup-eligible after Round 2 Playoff races at Kansas and Talladega. The four lowest in points will be eliminated after this weekend’s 109-lap, 253-miler around the 2.28-mile road course that includes 17 turns.

Among those below the points cutline is two-time series champion Joey Logano. He’s ninth-ranked, 13 below the cutline after finishing 14th at Kansas and 33rd at Talladega. Getting into the top-eight would advance him into Round 3 with seven other drivers. It’s safe to say Charlotte and its Roval are more a concern for Logano, crew chief Paul Wolfe, and team owner Roger Penske than the much-discussed lawsuit.

That probably holds for former champion Chase Elliott, too. He’s tied with Tyler Reddick for eighth in points, a tenuous 14 points above the cutline. Elliott’s Round 2 results were 9th in Kansas and 29th at Talladega; Reddick’s were 25th and 20th at those venues.

As NASCAR will gladly tell you, all 12 drivers are still Cup-eligible. Only William Byron, though, has clinched a spot in the eight-driver Round 3 series that includes Las Vegas, Homestead, and Martinsville. The four who survive that round will advance to the Nov. 10 Championship-4 finale near Phoenix.

Who's In, Who's In Trouble

It’s almost a cinch that Christopher Bell, former champion Kyle Larson, Hamlin, Alex Bowman, and defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney have enough points to advance to Round 3 if they simply finish at Charlotte. They may want to race hard, but they’ll be aware of their points position and drive accordingly.

And it’s almost a lock that Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, and Chase Briscoe—ranked 10th, 11th, and 12th—will need an extraordinary day to reach the top-eight. Suarez is a good road racer, but has three finishes in the 30s, two in the 20s, and a 13th in his six Roval starts. Cindric has been 21st and 25th and Briscoe has been 22nd, 9th, and 28th. Except for a victory, “extraordinary” may still not be enough for any of them.

Elliott has the best Roval record among those near the cutline. He’s won twice in six starts and has two other top-10s, but has finished 12th and 20th in recent years. Logano has a pole, but no victories, two top-5s, and three other top-10s. Reddick has a pole, a runner-up behind Larson three years ago, and two other top-10s in his four Roval starts.

Lawsuit? For this weekend, at least, what lawsuit?