The NASCAR Cup Series field holds its first of six road course races this season, when it visits Circuit of the Americas. The 3.41-mile road course in Austin, Texas hosts the series for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
Thirty-nine drivers are entered for this race. Among the entrants are part-timers Conor Daly and Jimmie Johnson as well as debuts for Jenson Button and Jordan Taylor. Trackhouse Racing Team is also bringing out its No. 91 Chevrolet for Kimi Raikkonen.
While sports car specialists were a fixture at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International in the 1990s-2000s, their value seemed to dwindle a bit in recent years. With an accomplished group of drivers joining the series regulars, the question becomes whether these road course ringers can win the race? Mark Kristl and Vito Pugliese debate in this 2-Headed Monster.
The Ringers Don’t Stand a Chance
The NASCAR Cup Series race at the Circuit of the Americas has some added flavor to it. Taylor, Button and Raikkonen are three drivers who normally wouldn’t compete on the ovals. But these three are road course experts.
Add in Daly with his open-wheel experience and seven-time Cup champion Johnson to the entry list and this field got much more interesting.
But are any of these drivers contenders for victory? In short, no.
Daly has 98 NTT IndyCar Series starts, but only one podium finish. His team, The Money Team Racing, rejoiced when he made the Daytona 500. But he still finished 29th, five spots better than his Cup debut in the 2022 event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Johnson has seven championship rings, but when was the last time he went to victory lane? In 2019, he won the exhibition Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. The last time he won a points event was two years prior in 2017 at Dover Motor Speedway.
Furthermore, Johnson isn’t a terrific road course racer. In his Cup career, he only has one road course victory, in 2010. Though he came close in 2018 when a last ditch divebomb on Martin Truex Jr. went sideways at the Charlotte ROVAL. Yes, Johnson is one of the all-time NASCAR greats, but his excellence came on ovals, not road courses.
As for the three road course ringers? Raikkonen is in an open car for Trackhouse Racing.
Yes, the team won COTA last year with Ross Chastain and at Sonoma Raceway with Daniel Suarez. But those two are series regulars who’ve earned their rides and are far more experienced in…
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