{"id":40093,"date":"2022-09-01T16:20:04","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T21:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=40093"},"modified":"2022-09-03T16:17:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T21:17:38","slug":"nascar-cup-playoffs-media-day-notebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/01\/nascar-cup-playoffs-media-day-notebook\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR Cup Playoffs Media Day Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Holly Cain and Reid Spencer<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service <\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Cup Playoff neophytes could make uncharacteristically deep runs<\/b><\/p>\n

CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2013 A quarter of this year\u2019s NASCAR Cup Series 16-driver Playoff field will be competing for the season prize for the first time\u2014Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric, Phoenix winner Chase Briscoe, two-race winner Ross Chastain and Sonoma victor Daniel Suarez.<\/p>\n

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A detail of the Bill France Cup is seen prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

No first-time Playoff driver has ever advanced to the final round of the Playoffs (with the obvious exception of the inaugural year of the elimination format in 2014) but many say it would be no surprise to find one there this season with such a strong contingent of Playoff \u201crookies\u201d \u2014 all driving for strong teams, and all just as motivated as the more seasoned Playoff veterans.<\/p>\n

The veterans bring their experience, but this year\u2019s new class of Playoff talent brings plenty of reason to consider this one of the most unpredictable championship chases in recent memory.<\/p>\n

Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, carries a pair of victories (at Talladega Superspeedway and Circuit of The Americas) into his title run. He starts the trophy chase re-seeded third in the standings, only 20 points behind Regular Season Champion Chase Elliott \u2014 highest among the first-time Playoff contenders.<\/p>\n

And unlike so many of the tried-and-true veterans, Chastain conceded he arrives at Thursday\u2019s Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center making a point to savor this first-time Playoff experience.<\/p>\n

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The Bill France Cup is seen prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThis is the exact spot that I\u2019ve worked really my entire racing career toward\u2026 11 years of wanting to be, as silly as it sounds, at Playoffs Media Day in the Cup Series,” a smiling Chastain conceded.<\/p>\n

Not only did the 29-year-old Floridian score his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at COTA this Spring, but he is also one of eight multi-race winners this season. His 10 top-five finishes tie him with Elliott for most in the series, and his 14 top-10 finishes are second only to Elliott\u2019s 17.<\/p>\n

Many people consider him a legitimate threat to advance in the Playoffs. Chastain, however, refused to get too specific about his chances.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that question is ready to be answered,” Chastain said. \u201cThere are times this year where we did a really good job, and there are times this year where I did a really bad job behind the wheel. It\u2019s about finding the middle ground. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have a number of races we\u2019ll go and how far we\u2019ll go in this run,” he continued, \u201cbut I wouldn\u2019t want to be in any other position than where I\u2019m at. It\u2019s a great time to be in a Chevrolet and a great time to be at Trackhouse. It feels good.”<\/p>\n

Briscoe, 27, driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory in the fourth race of the season at Phoenix, which is also the venue for the championship finale on Nov. 6. The former Xfinity Series championship contender said he realizes he is probably considered an \u201cunderdog\u201d by many in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs \u2014 ranked 12th among the 16 championship-eligible drivers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kind of like that, because you can kind of go under the radar and do your own thing and there\u2019s not as many cameras on you and people talking about you, and you can just go do your normal deal at the race track,” Briscoe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like that part of it, but from a speed standpoint, I feel fully capable that we could get there. It\u2019s just been stuff I\u2019ve been doing, self-inflicted, that kill our day, so if we can get it all together, I feel confident we can make a run in the Playoffs for sure.”<\/p>\n

That optimism is shared even by those with more experience in the championship run. No one in the large sample of championship-eligible drivers asked to identify a \u201cchampionship favorite\u201d would or could do so, with the notable exception of Joey Logano.<\/p>\n

Joey Logano considers himself the favorite to win Cup title<\/b><\/p>\n

Team Penske driver Joey Logano concedes the Fords as a group haven\u2019t quite caught up with the speed shown by the Chevrolets and Toyotas in the NASCAR Cup Series.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR driver Joey Logano speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Nevertheless, the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang considers himself the favorite to win a second title.<\/p>\n

His rationale hinges on the performance of his team heading into Sunday\u2019s Cook Out Southern 500, the first Playoff race at Darlington (6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know me\u2014I always feel like I\u2019m the favorite,\u201d Logano said on Thursday during NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center. \u201cI race that way. That confidence is very important, and I think we have reason to feel that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I look at the last five races, we\u2019ve scored more points than anybody\u201444 points more than anybody the last five races. That says a lot about our team, shows where we are about maximizing our days, and that\u2019s what the Playoff is about\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cI told my team this yesterday\u2014we\u2019re the favorites, and here\u2019s why.\u201d<\/p>\n

Logano proceeded to enumerate the factors that have buoyed his confidence entering the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you do the work, and you feel prepared, I\u2019d better feel like I\u2019m the best out there,\u201d Logano said. \u201cThere\u2019s a balance between all that, right? Because do I feel like I\u2019m the best in every category on the race track? No. But I feel like I\u2019m the best well-rounded driver on the race track, and that\u2019s important.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like my team is executing on all eight (cylinders) right now. When you look at the way we are managing the races from a strategy standpoint, (crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) is doing great at that, where we\u2019re finishing better than the speed in our car. So that part\u2019s great.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur pit stops have been solid. That\u2019s what you want out of your pit crew\u2026 Our restarts and execution on the race track have been great here lately. That\u2019s where we\u2019ve really made the difference. When you look at the stage points and the finishes, all that\u2019s coming from how we execute the races throughout it, without the fastest car.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then when we get a car that\u2019s capable of winning\u2014look out!\u201d <\/p>\n

The tracks in the Round of 16 set up nicely for Logano, too. He won this year\u2019s spring race at Darlington from the pole. At Kansas and Bristol, host venues for the second and third Playoff races, Logano has a combined five victories, three at Kansas and two on the Bristol concrete.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ross Chastain is prepared for whatever may come in his first postseason<\/b><\/p>\n

Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain has certainly garnered headlines and attention this season, both for his career-first NASCAR Cup Series victories and for his aggressive moves on track. Incidents with various drivers, including fellow championship contender Denny Hamlin, have been in the spotlight throughout the season.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR driver Ross Chastain speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Chastain fully acknowledged that navigating his championship hopes may depend on the way he handles potential \u201cpayback\u201d on the track. He insisted Thursday that he wasn\u2019t focusing on that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t actually keep up with what people are saying,” Chastain said. \u201cAnd then on track, I know who\u2019s around me and I know obviously every situation and every scenario that\u2019s happened this year, so you can tell right away if a car is driven aggressively toward me or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cOff-track, I probably don\u2019t do a good enough job keeping up with the words being said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of opinions given to me and a lot of advice, and I truly believe it\u2019s all with the right intentions,” Chastain continued. \u201cBut honestly, my iPhone is out of storage space and can\u2019t take any more else, it has no more storage. I\u2019m kind of that way too. There\u2019s a lot that just kind of goes in one ear and out the other, for better or worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I do take everybody\u2019s opinion and make my own, inform my own thought. I\u2019m human, I\u2019m going to make mistakes, I\u2019m going to do the exact opposite of what everyone says, even though their way was better. And sometimes it\u2019s on purpose, and sometimes it\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Stress of multiple contract options weighs on Kyle Busch<\/b><\/p>\n

Kyle Busch acknowledged on Thursday that he has more than one contract offer on the table but making a decision about his future as a driver has complicated his life as the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff approaches.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI was hoping yesterday,\u201d Busch said when asked when he might have a deal to announce. \u201cI\u2019m not going to put a timeline on it, but time is a ticking, and there are a lot of other options and a lot of other dominoes that need to fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

An elite driver with 60 Cup victories and two series titles to his credit, Busch clearly has options.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than one that has paper in front of me,\u201d he acknowledged.<\/p>\n

But the process has been anything but comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me, my gut doesn\u2019t feel good, and that\u2019s not just for decisions being made, but more so of decisions being weighed and the perception in how you come across to all of those that you\u2019re going to disappoint. Right?<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s going to be one winner, and the rest are not winners, if you look at it in that regard. Good for me, but I definitely don\u2019t want to come across as a lead-on or a liar or anything like that, so that\u2019s why it\u2019s been touch and go, and tread lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Busch described his decision-making process as one of the toughest periods of his life, but he doesn\u2019t think the stress of the negotiations will prevent him from winning a third championship with his current No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt weighs on you every day of the week,\u201d Busch said. \u201cI think the best thing that I have for me is experience in being able to go race on Sunday. I\u2019m a racer. That\u2019s all I know. So, when I get to the race track every weekend, I put my helmet on, and that\u2019s what I focus on.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing by myself, I do my best work inside that car, so I don\u2019t have to think about anything besides making that car go fast.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/KyBusch.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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Chase Elliott sees a crowded field of potential winners in the Playoff<\/b><\/p>\n

Unlike Joey Logano, Chase Elliott doesn\u2019t see himself as a clear favorite to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR driver Chase Elliott speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Of course, Elliott is one to play his cards close to the vest, but it does seem strange that the driver who has the most wins in the series to his credit\u2014four\u2014as well as the Regular Season Championship, wouldn\u2019t exude more confidence as the Playoff approaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been too many people good at different times,\u201d Elliott said. \u201cJust because we have (more wins) than other people doesn\u2019t mean other people aren\u2019t capable of winning or having a good day, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2018ve got to respect the whole field, in my opinion. There\u2019s a lot of really talented drivers, a lot of smart people working at these things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Elliott does have 40 Playoff points, 15 more than second-place Logano, and those points will carry through the Playoff with him, as long as he continues to advance. Though Elliott acknowledges the importance of the Playoff points, he doesn\u2019t feel they constitute a bulletproof insurance policy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly don\u2019t think anybody\u2019s safe at any point in time,\u201d Elliott said. \u201cIt\u2019s just my honest opinion. I think the way this format is, I think you have to respect this format from week one all the way to week 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s ever a period of time where you should think anything is taken for granted, and I don\u2019t think any amount of Playoff points is ever safe. The rounds are so short, you could have two bad weeks back-to-back\u2014and you do nothing wrong. And the next thing you know you\u2019re in a position where you have to win the last one.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can happen to the guy that\u2019s first in points or the guy that\u2019s last. I don\u2019t think anyone\u2019s safe from that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Elliott.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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Larson feels confident heading into the Playoffs<\/b><\/p>\n

While the majority of drivers in Thursday\u2019s Playoff Media Day fully conceded there was no single overwhelming pick to win the season trophy. All of them\u2014from weekly frontrunners to new Playoff drivers\u2014were able to make a case for being legitimate title favorites.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR driver Kyle Larson speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

That, of course, included the most recent title winner, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson, who has two wins in 2022 and is ranked fourth in the standings, 21 points behind Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a championship contending team, and we have all the parts and pieces to get it done,” Larson said. \u201cI\u2019m definitely confident.”<\/p>\n

Larson did share that the flow of work and information sharing for the Playoff portion of the season will be no different for the four Hendrick Motorsport teams\u2014all race winners during the season and all expected to be contenders beginning with Sunday\u2019s Playoff-opening Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody works probably even better together during the Playoffs,” Larson said, dismissing any notion that the four teams may operate more independently during the championship run.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Team owner) Rick (Hendrick) has four opportunities to win, and we want to give him a 100 percent of an opportunity to win once we get to (the Championship 4 race at) Phoenix. So, I feel like we work together closer. Just the way I experienced it last year in the competition meetings and stuff like that, so, yes, it\u2019s no different (than the regular season), if not better.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Larson.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain and Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service  NASCAR Cup Playoff neophytes could make uncharacteristically deep runs CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2013 A quarter of this year\u2019s NASCAR Cup Series 16-driver Playoff field will be competing for the season prize for the first time\u2014Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric, Phoenix winner Chase Briscoe, two-race winner Ross […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":40096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-40093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1419918621-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-aqF","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40093"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40119,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40093\/revisions\/40119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}