NASCAR - 5 drivers to watch out for in road-course races in 2021
The NASCAR 2021 series, with the addition of the Daytona International Speedway, is all set to have seven points-paying races in road courses.
To put the same into perspective, there are only eight active full-time drivers who have secured wins in road-course races in the NASCAR Cup Series. Here's taking a look at the top five to watch out for:
#1 Chase Elliott
Chase Eliott is a name that automatically springs to mind when talking about road courses.
He has had a dream run of sorts, winning his last four races in such a setting. With his first-ever road-course victory coming in 2018 at the Watkins Glen International, Eliott has taken his wins tally to five so far.
His consistent performances in the last season saw him make a total of 12 starts in road courses, where he had an average finish of 8.9. Moreover, the 25-year-old has also led a combined 176 laps in his last four races.
#2 Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. happens to be the only driver who has finished within the Top 10 in each of the previous five road-course races. He has three wins at the Sonoma Raceway and one at Watkins Glen in 2017.
In the NASCAR races last year in Daytona and Charlotte, Truex posted decent finishes of third and seventh respectively.
#3 Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch, a four-time winner in road courses, had a rather forgettable 2020 season.
He completed the season's road-course wins at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. Busch stands as the active leader with a lead of 364 laps in road courses.
#4 Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney's memorable finish at Charlotte in 2018 earns him the possible fourth spot.
He is the only driver who has a win in the last nine road-course races. Seven of his top ten road-course finishes have come in his last ten starts.
#5 Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe will be in his rookie year in the NASCAR Cup Series. Graduating from the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he will look to reproduce his stellar performances in road courses.
The 26-year-old has seven top-ten finishes in his nine Xfinity road-course starts. Interestingly, he has won at Charlotte and Indianapolis, the tracks added to this year's NASCAR Cup Series roster.
Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are the other road-course winners. While Harvick has two wins, Busch, Hamlin and Logano have one apiece.
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NASCAR road courses in 2021
The Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval were already a part of the NASCAR Series road-course race roster.
Circuit of the Americas, home to Formula1 and IndyCar races, will be holding the inaugural race on a road course.
Road America will debut in the Cup Series races, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be an addition to the road-course schedule along with Daytona.
Bristol Motor Speedway will be converted into a dirt track come the March 28th race. That will mark the first premier series dirt race since 1970 in NASCAR.
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