CONCORD, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. hopes his playoffs woes, not title hopes, are over. Bubba Wallace had his best qualifying effort at a road course. Kyle Larson will start at the rear of the field in a backup car for Sunday’s elimination race (2 p.m. ET on NBC).
The Charlotte Roval, which has delivered high-profile drama in its previous five races, increased the tension among title contenders Saturday.
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At a track where Jimmie Johnson once was eliminated by a tiebreaker, Larson advanced with a wrecked car and Truex was knocked out of the lead in the final chicane on the last lap, intrigue reigned Saturday.
Tyler Reddick, the first driver outside a transfer spot to the Round of 8, will start on the pole for Sunday’s race. That’s not a surprise. He’s started on the front row in four of the previous five road course events this season.
Saturday only confirmed what is expected from Reddick and his 23XI Racing team.
“I think for the most part, this is as good an outcome for the 45 (team) as possible, and Bubba had a solid day as well,” Reddick said of qualifying. “I know he obviously wanted to qualify a little better in the second round, but when you look at what both of us need to do (Sunday) to hopefully get both our cars in, we’re taking the right steps in that direction.”
Reddick is two points behind Brad Keselowski, who enters the race on the cutline. Wallace, who trails Keselowski by nine points, qualified fourth.
Four of the 12 playoff contenders will see their championship hopes end Sunday. Also below the cutline are Ross Chastain (-10) and Kyle Busch (-26)
Keselowski will start Sunday’s race 19th. The only playoff drivers who will start worse are teammate Chris Buescher (20th) and Larson (36th). Keselowski is winless in 42 career road course starts.
“I think every loss annoys you and if it doesn’t, you’re not really a great competitor,” Keselowski said earlier this week of how much his road course record bothers him. “I work at it and work at it and I haven’t had the results I’ve wanted.”
Larson, who is 15 points ahead of Reddick and 17 ahead of Wallace, wrecked in practice Saturday. He said his car got loose in the transition from the infield portion to the Turn 1 on the oval.
Larson has a checkered history with the Roval. He advanced via a tiebreaker in 2018, won this race in 2021 and was eliminated here by two points last year.
In a season where Larson has 13 top-five finishes and 10 finishes outside the top 25, Saturday’s woes were just part of this season’s continuing saga.
“We’ve overcome a lot this year alone,” he said. “So, just add something else to overcome. I know that we have a team capable of getting through it and advancing.”
Truex said he feels the same way but the regular-season champion has had an awful playoffs. He has yet to have a top-15 finish in the first five playoff races and narrowly avoided elimination in the first round. He enters Sunday’s race 17 points ahead of Reddick and 19 points ahead of Wallace.
“I feel like we’re a great team and we can do what it takes,” Truex said. “We just have to make it all come together.”
Truex starts 11th.
“We’ll just go out and race and, hopefully, no more catastrophes because we’ve had a lot of stuff happen in the playoffs that have been tough. … We’ll see what (Sunday) brings.”