5 storylines to watch in the AAA Texas 500
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in the second Chase race in the Round of 8 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in the AAA Texas 500.
Check out these five storylines that will play out on Sunday when the green flag drops for the race at 2:15 p.m. ET.
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Can Carl Edwards rebound from Martinsville trouble?
In the first fall race at Texas in 2005, Edwards beat his then-Roush Fenway Racing teammate Mark Martin to win the race. He’s tallied three wins at the track in his career and always bring a competitive car.
He finished seventh in the spring race and has an average finish of ninth in his past five Texas races.
He’ll probably need more than that as he tries to overcome a 32-point deficit he suffered from a blown tire last week at Martinsville.
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How will the JGR drivers race against each other?
The Toyota powerhouse team has been the talk of the entire season but they haven’t dominated the Chase like many thought they would.
Last week at Martinsville, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth all raced each other rather conservatively as Jimmie Johnson pulled away to clinch a spot in the Championship 4.
At Kansas, Carl Edwards and Busch raced each other tight as Kevin Harvick pulled away and won the race.
Tempers flared after both races but the JGR drivers think they have it figured out heading into Texas.
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Will a non-Chaser steal a win this weekend?
As the Chase field shrinks, the number of drivers with enough speed and skill to win who aren’t still competing for the championship increases.
The two surprise eliminations at Talladega of Martin Truex, Jr. and Brad Keselowski make it even more likely that one of those drivers can find a way to steal a win in the final three races, possibly this weekend.
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Who will make pit road strategy pay off?
Texas Motor Speedway has become notorious for late race pit stops affecting the outcome of the race.
With new tires being so important there will almost certainly be a late-race caution that leaves teams crunching numbers for taking two or four tires or staying out completely.
Truex stayed out in the spring race and it backfired as Kyle Busch passed him on fresh tires to win the race and Truex fell to sixth. Expect a similar scenario to play out between drivers this weekend.
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Can someone clinch to join Johnson in Championship 4?
Out of any Chase race, Sunday provides one of the best chances for a driver seeking an automatic berth to Homestead to fail to get one.
That’s mainly because Johnson has won this race the past four seasons and will be a threat to make it harder on his championship competition. Also, don’t overlook drivers like Truex and Keselowski who are only chasing wins the remainder of the season.
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