It took way too much rain and all kinds of waiting for the Coca-Cola 600 to finish up, but now we’re on to St. Louis and it looks like we should have pretty good weather today. There’s a threat of a late shower, but we’ll be going Green real soon. The Cup Series made their first start here in 2022, so this is just their second race at this place, and not a lot of data to go off of. Or is there?
Here’s what to look for:
–Kyle Busch was quickest on Saturday morning, and he’ll start from Pole. He doesn’t need any help finishing races well, ya know? That’s bad news for the rest of the field already, and he seems in pretty good spirits about today’s race. Last year, Rowdy led 600 laps and brought the #18 home 2nd.
-Kyle Busch finished behind Joey Logano — Ol’ Sliced Bread — a guy who has made it his duty to win brand new races in recent years (save the North Wilkesboro All-Star Race in May). Logano also won at Darlington last year, a track that is shaped similarly though I’m told it doesn’t drive anything like the other. Hmm. In any event, Logano carries a 1.0 average finish here. Can he keeping it going?
–Martin Truex Jr. led the 42 laps in the 2022 race, second most in that contest. He ended up 6th, and I feel like he’ll be pretty close to that today, perhaps a Top 5? Truex rolls off from that 5th position today.
–Corey LaJoie has the opportunity of a lifetime today, driving the Hendrick #9 after Chase Elliott was suspended for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin at Charlotte. This is the same car that Josh Berry found wild success in filling in for Elliott and his broken leg a few months ago. Can LaJoie — who is having a decent season — parlay this into a rock solid Top 10 or better? He’s got some work today; Corey launches from 30th.
–Carson Hocevar has been tapped to start his first Cup race today, too! With LaJoie in the #9, the #7 is open and they said “Carson, come on over!” Just one start here for the Cup Series, no Xfinity races here since 2010, but the Truck Series has been going strong the whole time. Hocevar has four starts here in a Truck, and actually broke his leg here in a crash a year ago. This time he’s all healed up and proved it yesterday: he finished 4th! Carson will start 26th in his first career Cup start this afternoon.
Coverage of the race today starts on FS1 at 3:30pm, green flag scheduled for 3:42pm.
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