UPDATE: Starting spots have been added to the playbook and write-ups have been updated as well based on starting spots and news following qualifying. Look for the Update: at the start of the write-ups.

It’s the second road race of the year this week with a trip to Austin Texas and the 20-turn behemoth known as COTA or Circuit of the Americas. I would highly suggest reading through the lengthy track breakdown this week as well as listening to the podcast with Dan Malin and myself to get a handle on strategy for the week. This intro won’t be as in-depth as usual since it’s an unknown track for the Cup drivers and they haven’t qualified for their spots yet either and won’t until Sunday morning. The only way I will be updating the playbook is if someone is a big surprise in qualifying in terms of starting spot.

This being a road course the main stats we’re building around this week is finish position and position differential since there are only 68 laps on tap for the race and laps led are never that big of a part of the build for road races. They can make a bit of difference in separating places but the main points will come from finish position. There is rain in the forecast for Sunday and so we could see some swapping of tires between the rain tires and the normal racing slicks.

Average Points By Starting Spots

These charts show the average points scored by starting spot over the last five road races regardless of who started in those spots. Keep in mind that the last five road races have been run on Roval-style tracks and not true road races and so the points will be a bit skewed. They are meant as a strategy tool and not hard and fast rules about who will do what in those starting spots, once we know them.

Stacks

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