The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs enter Round 2 with Texas and Talladega looming as potential lifelines for Team Penske. Joey Logano, with three career Talladega wins and another at Texas, and Ryan Blaney, Penske’s most recent Talladega winner in 2023, have historically thrived at these tracks. But despite that pedigree, advanced data models suggest history may not be enough, forecasting turbulence for Penske just as the playoff grid tightens. Bubba Wallace sits a precarious +1 above the cut line, Chase Elliott holds only a +5 cushion, while Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Kyle Larson enjoy more comfortable margins. At volatile venues where one wreck can reshape the standings, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

A data-driven NASCAR playoffs shock for Penske and the Bubble

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