Oval tracks used to dominate NASCAR for a long time, and drivers rarely used severe braking or right turns. Even though the sport began going to road courses in 1948, there have been a lot more non-oval racetracks in recent decades. On a more traditional racing circuit, some drivers simply do better than others. Due to some of the significant technical changes from GEN 6 automobiles, racing on road courses has become more driver-dependent than ever with the introduction of NextGen vehicles in 2022. Wider 18-inch wheels, a sequential transmission, and independent rear suspension have all improved the cars’ responsiveness to driver inputs. This indicates that certain drivers have adapted to the challenges of road courses better than others. These include hard braking zones, changing elevations, and tight chicanes.
As the season’s first road course race approaches COTA, let’s examine three NASCAR Cup Series drivers—including the beloved Chase Elliott—who have dominated these courses since 2022.
#3 At road courses, Chris Buescher is the best NASCAR driver
Since 2022, Chris Buescher, who drives the No. 17 car for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, has been the best driver on the road. In the 15 races he has participated in on road courses with the Gen 7 vehicle, his average finish is 8.82. His finest result was winning the race at Watkins Glen International last year, where he led Ross Chastain by the second-highest number of laps (19).
With three podium places, four top-5 finishes, and 12 top-10 finishes in 15 appearances, including the victory, Buescher has an amazing finishing average and is the only driver with a rating below 10. Chris Buescher had a breakthrough year in 2023, winning three races for RFK Racing in the regular season title.
#2 Chase Elliott, the most well-liked driver in NASCAR, comes in second
When it comes to road course racing, Chase Elliott, a star of Hendrick Motorsports, is always a safe pick. With a best average finish of 10.63 in 14 races since the introduction of the Gen 7 cars, he is just behind Buescher in the standings. Elliott hasn’t taken home a road course victory in three years, but he has the most top-five finishes under his belt at seven.
In his 14 appearances, he has led 147 laps and finished in the top 10 nine times. Elliott is one of the most popular predictions for NASCAR fans and Insiders to do well in the race and finish high in the points, especially with the COTA race weekend only two days away.
#1 Since 2022, Tyler Reddick has won three races on the road
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing is among the most dominant drivers, even though he is currently ranked third in the rankings for the greatest road course finishes since 2022. His average finishing position over the last three years is 11.18, which puts him behind Elliott. In the same time frame, nevertheless, he has recorded three victories. His first victory of the year was at a road course in the Gen 7 car at Road America in ’22.
In the same year, Reddick won the Indianapolis Road Course Race once more. The next year, he won at Circuits of the Americas on a road circuit. In his 15 races, he has finished in the top ten 11 times and in the top five six times. With 189 laps, he has also led the most of the top three. Reddick made his way into the Championship race at Phoenix last year, establishing himself as a contender for the NASCAR title. He has already had a strong start to the 2025 season. By winning at the kind of track that has worked well for them in the past, all three drivers have a solid chance of securing their spot in the NASCAR playoffs early in the season.
