NASCAR Cup Series: Pearce Dietrich talks Talladega ahead of 2018 GEICO 500

Questions 3 and 4

Beyond the Flag: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won this race at Talladega last year, and he proved it wasn’t a fluke by backing it up with a win at Daytona a few months later. However, he hasn’t had the best races in either of the last two restrictor plate races. First, do you think he can pull of the win this week, and if not, do you see him getting to the playoffs on points alone, or do you think he will then have to win at Daytona to get in?

Pearce: It wasn’t a fluke because Stenhouse’s team illegally modified the roof flap at the plate tracks. His car was fast and handled well at Daytona, but Stenhouse’s overconfidence led to a wreck filled speedweeks. The other drivers were quick to point this out. Stenhouse drove like an idiot at Daytona. It doesn’t matter how good his car is. He will wreck again, if he’s aggressive. When it comes to playoffs, he’ll need a win somewhere. He’s wrecking every week. Drivers have to be the other kind of consistent to make the playoffs.

Beyond the Flag: It seems like Hendrick Motorsports are finally starting to get a grip on the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. If a few little things had gone differently here and there in the last two races, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott could both have a win. Do you see Talladega, being a restrictor plate track, as an advantage for Hendrick Motorsports as they continue to learn their new car, or could the “wild-card” aspect of the race being thrown into the mix at this point in the year and in their development hurt them in the long run — even if they do well this weekend?

Pearce: This race is an advantage to anyone not named Truex, Harvick, or Busch (and that’s both). The playing field is even. A win is a win. Hendrick is going to develop regardless of Talladega, but that’s not the problem. Every day that Hendrick improves, the SHR Fords and JGR Toyotas improve, too. They’re not closing the gap.