Bowyer’s margin for error at Roval is razor-thin

CONCORD, N.C. – Clint Bowyer is facing a four-point deficit entering Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). As if that weren’t enough pressure in the first-round elimination race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Bowyer must try to make up ground on a 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course where potential calamity awaits at nearly every corner. Bowyer is 14th in the playoff standings, four points behind pole winner William Byron in 12th. After Sunday’s race, the playoff field will be cut to 12 drivers. RELATED: Roval starting lineup | Driver standings “Obviously, we brought the best car that we can possibly build, and speeds are good,” said Bowyer, who qualified fifth for the elimination race. “I made a mistake in the chicane on my mock run (in practice) and gave up a half-second. That’s what you can’t do here. … It’s minimizing mistakes on a track like this, as treacherous as this track is. “It isn’t like you can just focus on that chicane and say, ‘Oh, man that’s a trouble zone.’ The front straightaway there is crazy. Turn 1 is crazy. Turn 2 is pretty crazy. Turn 3, there’s a really good opportunity to wreck there. Turn 4 is a little bit uneventful. Turn 5 is another crazy opportunity to wreck. “I don’t know if you’re catching my drift, but there’s a lot of opportunities to make a mistake and end your day. If not, just give up a lot of positions. You’ve got to do the best you can do, but it’s a razor’s edge. You cannot step over it.” That’s especially true when your playoff life is on the line.