The NTT IndyCar Series is about to lineup for their first race of the 2020 season. Following an extended break for COVID-19, which cost the series their first eight races, we’re set to go for Saturday’s Genesys 300 (8 p.m. ET/NBC/INDYCAR Radio Network) at the Texas Motor Speedway. What if I told you that this race could potentially make or break a season championship?

Odd, I know.

One race out of 15 on the schedule being the reason someone wins the title or not? Well, the IndyCar championship always comes down to the last race and that final margin of determining a champion is usually within a few points. So yes, you can’t give up many points early on. But, what if I told you that the best in the series these days, at least the ones vying for the championship come Fall time, are the ones that are the best on superspeedway’s too?

While the smallest percentage of disciplines of tracks on each given year are superspeedway’s, they’re also the ones that decide the champion more times than not. Indy is double points and the top drivers that are always championship contenders almost always come away with top 10 finishes on the three annual stops.

Racing on these high speed tracks is an art. Not everyone can do it. It’s an acquired skill that times time to perfect. In order to win a championship, you have to be aggressive, yet calculated in that aggression too. That’s the same discipline needed to win at Indy, Texas and Pocono. Now that Pocono is gone, that leaves just Texas and Indy on the schedule in terms of superspeedway’s. You don’t want to leave any bad finishes on the table when you know your main rivals for the title are taking top finishes on them.

Plus, most of the top guys in this discipline of racing weren’t on top of their games when they started on them too. These used to be Will Power’s Achilles Heel. Now, these are arguably his best tracks with half of his last eight superspeedway starts resulting in victory. Power, has five top eight finishes in his last eight tries too.

Simon Pagenaud is the same way. Five of his last eight superspeedway starts have resulted in a top four finish. He’s not finished outside the top eight in that time frame as well. Even their Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden has gotten a better handle on them. Seven of his last 12 superspeedway finishes were in the top five including five of his last seven inside of the top five actually. Scott Dixon has four podiums in his last six superspeedway tries while Alexander Rossi has six top four finishes in his last seven tries on them. They’re the ones to beat for a reason.

The top five of the final standings last year? Newgarden-Pagenaud-Rossi-Dixon-Power. The same five drivers took home the top six spots a year prior with Ryan Hunter-Reay joining the part in 2018 up front. Hunter-Reay, has two superspeedway victories to his credit including four top eight finishes in his last six starts on them.

2017? Newgarden-Pagenaud-Dixon-Helio-Power-Rahal-Rossi. We all know Castroneves was one of the best on these tracks before he walked away full time and Rahal has four top six finishes in-a-row at Texas.

There’s no doubt a correlation there with the top of the points standings each season are the ones that are the tops on superspeedway’s. Now, we kick off the season on a superspeedway with these drivers not having the luxury of giving up a good finish on Saturday night at Texas. It could cost them the championship come October.