With the NASCAR Cup Collection on break for the Olympics, the drivers and groups have two weeks to regroup earlier than returning to motion at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on Aug. 11. The ultimate 14 races of the season might be chock-full of storylines, together with the championship chase.
Listed below are 10 predictions for NASCAR’s run to the checkered flag:
1. For the second straight yr, Bubba Wallace will eke out a playoff bid
Wallace gave the impression to be in a must-win scenario as just lately as Chicago on July 7, however he has made up 38 factors over the previous two races and is inside seven markers of the final playoff bid. His 2023 expertise with postseason strain may come in useful this yr as he appears to be like to sneak into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
2. Ford will get one driver into the Championship 4
Going into Might, this prediction appeared laughable. Till Darlington on Might 12, Ford was winless within the Cup Collection, however with defending champion Ryan Blaney and the remainder of Staff Penske heating up, it appears possible that the 2023 champ could have an opportunity to defend his crown at Phoenix.
Ford may even have Joey Logano, Austin Cindric and Brad Keselowski chasing the championship, and Chris Buescher remains to be within the playoff image, simply 17 factors above the minimize line. Blaney is the favourite to be Ford’s consultant in Phoenix, however do not rely out veterans Logano and Keselowski, who know find out how to flip up the warmth when wanted.
3. Martin Truex Jr. will go winless in ultimate full-time season
Truex profitable a race in 2024 appeared like a certainty within the spring and early summer time, however blunders from the No. 19 group and an absence of pace have that storybook win enjoying exhausting to get. Truex is a risk to win wherever, however to get yet one more victory, the No. 19 group should keep away from replicating its 2023 postseason meltdown.
4. Entrance Row Motorsports will win a race by season’s finish
With three superspeedway races — Daytona, Atlanta and Talladega — together with two street programs left on the schedule, Todd Gilliland and Michael McDowell appear poised to interrupt by means of and earn Entrance Row a win. Each drivers want a victory to make the playoffs, however additionally they produce other motivations.
McDowell is trying to earn one final win for the group that helped him launch his profession earlier than going to Spire Motorsports in 2025, whereas Gilliland desires to finish his breakout season with a win and construct extra momentum for the longer term. The perfect probability at victory for every driver? Gilliland’s is probably going Atlanta, the place he led 58 laps in February, whereas McDowell’s is the street course in Watkins Glen, N.Y.
5. Kyle Larson will win the regular-season title
Larson is the factors chief with 4 regular-season races remaining, however his lead is only 10 points over Chase Elliott and 15 over Tyler Reddick. The 15 playoff factors are greater than sufficient incentive for Larson over the subsequent 4 races and with how nicely he has carried out gathering stage factors, do not be stunned if the 2021 regular-season champ can be topped in 2024.
6. Ross Chastain will go winless, miss playoffs for first time with Trackhouse
In his first two seasons with Trackhouse, Chastain appeared like a top-10 driver within the Cup Collection as he received twice in each 2022 and 2023 and made the Championship 4 in 2022. Nonetheless, he is solely seven factors above the playoff minimize line with 4 regular-season races to go, and with Wallace on a tear, issues are trending within the fallacious course.
7. Carson Hocevar squeaks by Josh Berry for Rookie of The Yr
Berry (twenty second in factors) and Hocevar (twenty fourth) are solely separated by 5 factors with 14 races remaining of their rookie seasons. Berry could have the sting in total expertise and gear, however Hocevar appears to have extra upside and has proved to be able to top-10 runs at a couple of monitor sort. The ROTY battle will possible come right down to the season’s ultimate race at Phoenix, however we’ll give Hocevar the slight edge.
8. NASCAR will announce a minimum of one worldwide race for 2025
As followers eagerly watch for the 2025 schedule to be launched, the most important query surrounding it’s whether or not or not NASCAR will go worldwide. It has been speculated that the game is taking a look at a race in Montreal and/or Mexico Metropolis.
9. Larson ends the yr as sequence chief in wins
Larson’s 4 wins lead all drivers by means of the primary 22 races and the No. 5 group is bringing race-winning vehicles to the monitor weekly. The one query that continues to be for Larson’s 2024 season is whether or not or not he can cap it with a championship.
10. Larson flips script on Blaney, wins 2024 championship
Final yr, Blaney acquired the perfect of Larson within the NASCAR Cup Collection championship race. Each drivers appear like Championship 4 materials to this point, and in the event that they make it to Phoenix, it needs to be Larson’s flip to outduel Blaney and declare his second championship in 4 years.
