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 will probably be chock-full of storylines, together with the championship chase.
Listed here 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 appeared to be in a must-win state of affairs as not too long ago 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 stress might come in useful this yr as he seems 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 Crew Penske heating up, it appears probably that the 2023 champ can 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 reduce 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 remaining full-time season
Truex profitable a race in 2024 appeared like a certainty within the spring and early summer season, however blunders from the No. 19 workforce and a scarcity of pace have that storybook win taking part in laborious to get. Truex is a menace to win wherever, however to get another victory, the No. 19 workforce 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 highway programs left on the schedule, Todd Gilliland and Michael McDowell appear poised to interrupt by and earn Entrance Row a win. Each drivers want a victory to make the playoffs, however additionally they produce other motivations.
McDowell is seeking to earn one final win for the workforce 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 long run. The perfect likelihood at victory for every driver? Gilliland’s is probably going Atlanta, the place he led 58 laps in February, whereas McDowell’s is the highway 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 following 4 races and with how properly he has carried out amassing stage factors, do not be shocked 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 regarded like a top-10 driver within the Cup Collection as he gained twice in each 2022 and 2023 and made the Championship 4 in 2022. Nevertheless, he is solely seven factors above the playoff reduce line with 4 regular-season races to go, and with Wallace on a tear, issues are trending within the unsuitable route.
7. Carson Hocevar squeaks by Josh Berry for Rookie of The 12 months
Berry (twenty second in factors) and Hocevar (twenty fourth) are solely separated by 5 factors with 14 races remaining of their rookie seasons. Berry might have the sting in general expertise and tools, however Hocevar appears to have extra upside and has proved to be able to top-10 runs at multiple monitor kind. The ROTY battle will probably come all the way down to the season’s remaining race at Phoenix, however we’ll give Hocevar the slight edge.
8. NASCAR will announce not less than one worldwide race for 2025
As followers eagerly look forward to the 2025 schedule to be launched, the largest 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 collection chief in wins
Larson’s 4 wins lead all drivers by the primary 22 races and the No. 5 workforce is bringing race-winning automobiles 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 bought the most effective of Larson within the NASCAR Cup Collection championship race. Each drivers seem like Championship 4 materials to this point, and in the event that they make it to Phoenix, it ought to be Larson’s flip to outduel Blaney and declare his second championship in 4 years.