With the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence playoffs set to start at Atlanta Motor Speedway, it is time to make some predictions that certainly won’t age poorly. It is true few would have named Blaney because the 2023 champion at first of final 12 months’s playoffs, or Logano the 12 months earlier than that. It appears considerably futile to attempt to predict this unpredictable format, however we’ll attempt our greatest as we check out all 16 drivers and simply how far they might go within the 4 rounds that make up the NASCAR title battle.
OUT within the Spherical of 16
Harrison Burton: Whereas his victory at Daytona was an unimaginable upset, it does not change the truth that the motive force of the Wooden Brothers No. 21 was final in factors amongst full-time drivers earlier than the victory. Atlanta’s inclusion within the first spherical might give him some hope, however Burton is prone to fall behind within the two races that comply with.
Harrison Burton, Wooden Brothers Racing, DEX Imaging Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Chase Briscoe: His victory within the Southern 500 shocked me, so I would not put it previous him to shock us all once more. That is Stewart-Haas Racing’s final shot at glory, however the info simply do not present him going that far. Outdoors of the Darlington races, he has one top-five this 12 months. I anticipate him to be first rate at Bristol, however he’ll must be fortunate at Atlanta and quicker than he is been in earlier highway programs this 12 months at Watkins Glen to keep away from elimination.
Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing, Mahindra Compact Tractors Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Austin Cindric: If not for a shock displaying at Gateway, Cindric could be struggling one other season mired deeper within the standings. He is proven flashes of pace, however these are uncommon and his common end this 12 months is the second-lowest in your entire playoff subject. If Penske wins a 3rd consecutive Cup title, it will not be with the motive force of the No. 2 Ford.
Austin Cindric, Workforce Penske, MenardsQuaker State Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Joey Logano: Penske might lose two of its three bullets within the very first spherical. Maybe a shock exit, however regardless of a victory at Nashville, which solely occurred as a lot of the subject ran out of gasoline and crashed, 2024 has been a troublesome season for Logano. That is his worst season-long common end since 2011. The No. 22 crew simply does not appear to have all of it collectively for a run at a 3rd Cup title.
Joey Logano, Workforce Penske, Autotrader Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
OUT within the Spherical of 12
Daniel Suarez: Whereas some might put Suarez as a first-round exit, he’s the latest winner at Atlanta and is a really succesful highway course racer, so his development into the Spherical of 12 appears attainable. Trackhouse has simply been off a bit this 12 months. If he does handle to make it to this spherical, then he’ll make it no additional with out one other dramatic win. The final time he was within the playoffs, he was additionally eradicated on this similar spherical.
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Quaker State Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Alex Bowman: The motive force of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports automotive has been stable sufficient, however his statistics nonetheless have him lagging behind his three HMS teammates. He solely led eight laps en path to his victory at Chicago and has completed sixteenth or worse in 5 of the six races that adopted. Hendrick energy will carry him into this spherical, however no additional.
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Ally Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Ty Gibbs: Making his debut within the playoffs, Gibbs is only one of simply two drivers to level their means into the postseason. Whereas constant, he holds few playoff factors and appears to be lagging behind his JGR teammates for a lot of the 12 months, very like Bowman. He has hardly ever proven the flexibility to go and be dominant like his teammates in a means wanted to contend for the title. Whereas his consistency might push him a bit additional into the playoffs, I believe he is already reached his ceiling this 12 months whereas a number of veterans round him are about to show it up a notch.
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, He Will get Us Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
William Byron: Half of Hendrick Motorsports falls within the Spherical of 12. Byron began the 12 months on a surprising streak, successful three of the primary eight races together with the Daytona 500. Nonetheless, he is been cold and hot since then. Simply have a look at his current finishes: thirtieth, twenty seventh, third, thirteenth, thirty eighth, 4th, eighth, nineteenth, twenty sixth. There isn’t any center floor and extra importantly, no wins since early April. Apart from, the Daytona 500 winner hasn’t gone on to win the Cup title since 2013!
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Relay Funds Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
OUT within the Spherical of 8
Brad Keselowski: I am calling it proper now. The RFK Racing driver will win at Talladega and safe his place on this spherical. If not for this projected victory, he isn’t making it to the Spherical of 8 in any respect , and so his title run will lastly finish right here. He’s an distinctive driver on the 2.66-mile superspeedway with six wins there, however he does not have the automotive to greatest the titans that can stay on this penultimate spherical.
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing, King’s Hawaiian Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Chase Elliott: Elliott has been one of many extra constant drivers within the subject, which he’ll make the most of on this deep playoff run. Nonetheless, his solely victory got here at Texas and on this spherical, we have seen drivers pull off back-to-back runner-up finishes and nonetheless must throw their automotive into the wall (on goal) to keep away from sure elimination. Consistency will not be sufficient within the Spherical of 8.
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, NAPA/Youngsters’s Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Martin Truex Jr.: Sadly, it will likely be no storybook finish to MTJ’s full-time profession. The inconsistency and pure unhealthy luck that has plagued him since final 12 months will proceed to take action. He’ll win a race, which is able to assist him to advance this far, however that is the place the journey ends.
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Auto-Homeowners Insurance coverage Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Ryan Blaney: There has by no means been a back-to-back champion on this format, which is able to proceed in 2024. Penske’s stranglehold on the Cup title because the begin of the Subsequent Gen period started ends with Blaney’s Spherical of 8 exit. He will likely be loads quick sufficient, however a lot of the drivers advancing now are ones Blaney and the remainder of the sector have struggled to maintain up with all 12 months.
Ryan Blaney, Workforce Penske, Dent Wizard Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Championship 4
Kyle Larson: Looks as if an apparent alternative, and never a really daring choose. He leads the sector in race wins and laps led and has been a drive to be reckoned with all through your entire season. There was no tough patch, until you rely lacking the Coke 600 to run the Indianapolis 500. A lot of the DNFs he is suffered had been in races the place he was battling close to the entrance. He has extra playoff factors than another driver, which is able to rescue him from most hassle he might discover alongside the best way. Nonetheless, he nonetheless will not win the title! I am going to clarify why in a bit…
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Denny Hamlin: After two years the place he simply barely missed the Championship 4, Hamlin will make it this 12 months, and that is regardless of dropping a great chunk of his playoff factors to a shock engine penalty simply earlier than the playoffs started. Nonetheless, the elusive title will proceed to vex him in 2024. In reality, I’ve no stable purpose for this aside from destiny has determined he isn’t allowed to win, so he will not. For thus a few years it is seemed like Hamlin was lastly going to do it, however then all of it goes unsuitable within the eleventh hour for the motive force of the No. 11.
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Mavis Tire Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Tyler Reddick: Hamlin will likely be one in every of three Toyota drivers within the Championship 4, making Larson’s try to win the title very troublesome. The finale takes place at Phoenix the place Toyotas had been unstoppable earlier this 12 months. An astonishing 298 of 312 laps had been led by Toyota drivers, and it wasn’t simply one in every of them. Reddick and Hamlin every led 68 laps, Truex led 55, Gibbs led 57. Reddick is the common season champ and like Larson, has been a dominant drive this season. In a season-long format, we would doubtless be naming one in every of them the champion in November. Nonetheless, we’re utilizing a really completely different format lately the place surprises are the expectation.
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, Jordan Model Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
CHAMPION – Christopher Bell: Bell is already the one driver to make the Championship 4 in each years of the Subsequent Gen period. Whereas considerably absent as of late, he’ll do it once more in 2024. Bell and crew chief Adam Stevens remind me a little bit of Johnson/Knaus when it is time to battle for a title. They’re able to dig deep, win races, and stay a menace it doesn’t matter what. Bell has quietly racked up extra playoff bonus factors than anybody however Larson. He has managed to win three of the final six Spherical of 8 races. Oh, and did I point out that he received at Phoenix earlier this 12 months? Yeah, he took the checkered flag with over 5 seconds between him and the closest competitors. Calling it now: The 2024 NASCAR Cup champion will likely be Christopher Bell.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Rheem Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
