Sports Brad Keselowski together with his acquire Sunday at Darlington Raceway no longer surprisingly puts him relieve in the tip 10 of these energy rankings, nonetheless he’s no longer the accurate one making a return to this list.
Also returning is the driver who done stunning at the relieve of him, Ty Gibbs, who snapped out of a recede with a sturdy day.
Gibbs and Alex Bowman are the accurate drivers on this list who’re no longer mechanically licensed for the all-huge title trek.
We will rob a gaze at each driver’s all-huge title historic past and whether or no longer they’ll construct better or worse than current (the rankings are in accordance to 2024 efficiency, weighted to more moderen races).
1. Kyle Larson (Final Week: 1)
Larson is the defending winner of the all-huge title trek nonetheless might fill a elaborate time repeating that feat. That is no longer on myth of he’s doing worse this year (he’s leading the Cup standings) nonetheless on myth of he might no longer be aware nor qualify the Hendrick Motorsports car (Kevin Harvick will construct that) and the crew might no longer take part in the heats as Larson focuses on Indianapolis 500 qualifying. With the two varied tire compounds (one softer than the opposite) and a repave and no time on the track, other drivers will be a step earlier than Larson.
2. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2)
Hamlin is starting his 18th consecutive all-huge title trek. He has one acquire (2015) and one 2nd (2022). Alive to on his immediate-track prowess this year and the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 crew’s capability to adapt to varied conditions, Hamlin steadily is the favourite going into the tournament.
3. William Byron (LW: 5)
Byron will kind his sixth birth in the most well-known tournament, and he hasn’t done high-5 in any of them. While he hasn’t been as dominant as earlier in the season, seek records from the Hendrick driver to potentially fill his most inviting all-huge title attain.
4. Martin Truex Jr . (LW: 3)
Truex is 0-for-13 in the all-huge title trek together with his final high-10 attain being a 2nd in 2010. He has a correct chance of finishing high-10 this year and whereas he has proven the capability, to adapt to scenarios (he won the 2023 Conflict at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum), this trek most steadily comes all of the manner down to strategy, and that often hasn’t translated into success for the JGR driver as of late.
5. Tyler Reddick (LW: 8)
Reddick has competed in two most well-known events and became third final year. He wouldn’t be in my high-three this year as he’s coming off making a nasty pass to ruin Chris Buescher’s day at Darlington, which might kind the 23XI Racing driver stunning a tick tentative — and this trek seemingly would require a driver to rob dangers to safe to the front.
Chris Buescher & Tyler Reddick safe into physical altercation after collision at Darlington 6. Chris Buescher (LW: 9)
Buescher has made three starts in the all-huge title trek with a most inviting of eighth. He started 2nd nonetheless done 16th final year. Demand the RFK Racing driver to kind his profession-most inviting attain on Sunday evening.
7. Brad Keselowski (LW: NR)
Keselowski is 0-for-15 in the all-huge title trek. He became 2nd in 2012, 2016 and 2021. He snapped a 110-trek winless recede Sunday at Darlington, so will this all-huge title winless recede cease Sunday evening? Doubtlessly no longer. North Wilkesboro is no longer like many other tracks (it is far a 0.625-mile track and became stunning repaved) so the purpose of interest of RFK Racing’s work on its Cup program maybe is no longer for this trek.
8. Rush Elliott (LW: 4)
Elliott won the 2020 all-huge title trek at Bristol and has three high-5s in the tournament. The Hendrick driver loves outdated-college racing as he became fifth in this tournament final year. Demand one other high-5 for Elliott this year.
Ty Gibbs, Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain on being in a first payment playoff verbalize as 2nd half of season approaches 9. Alex Bowman (LW: 7)
Bowman would no longer fill a high-5 in his 5 all-huge title starts and didn’t compete in the tournament final year as he became composed getting better from a damaged relieve. The Hendrick driver has to rob a gaze at to trek his scheme into the most well-known tournament — he’ll subject for a fashion of transfer spots nonetheless competing for the acquire Sunday evening is a tricky question.
10. Ty Gibbs (LW: NR)
Gibbs done 2nd in the Begin final year to kind indubitably one of the most transfer spots to the most well-known tournament, where he done ninth. He also did the tire take a look at about a months ago at North Wilkesboro. A high-5 attain is no longer out of the question for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
On the verge: Christopher Bell , Ryan Blaney , Ross Chastain , Noah Gragson , Michael McDowell , Bubba Wallace
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent decades holding motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Details, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Sea skedaddle) Details-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @ bobpockrass .
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