On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series will begin the penultimate round of its 2024 playoffs in the South Point 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the Round of 8, consistency is no longer a viable option for advancing; only excellence will be enough for the championship hopefuls to move on.
That said, here’s a look at the eight drivers who remain in contention for the Bill France Cup, and their outlook for the Round of 8.
Kyle Larson (+33)
Larson’s win at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday was the sixth of the year for the No. 5 team, an extremely impressive mark given that no other driver has won more than three. Larson is understandably the championship favorite as the circuit heads to Las Vegas, and his 33-point cushion above the cut line is a solid insurance policy should misfortune befall him.
Christopher Bell (+13)
Bell is the “other” championship favorite as the Round of 8 begins. A runner-up finish to Larson at Charlotte continues a strong playoff run for Bell that has seen the No. 20 team finish top-10 in five of the six postseason races. Bell is currently the only driver who could be considered Larson’s equal on speed, and he’s looking to make the Championship Four for the third consecutive season.
Tyler Reddick (+10)
No driver was happier to see the points reset after the Round of 12 than Reddick, who had to claw his way into the Round of 8 following a tumultuous day at Charlotte. There is cause for concern for the No. 45 team, however, as the speed they showed over the summer has vanished. Reddick did finish runner-up to Larson at Las Vegas in March, however, and Sunday is an opportunity for Reddick to win his way into the Championship Four for the first time.
William Byron (+4)
Byron and the No. 24 team have turned up the wick in the postseason. After winning three of the series’ first eight races to start the season, Byron cooled off over the summer. The Round of 12 was a return to form, however, as Byron finished top-five in all three races. Byron looks like the same driver who made the Championship Four a season ago, and he’s hoping to flex his muscle in the penultimate round for the second season in a row.
Ryan Blaney (-4)
It’s been a quiet postseason for the defending champ, who snuck into the Round of 8 with a 10th-place finish on Sunday. The good news? Blaney caught fire in the Round of 8 a season ago, which led to his championship-winning effort at Phoenix. Now armed with a championship pedigree, the No. 12 team has as good a chance as any other team to make it to Phoenix.
Denny Hamlin (-8)
It’s time for the No. 11 team to find more speed. Hamlin hasn’t looked like a driver capable of winning his first championship since a major penalty was issued to him after Michigan, but a new round brings new opportunities. Don’t be surprised if Hamlin muscles his way into the Championship Four as he looks to finally snag a championship ring.
Chase Elliott (-9)
Similar to Hamlin, Elliott falls into the category of having a good season, but one that’s not exactly championship caliber. Elliott’s lone win of the season came at Texas in April, and a fifth-place finish at Charlotte was only his second top-five of the playoffs. Elliott and the No. 9 team must turn up the speed dial in the Round of 8, or they’ll see their hopes of a second title vanish in a heartbeat.
Joey Logano (-11)
Logano’s season has been one saved by several extenuating circumstances. A five-overtime victory at Nashville on June 30 gave him a playoff berth, while Alex Bowman’s disqualification on Sunday evening booted Bowman from the postseason and gave Logano new life. The No. 22 team isn’t a world beater at the moment, but it has history on its side. Since the elimination-style format was introduced in 2014, Logano has never missed the Championship Four in an even-numbered season.
The NASCAR Cup Series will begin the Round of 8 on Sunday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The green flag will fly shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
–Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media
