After which there have been eight.
After the NASCAR Cup Collection trimmed a beginning group of championship chasers from 16 to a dozen, the sector was slashed to eight final weekend on the Charlotte Roval — three Toyotas, three Chevrolets and a pair of Fords.
Half of the remaining drivers have distinguished themselves by lifting the championship trophy and can look to advance for one more title shot with a win Sunday within the Spherical of 8-opening South Level 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Workforce Penske’s Joey Logano is the reigning collection champ and has claimed the {hardware} thrice, additionally profitable in 2018 and 2022. Teammate Ryan Blaney (2023) plus Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson (2001) and Chase Elliott (2020) additionally personal titles.
That leaves 4 racers looking for their first trophies: Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe together with Hendrick’s William Byron.
It is a sturdy group who’ve constructed a fame of being on the high of their video games on a number of events and dominating at instances.
In final 12 months’s 267-lapper at Vegas, Bell earned the pole and led a race-high 155 circuits, however Logano’s No. 22 took the purpose and paced the ultimate six instances round to propel him towards one other championship.
The final time there seven months in the past, Josh Berry posted his first profession win. The Nashville space native grew to become the fourth consecutive driver to notch his first Cup victory whereas driving the legendary No. 21 Wooden Brothers Ford.
Additionally of significance that March day was a streak that got here to an finish: Bell’s season-long run of three straight wins.
That effort went poorly when Bell began on the rear of the sector for an unapproved throttle physique change and was additionally penalized for getting pit service exterior of his field throughout the race. Being on the again turned out to be an excessive amount of of a burden to bear.
“Simply going to the again and to the entrance and to the again and to the entrance, we simply did not get a deal with on the stability,” mentioned Bell, who broke a 24-race winless streak in factors occasions by being first in final month’s Bristol night time race. “As a result of it modifications a lot from being again there.”
Byron completed fourth in March, the very best finisher of the eight contenders, and teammate Larson led a race-best 61 laps. Winless since early Could, Larson got here dwelling ninth after dropping floor throughout pit service.
Opening the Spherical of 8 at one other 1.5-mile monitor is okay work on the schedule-maker’s half.
Due to the automobile’s dealing with and a more moderen tire that enables for extra put on, the most effective racing has occurred at layouts in Kansas, Texas, Atlanta, Charlotte and Las Vegas.
Hamlin dominated on the similarly-shaped Kansas, has led 9 of the previous 10 Vegas races and received there in 2021. Blaney has been scorching, main laps in 10 of the previous 11 races, and defending race winner Logano has been victorious 4 instances within the Nevada desert.
Byron has 5 consecutive high 10s at Vegas and received two years in the past, whereas teammate Elliott received the newest 1.5-mile race at Kansas.
On this Sunday’s poker pot, it is protected to wager that loads of chips are piled up for NASCAR’s eight excessive rollers.
–Discipline Stage Media