Kyle Larson is the driver to beat right now in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has been the class of the field with raw speed on the #5 Chevy, along with his racing prowess. Ideally, Larson is the safest bet right now for anyone who would like to see him in the Championship 4 race.
However, the 2024 season has been full of surprises and big upsets. Remember the likes of Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, and Chris Buescher were able to make it to the playoffs? Can something like this happen with Larson and the #5 team? It is highly unlikely, but at the same time, it cannot be ruled out altogether.
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Despite missing the Coca-Cola 600 race earlier in the season, Larson has the most number of lead laps (1614) to his name. Denny Hamlin is his closest rival, with 918 laps led. Not only that, the driver of the #5 Chevy has emerged victorious six times this season; the win at Roval was his most recent one. Thanks to his sheer dominance throughout the season, he sits at the top of the charts, with 33 points acting as his cushion.
So if there’s a driver in the Round of 8 who can afford an off-race, it is Kyle Larson. He seems to be in a different league when we look at the tracks coming up in this round of the playoffs. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is like a fortress for the #5 team, and they will look to defend it for the third straight race. Eric Estepp didn’t have second thoughts when he made his predictions for the Championship 4 drivers on his show, Out of the Groove.
Heaping praises of Larson’s performances on the venues lined up in the Round of 8, Estepp on his show said, “We head to Las Vegas this weekend; Larson is the two-time defending Las Vegas winner, then we’ll go to Homestead Miami, where Larson has led 100 plus laps in like four of the last seven races, and then Martinsville, where Larson has a 2.75 average finish over the past couple of years.”
via Getty
Needless to say, if things do go south on Kyle Larson and the #5 team, it will be the biggest upset in NASCAR’s recent history. Knowing well about the potential of an upset, the HMS driver highlighted the field of drivers in the Round of 8. Hinting that things could go down the wire till the last race of the round at Martinsville Speedway.
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Larson isn’t taking anyone for granted in the semifinals of the playoffsThe field is indeed stacked with the drivers in this round; any of them on their good days could clinch the final race at Phoenix. You have Ryan Blaney, who is looking to defend his title; meanwhile, his teammate Joey Logano would want to make Penske title wins three years in a row. From JGR, you have veteran driver Denny Hamlin, who out of all drivers is perhaps the most desperate but has kept a poker face. And, Christopher Bell is arguably the driver who has been consistent or close to matching Larson’s stride.
Not to forget the other two HMS drivers, William Byron and Chase Elliott. The #24 team will be eyeing their first silverware. Whereas, Elliott and his #9 would want to script a repeat of 2020. Last, but not least, scripting an underdog story, you have Tyler Reddick from the 23XI Racing camp, who piped Larson to win the regular season championship. So, there’s not a lot that separates the field, and Larson is mindful of the competition he is set to face in the coming weeks.
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“I mean, there’s a lot of wins and championships, and all that currently in the Round of 8. So yeah, I mean, it’s a tough group of teams and drivers. The cream has risen, and I think it’s going to be an ultra-competitive round just like every time, and it comes down to the final few laps at Martinsville.” The HMS star said this ahead of the Vegas race.
Who are you rooting for in the Round of 8 race in the playoffs? Also, who would you like to see race for the championship in Phoenix?
Source : EssentiallySports