Who will capture the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship? That’s the question that was posed to each wheelman in the Round of 16 prior to this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
An anonymous polling of NASCAR’s playoff field by Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic took place at NASCAR Playoff Media Day earlier this week. The rules were simple, drivers could not pick themselves, and there ended up being a clear-cut favorite by the end of the voting.
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Evidently, Christopher Bell is the wheelman that many believe will hoist the trophy at the end of the 2024 campaign. The Joe Gibbs Racing star received eight votes from his peers, as many cited his dominance earlier this season at Phoenix as the reason why, as that’s where the finale will be held once again this season.
“They’ve been really clutch in the playoffs the last couple years, and as good as they were at Phoenix in the spring, they’ll be tough to beat,” one driver said, regarding Bell .
Another wheelman cited Bell’s progression, as he’s made the Championship 4 two seasons in a row: “The run he’s had from 2022, 2023 and this year, you can see the progression,” another driver said. “He’s one of the best cars week in and week out.”
Outside of Bell, there were two drivers to receive multiple votes, as Kyle Larson was chosen four times, and regular season champion Tyler Reddick captured two votes.
While Larson seems like an easy pick based on his talent, “Drivers expressed caution over picking Larson because although he may have the strongest team and car in many weeks, that’s not necessarily the case at the championship,” Gluck and Bianchi noted .
The championship being a one race shootout for all the marbles really puts doubt in driver’s minds about Larson: “He should win, but I don’t necessarily think he’s the favorite because we go to Phoenix and it’s one race,” one driver told The Athletic .
Elsewhere, the only other driver to receive a vote was Denny Hamlin , who famously has yet to capture the title despite his illustrious career. The lone voter for Hamlin believes it’s simply the wheelman’s time: “He has been very good throughout the year at a lot of different tracks. He’s put in the time and he’s been too good for too long to not get it.”
As for the one vote not accounted for, one driver told Gluck and Bianchi it doesn’t matter if somebody else is standing tall at the end of it all: “I don’t care if it’s not me,” he stated .
Alas, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi’s anonymous polling of the NASCAR’s playoff field provides a fascinating look at where the 16 playoff drivers believe they stand at the moment. Christopher Bell might be a bit of a surprise as the heavy favorite among his peers, but 2024 could be his season if the chips fall in the right place for the No. 20 team.
The post Anonymous NASCAR drivers predict 2024 Cup Series champion appeared first on On3 .
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