NASCAR
Five Drivers Eager for and Dreading NASCAR’s Three-Week Olympic Break
Following the Brickyard 400, a span of three weeks will pass before NASCAR Cup cars are on track again. This rare summer break for the 2024 Olympic games offers every driver, crew member, and industry worker a chance to unwind and recharge. A few drivers in particular are desperately in need of this break, while others want to keep the good times rolling. Here are a few drivers who either need to regroup or want to keep momentum high heading into the Playoffs.
Ross Chastain
Far from his two winning efforts in each of the last two years, Ross Chastain has lacked speed for much of 2024. The Trackhouse No. 1 only has two top-fives total through 22 races, and had won at this point in 2022 and 2023.
Trackhouse Racing has not had weekly contending speed all year long in either car. Ross Chastain’s once safe points cushion has also dwindled down to a single-digit gap. Being 16th in points at the time of this writing, Chastain’s Playoff standing is anything but safe should there be a new winner. The next four weeks will see the watermelon farmer treading water without the melon if he cannot find victory lane.
Corey Lajoie
The past few days have seen this summer break take on a whole new meaning for Corey Lajoie. It was announced he would not return to the Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet in 2025. This unfortunate news comes off a rough stretch for the second generation driver, only mustering a 20.8 average finish over the last eight races. This mark by itself is not that bad, but it trails both of Lajoie’s rookie teammates. This same span has seen Lajoie get in a very public war of words with Kyle Busch.
Now in a lame duck situation effective immediately, Lajoie should concentrate his remaining races at auditioning for a quality new ride. Three superspeedway races are left in 2024, giving Lajoie ample opportunities to show his prowess as a talented underdog. It will be interesting to see where he ends up for 2025 and how quickly a new deal can emerge.
Kyle Busch
2024 has perhaps seen no worse luck or further disappointment for any driver than Kyle Busch. The two-time champion and three-time 2023 winner has seen very little go right this year. Busch is riding a horrendous career-low streak of nine finishes outside the top-10 in the last 10 races. This dismal stretch includes wrecking out in five of the last eight races.
Rowdy is looking to reign supreme and stand alone in NASCAR history with an unmatched feat. Busch has won a Cup race in 19-straight seasons, a record currently tied with ‘The King’ Richard Petty for most all-time consecutive winning years. Busch has spent much of this year mired midpack if not wrecked, however there is still some hope. Team 8 has shown top-10 pace when they have clean and mistake-free races, like Indianapolis before their late spin. Daytona may be Busch’s best chance left in the regular season though to make a Playoff push.
Martin Truex Jr
The swan song season has not yet lived up to expectations for Martin Truex Jr. Despite being seventh in regular season standings, MTJ has not found victory lane through 22 races. Truex is more than 100 points ahead of the Playoff cut line. An apparent inability to close out races has the veteran as a current championship afterthought.
Perhaps no loss in Truex’s career was as bitter and tough to swallow as Richmond in March. The summer break ends with a return to Richmond Raceway, where all eyes will be on MTJ trying to avenge this defeat. Between Richmond, Darlington, and Las Vegas, some of Truex’s best historic tracks still lie ahead on the retirement tour. Should he capture the flag in any of the next 14 races, it may start a celebration not seen since Truex’s championship in 2017.
Kyle Larson
Life is very good right now for Kyle Larson in his quest for a second Bill France Cup. The Hendrick No. 5 rides off into the summer break victorious after their Brickyard 400 win. Larson leads the Cup Series with four victories, and finds himself back atop the regular season championship. 28 bonus points and counting have the 5 paving a virtually stress-free ride back to the Championship 4.
Larson’s team has been red hot and arguably the class of the field for nearly all of 2024. Their wealth of insurance with Playoff points will be a huge postseason asset if needed. Larson’s checkers or wreckers mentality has bit this team’s championship aspirations before. With each bonus point however, their mulligan allowance only becomes taller.
Chase Elliott
Just about in lockstep with Larson atop the regular season championship is teammate Chase Elliott. Despite only one win so far in 2024, Elliott is stringing together one of the most consistent efforts in recent NASCAR memory. He was perfect with top-20s until Chicago two weeks ago. This gritty, blue collar regular season approach is reminiscent of Matt Kenseth’s 2003 run. Elliott’s lack of laps led and outright winning pace may cost this team in later Playoff rounds however.
Elliott should aim to net another win or be in contention for one before the Playoffs. If this is the case, team 9 will kick off a postseason run with maximum confidence and momentum in chasing another title. Elliott has shown consistency to make Phoenix before, but he does need a tick more performance to be in championship talks.
Ryan Blaney
Reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney has rounded a corner in recent weeks. The Team Penske No. 12 has earned two of the last six wins, and has four-straight top-10s. This team may be peaking in perfect time to be lights-out when the Playoffs hit.
Blaney’s championship 12 months ago was defined through coming to life in the last six weeks. With this chunk of the postseason unchanged, Blaney has the playbook and the knowledge to run it back. Should Blaney survive to see the Round of 8, his odds at hoisting the Cup again will rise. A back-to-back champion has not happened since Jimmie Johnson’s five-peat. Blaney will aim to make elimination Playoff history over the coming weeks.
Bubba Wallace
There may be no driver less in favor of this three-week break than Bubba Wallace. The past three weeks have seen the 23XI Racing driver trim a 51-point Playoff deficit down to a seven-marker gap. Wallace’s summer surge has come on the back of three top-10s in the last four weeks.
While Chastain’s Playoff future is in doubt, the proverbial ball is in Wallace’s court. Driver 23 has some of his best tracks ahead to close out the regular season. This list includes Michigan, Daytona, and Darlington, all tracks where Wallace has a recent top-five. Wallace has shown a trend as a second-half driver, and he’s currently on the Playoff precipice. Still on the outside looking in though, the wheels cannot fall off their consistency if they are to make a Playoff return. A win is not necessary over the next four weeks, but top-fives and Stage points are a must.
When the season resumes, a month’s worth of nonstop drama and intrigue will set up the 10-race championship run. Beginning at Richmond, can any of these drivers remain at or achieve the top of their game and begin a heater? More than a third of 2024’s racing calendar still remains undecided. Lots of twists and turns still lie ahead in the windshield.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Chris Graythen, Jared C. Tilton, and James Gilbert/Getty Images
