Who Can Excel in the O’Reilly Series Chase?

Photo Credit to David Jensen/Getty Images

NASCAR

Is There a Standout Favorite for the O’Reilly Series Championship?

In less than three weeks’ time, a new champion will be crowned in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. As things currently stand, four suitors are within eyeshot of winning this ultimate prize. With three races left at three very different venues, are any of them favored over the others? Here’s a look at how the O’Reilly Series title contenders could fare over the next three weeks between Talladega, Martinsville, and Homestead.

Jesse Love – 2,367 points

Is the reigning O’Reilly Series champion finding speed at just the right time? Thanks to a dominant Phoenix run last week, Jesse Love took over the championship lead. This is the 2’s first time all season being the points leader. With three races left in the season, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet is atop the points by 36.

Love goes from one of his best tracks to another, gearing up for Talladega Superspeedway. In five career starts on the Alabama high banks, Love has a perfect record of top-10s in addition to a win and 162 laps led. Past Talladega, however, Love’s stats trail his competitors at both Martinsville and Homestead. Between these two tracks, Love only claims three career top-10s. Should Love see another mega points day at Talladega if not win, then his shortcomings the next two weeks could be minimized. Can Love possibly leave O’Reilly as a two-time championship stunner? Love is gearing to become the eighth ever back-to-back O’Reilly Series champion, and currently controls his own destiny.

Justin Allgaier -36 points

Love’s closest competition is the man who came into the O’Reilly Series Chase as the championship favorite. Earlier this season, Justin Allgaier held a record 265-point lead over second in the standings. Chevrolet No. 7 has struck out so far through four Chase races, now being the bridesmaid. Seemingly anything that could have gone wrong has happened to the JR Motorsports crew. But recent weeks have seen earlier speed seemingly return for the veteran. Fourth and third in his last two outings, Allgaier appears to have momentum again as the season winds down.

Anything can admittedly happen at Talladega on either extreme for the 7. Past the superspeedway, Allgaier trumps the field in stats at Martinsville, and won Homestead last year. While 36 points seems like a steep deficit, 20 bonus points are handed out regardless for a win. Heading into two of his best tracks and everyone’s ultimate wildcard, Allgaier has a path ahead to title number two.

Corey Day -39 points

It’s been eight years since a rookie broke out in the O’Reilly Series and also won the championship (Tyler Reddick, 2018). Others to pull off this rare double feat include Chase Elliott (2014) and William Byron (2017). Already mirroring Byron’s four-win campaign, can Corey Day join this elite club? The Hendrick Motorsports star is shockingly still amid his first full-year of pavement racing. The 20-year-old phenom calls west coast dirt racing his home, reminiscent of Kyle Larson’s upbringing over a decade ago.

Each of Day’s four checkered flags this year have been highlight reel wins, including recent back-to-back Chase triumphs. Day’s first victory on the year was at Talladega, where he is still as shocked as anyone that he won. Heading into this weekend’s race as the defending winner, Day has a bit of confidence in his back pocket over the competition. Certainly, though, any Talladega win is largely circumstance-driven. This was proved by Day only leading the last lap in April. A month prior to that breakthrough moment also saw Day be an impressive runner-up at Martinsville, leading laps there as well. Day also has yet to make any O’Reilly Series start at Homestead, with a best Truck result of 15th there. If Day truly is the next coming of Kyle Larson though, then this California kid should take to that track with no problem.

Day will likely need to see drivers ahead of him in points stumble over the next three weeks, but that is very possible. This year’s O’Reilly Series Chase has been very volatile to all contenders, regardless of favorite or long shot. If Day can stay within a reasonable gap of the points lead going into Homestead, then his dirt racing skills could lead to NASCAR’s second-highest championship trophy. Day will have to survive, though, two of the most carnage and chaos-filled tracks ahead between now and Homestead.

Sheldon Creed -59 points

Nobody’s seen a greater uptick in performance for the O’Reilly Series Chase than Sheldon Creed. Haas Factory Team’s leading man in the No. 00 won the opening postseason race at Darlington. He backed that win up with a Bristol sword two weeks later. These two triumphs and a Gateway runner-up put Creed atop the championship. This remained unchanged, until major mechanical issues in Phoenix.

Thanks to the poor Phoenix result, Creed now finds himself almost a full race’s worth of points out of the lead. The 00 is in need of a minor miracle or two to regain lost ground. Creed has been within eyesight of winning at each of the next three tracks before, though. As a result, all hope is not yet lost on this title run. Creed has four runner-ups between Talladega and Martinsville, and was fifth in his last two trips to Homestead. If the 00 can stay free from any unforced errors, then their 59-point deficit could erase itself in no time. Amid his last season with Haas, Creed hopes to deliver this team another title as he leaves the building.

In year one of the revamped O’Reilly Series Chase, a unique and eclectic mix of drivers have emerged as the championship front runners. Four men representing four different teams, four different experience levels, and four different title paths are the combatants. When the checkered flag falls in Homestead, one of these hopefuls will see their dreams realized with a nameplate on the O’Reilly Series championship trophy. Between then, Talladega, and Martinsville, three hectic and nail-biting races are on deck to crown NASCAR’s Saturday king.

Written by Peter Stratta

Be sure to follow us on Twitter/X

Be sure to follow the writer on Twitter/X

Photo Credit to David Jensen/Getty Images