The first race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off Feb. 18. Here are the keys dates for the upcoming season.v
Kyle Larson returned to Indianapolis seeking redemption – and he got it.
Two months after a speeding penalty spoiled his Indy 500 debut and rain forced him to miss the Coke 600 that evening, the 2021 NASCAR Cup champion won his first Brickyard 400 after a masterful charge through the field in the closing run.
Larson teased the crowd in his post-race interview that he could be returning for another attempt at the Indy 500 next May. But for now, his focus is on winning a second Cup title after capturing his series-leading fourth victory of the season.
Next up is a two-week break for the 2024 Paris Olympics as drivers get a chance to recharge for the final 14 races of the season. How does the field stack up after Indy? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:
1. Kyle Larson
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Last week: 3
The 31-year-old California native is quickly cementing himself as an all-time great. With his third crown jewel win (2021 Coke 600, 2023 Southern 500, 2024 Brickyard 400), Larson is a Daytona 500 win away from completing the career grand slam.
2. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 4
Blaney was on the verge of delivering another Brickyard win to team owner Roger Penske. But when leader Brad Keselowski ran out of gas, second-place Blaney was caught off guard and passed by Larson. The defending champion finished third as he continues to heat up with the playoff approaching.
3. Christopher Bell
Last week: 2
Where did he come from? Bell was outside the top-10 for much of the first two stages before gambling on fuel strategy and stealing a fourth-place finish. The No. 20 hasn’t had the same speed in recent weeks that it did earlier in the season, but Bell is still putting together strong finishes.
4. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 1
The Brickyard remains the only crown jewel that Hamlin hasn’t won. Sunday was perhaps his best chance yet, winning Stage 1 and leading 21 laps with a quick Toyota. But fuel strategy didn’t work in Hamlin’s favor, then he crashed out late when he was stuck in traffic.
5. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 5
Reddick’s second-place run gives him five straight top-six finishes. While that sounds great – and it is! – the 23XI Racing driver has to be a little disappointed. He’s had the chance to win four of those races, including Sunday when he started on the pole and led 40 laps. Reddick needs to seal the deal with wins in the final 14 races.
6. Chase Elliott
Last week: 6
For the second straight race, Elliott finished in the back half of the top-10 due to a pit road penalty when he had a potential winning car. This time it was a blend line violation, where he pushed too hard exiting the pits. Elliott’s 10.5 average finish leads all drivers this season, but similar to Reddick, he’ll need to do a little bit more after the Olympic break.
7. William Byron
Last week: 7
Byron finished 38th after crashing out in Stage 2, ending the streak of the No. 24 car winning the Brickyard in every year that ends with four (Jeff Gordon in 1994, 2004, 2014). While the 26-year-old has three wins this season, it’s been another disappointing summer (17.8 average finish since June).
8. Brad Keselowski
Last week: 9
If the race had stayed green and not gone to overtime, Keselowski was in position for an improbable fuel-mileage victory. Instead, he ran out of gas coming to the restart and finished 21st. Keselowski won the Brickyard back in 2018, but losing when you’re this close still stings.
9. Alex Bowman
Last week: 8
Bowman had a solid start to the race with four stage points. But in the closing laps, he was collected in the crash with Hamlin and others. That left Bowman with a 31st-place finish, which snapped his modest two-race streak of top-three finishes.
10. Bubba Wallace
Last week: First four out
Wallace makes his first appearance in the top-10 since March following his fifth-place run in Indy. The 23XI Racing driver won Stage 2 and narrowed his deficit to the playoff bubble to just seven points. He’s trending in the right direction at the perfect time, but making the playoffs is still far from certain with four regular-season races left.
First four out: Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher
