The first race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off Feb. 18. Here are the keys dates for the upcoming season.v
And you thought the Kentucky Derby was close.
One day after Mystik Dan claimed victory by a nose at Churchill Downs, Kyle Larson essentially did the same at Kansas Speedway. The 2021 Cup Series champion narrowly beat Chris Buescher to the line, with the official margin of victory (0.001 seconds) as the closest in NASCAR history.
Larson, Buescher and Denny Hamlin were the three fastest drivers throughout the race – leading at least 50 laps apiece – so it was a fitting conclusion to a thrilling race.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
So, how does the field stack up heading into the upcoming race at Darlington Raceway? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:
1. Kyle Larson
Last week: 2
Larson was due for another win, but he certainly didn’t expect it to be this close. He leads the series with 633 laps led through 12 races and now has two victories. Oh, and Darlington is one of his best tracks, as he won the Southern 500 last September. Before he makes his IndyCar debut at the Indianapolis 500 later this month, Larson has more races to win.
2. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 1
If it weren’t for the final caution, Hamlin very well could have won back-to-back races. He was leading – albeit with an almost-empty fuel tank – when Kyle Busch spun to set up the overtime finish. While Hamlin still managed a top-five finish, his overtime restart was uninspiring as he dropped from the lead to fifth in two laps.
3. Chase Elliott
Last week: 4
Quietly, Elliott just keeps stacking strong finishes. He was third at Kansas, which marked five top-fives in the last six weeks. Elliott has yet to finish outside the top-20 this season, and he’s now second in the series in top-fives behind his teammate Larson.
4. Martin Truex Jr.
Last week: 4
The only driver with a better average finish than Elliott this season? That would be Truex, who just edges out Elliott (8.9 to 9.7). The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was fourth at Kansas, but the final caution likely cost him a win – Hamlin was running on fumes and Truex was charging. So, for now, he’s still looking for his first victory of 2024.
5. William Byron
Last week: 3
Despite having three wins this season, Byron is fading in the points standings. He’s now back to seventh after finishing 23rd at Kansas, which was a puzzling result. The No. 24 was the fastest car in practice but hit the wall in qualifying and never showed good pace on Sunday. Darlington, where Byron won last spring, could be the track to get him rolling again.
6. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 6
After a poor qualifying effort (26th), Blaney gradually moved into the top-15 and settled in for much of the race. He then finished 12th, which was about the finish he deserved. Ford is still looking for its first win of the season, and the defending champion doesn’t seem all that close to pulling it off.
7. Alex Bowman
Last week: 10
While his Hendrick Motorsports teammates (Larson, Elliott, Byron) continue to steal the spotlight, Bowman continues to produce solid finishes. He was seventh at Kansas, giving him his third straight top-10 and sixth top-10 in eight weeks. Bowman is ninth in the points standings.
8. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 7
The most recent Kansas winner had a tough run on Sunday. Reddick finished 20th after starting 15th and hanging out inside the top-15 for most of the race. He’s still fifth in the standings and is always a threat to win at Darlington, where he led 90 laps last September before finishing second.
9. Christopher Bell
Last week: First four out
Bell’s sixth-place run at Kansas snapped a streak of four straight finishes outside the top-15 – with three of those being 34th or worse. So, it’s safe to say this was a much-needed result. Bell led five laps and scored seven stage points after starting on the pole.
10. Chris Buescher
Last week: Not ranked
Like Bell, Buescher was riding a streak of four straight finishes of 15th or worse. So, while a second-pace finish is great on paper, the way it went down was heartbreaking. But Buescher had legitimate race-winning speed for the first time all season, so perhaps the best is yet to come.
First four out: Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano
