Denny Hamlin just had a day at the Southern 500 that could seriously derail his championship run, losing a crucial 13 points off his lead. A bad pit stop absolutely killed his momentum, dropping him straight into the thick of it where his car got damaged battling for position. He somehow salvaged what could have been a total nightmare, but if he has another day like that, he is absolutely done at the top of the standings. We are one race deep in The Chase, folks, with nine races left to decide everything.
The Chase Is On: Who’s Breathing Down Hamlin’s Neck?
This weekend, the Cup teams are rolling into the World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile track that could either save some careers or completely sink them. There are a bunch of drivers who are just on the verge of making some real noise, or crashing out of contention for good. Chris Buescher is 88 points back, and let’s be real, bending a toe link before halfway at Darlington is not how you start a championship push. He’s never led a lap at Gateway, so he’s got to find something new. William Byron, 114 points behind, saw his engine go up in smoke at Darlington, and honestly, that’s just been his whole season. He’s got one top 10 at Gateway, but he needs way more than that.
Then there’s Austin Cindric, 102 points back, who flat-out needs a win at Gateway to get back in this. Good news for him, he snagged a win there in 2024. Carson Hocevar, 89 points behind, made Brad Keselowski angry, and trust me, that’s never a smart move. He needs to explode at Gateway, where he ran solid in his 2023 Cup debut. Ryan Preece, 104 points back, can’t afford another loose wheel situation like he had at Darlington, forcing him down pit road. His average finish at Gateway is a not-so-impressive 19.7. Daniel Suárez, 94 points behind, had a super disappointing 21st at Darlington and averages a 22nd-place finish at Gateway. This crew needs to turn it around RIGHT NOW.
Gateway: Make or Break for the Big Names
Some of the bigger names in the contention rankings are also feeling the heat. Joey Logano actually fell a spot because he didn’t show any real speed at Darlington, which is a massive red flag for intermediate tracks. He didn’t even snag any stage points, just salvaged a ninth place by staying out on old tires. Gateway is his shot to kickstart a championship run; he’s been top five there in all four Cup races, even winning in 2022. That’s a huge stat!
Wallace pulled an eighth-place finish, which was good, but it was those 15 stage points at Darlington that were truly great. Problem is, he’s only got one career top 10 at Gateway, with a 21.3 average finish. He’s gotta have a monster Sunday. Elliott’s team had a complete miscommunication on the final pit stop at Darlington, followed by some seriously fiery radio banter. Not their best day, leading to a 14th-place finish. The No. 9 team needs to be locked in for the rest of this thing. Elliott does have one top five in three Gateway starts, so there’s hope. Kyle Larson looks to be in a good headspace, even after a gamble at Darlington where he finished fifth after staying out on old tires. He led 99 laps, showing serious championship promise. He’s a force at Gateway, with an average finish of 9.5 in four starts. Chase Briscoe usually dominates Darlington, so a sixth-place finish was actually a bit of a letdown, especially since he looked like he had the car to three-peat the Southern 500. He’s got one pole already, so he knows how to get it done.
This Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway is going to be absolutely wild. These drivers aren’t just fighting for position, they’re fighting for their entire season. Who’s gonna step up and who’s gonna crumble under the pressure? We’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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