The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is underway and there have already been some fantastic and memorable races to kickstart the year. Of course, this past weekend at the Shriners Children’s 500, Christopher Bell (+825) was able to take home the checkered flag with an awesome surge to end the race and vault himself up the NASCAR Cup Series standings. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson (+538) is still in second place in the Series even though he finished outside the top ten in 14th place. In terms of this weekend, both of those racers are standout contenders to be sure, but two other athletes could make a run at the top of the podium. Those are William Byron (+625) who currently sits in fourth place in the Cup Series along with Denny Hamlin (+688) who is just inside the top ten in eighth place.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these racers, along with a predicted race winner, and additional information for your NASCAR wagers.
| Favorites to Win The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championsip |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +538 | +538 | +538 |
| William Byron | +625 | +625 | +625 |
| Denny Hamlin | +688 | +688 | +688 |
| Christopher Bell | +825 | +825 | +825 |
Larson heads into this race as the second-overall racer in the NASCAR Cup Series standings and has already notched one win this season. In four races this year he has looked awesome, but also appeared a little inconsistent at times as evidenced by his 32nd place outing in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. A fantastic driver, the veteran can still make waves in any race he competes in as evidenced by his first-place finish in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series. Moreover, he finished in second place in last year’s Cup Series standings and is angling for more in 2024 which could include a big outing in Bristol. Last season, he finished in second place at the race held at the speedway and has shown he can put up solid performances at the venue.
Another racer who is in the top five of the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Byron is currently in fourth place after winning the season-opening race at Daytona earlier this year. This year, like Larson, he has had some fantastic outings, but also some inconsistent ones. In addition to his victory in the season’s opening race, he notched a 10th-place finish in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. That said, he also had finished outside the top 15 twice, including an 18th-place showing last week in Phoenix. Regardless, after a third-place finish in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series standings, Byron could make a run at the checkered flag this upcoming weekend in Bristol.
Hamlin is a racing veteran and is definitely a competitor you always want to keep your eye on. As a member of Jordan Brand racing, Hamlin is currently in eighth place in the Cup Series this year, following an eighth-place outing in Las Vegas, and a finish just outside the top ten (11th) the other week in Phoenix. Of course, he has racked up a ton of wins in his career (51 total), along with an impressive 341 top-ten finishes, so he is certainly a racer who can make a run at the checkered flag in Bristol. Last season, he won three races and finished in fifth place in the Cup Series standings. Of course, he would like to see a stronger performance down the stretch. Moreover, he did win in Bristol last year as well.
Our last racer spotlight, Bell is the only racer on this list who is outside the top ten in the Cup Series standings, but he did win last week in Phoenix. An excellent competitor, Bell has been the definition of boom or bust this year, with one victory and another top-three outing, but also two races where he finished beyond 30th place (33rd and 34th). Last season, he won two races and notched a variety of top-five finishes. Certainly, he is a racer to watch and if he is close to the top of the leaderboard, he could make a run at winning the contest in Bristol.
Prediction: This should be a fun race at an iconic raceway which should certainly spark the interest of racing fans all around. Of course, with a wide-open field, you could go a number of directions, but perhaps this is the race Byron rebounds and clinches the checkered flag.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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