A new NASCAR Cup Series season will start on Sunday with the Daytona 500, which means we’re only seven months and 26 races away from the start of the playoffs.
Ryan Blaney turned around a slow start to the year and was sensational in the playoffs, capturing his first career title at Phoenix back in November.
Can Blaney go back-to-back? Will Chase Elliott rebound from his off-year in 2023? Is Denny Hamlin poised to finally win a championship for Joe Gibbs Racing?
Motorsports Wire editor Austin Konenski and USA TODAY’s Nick Schwartz make their picks for the 2024 playoff field below: