{"id":101809,"date":"2025-08-27T22:21:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T22:21:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/101809\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T22:21:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T22:21:07","slug":"the-biggest-takeaways-from-nascar-cup-series-playoffs-media-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/101809\/","title":{"rendered":"The Biggest Takeaways From NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday, NASCAR hosted the annual NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center in Uptown Charlotte, NC, and throughout the several-hour event, all 16 drivers were tasked with answering every question from the media in attendance. The questions ranged from hard-hitting to softballs<\/a>, but in between them all, there was a lot to unpack from NASCAR Playoffs Media Day.<\/p>\n

Here are the driver-by-driver takeaways from Wednesday’s Media Day event, which leads into Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway<\/a>, the opening race of the three-race Round of 16 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.<\/p>\n

(No. 16 Seed) Alex Bowman: Not Driving to Prove Anything to Anyone\"Alex<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Alex Bowman was relieved to lock into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, and he is excited for a chance at winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship, but the driver wants to make something very clear; he’s not in this to try to impress anyone anymore.<\/p>\n

“Obviously, it would be amazing to go win a championship. And I feel like we’ve got a race team that can definitely contend right now. We’re going to do all we can to make it happen. But I don’t drive race cars to prove anything to anybody anymore. I’m here to do my job for Hendrick Motorsports and to go perform at a high level every week,\u201d Bowman said.<\/p>\n

That being said, even though he heads into the Playoffs as the final seed, Bowman feels his team is better positioned to contend for the championship this season than they were a year ago, when they made a sustained run through the Playoffs, and nearly made the Round of 8 (a DQ at the Charlotte Roval eliminated them).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have momentum going into the playoffs, which we’ve never really had before,” Bowman explained. “So I do think we’re in a better position. The lack of playoff points is tough, but we’ll continue working hard at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowman feels if he and his team can minimize mistakes, they have the raw speed to carry themselves decently far in the Playoffs without a win, but it’ll likely take winning to have an actual shot at the championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsistency, just continuing to execute through these first three races, right? It\u2019s three tough racetracks where a lot can happen. And, really, I think you can \u2018consistency\u2019 your way to the Round of Eight pretty solidly. Past that, you’ve got to win races. But, yeah, I think continuing to do what we’ve been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 15 Seed) Austin Dillon: Using Doubters As Fuel\"Austin<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Austin Dillon is likely one of the least expected competitors in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs this season, but the driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet got here on the back of a legitimate win at Richmond Raceway, where he dominated the late portion of the event.<\/p>\n

For those, who are doubting that Dillon has what it takes to make it through the Round of 16 of the Playoffs, you’re providing the fuel for Dillon’s competitive fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always use it as fuel, but I feel like I have really a good confidence and a calm about it,” Dillon said. “I don’t have anything to prove in that sense. I’m just really happy with where we’re at as an organization because first quarter of the season, I would have said differently. But now I feel confident. I feel good that we can execute and make a good push. We’re one of the last teams to win on a regular oval, so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dillon loves the level of execution that his No. 3 team has had this season, and he feels if they can improve on qualifying day, they can be real contenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the biggest strength right now as a team, we’re executing well. Weakness, I don’t want this to be a weakness, but I think qualifying is going to be the most important thing for us,” Dillon said. “If we can qualify, which I think being in the playoffs and going out later is going to help that for us. We’ve had to fight that from a point situation all year. So now, if we can capitalize on being able to go out late, I think that helps our weakness.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 14 Seed) Tyler Reddick: Strength is 23XI’s Speed, Execution Needs Work\"Tyler<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Tyler Reddick was very subdued, much the same as how he seemed at the conclusion of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, where he worked his way into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with a subpar 21st-place finish after an early-race incident.<\/p>\n

That finish encapsulated what the 2025 season has been like for Reddick and the No. 45 23XI Racing team. A season after securing the regular-season championship, things haven’t gone as well this time around. However, Reddick says speed isn’t the issue with his team. All they need to do is figure out how to execute an entire race weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur speed is our strength. What\u2019s been our weakness is the execution,” Reddick explained. “We haven\u2019t got the results on those days where we\u2019ve been that fast. Whether that\u2019s DNF or damage and finishing laps down, it seems when you look at this year, when we\u2019ve been fast and leading laps, we\u2019ve found a way to not be on the lead lap by the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Reddick and the No. 45 team, which have gone winless through the opening 26 races of the 2025 season, can wake up and return to the form we’ve seen from them in the past, they could be a formidible contender in the Playoffs. Despite just five top-five finishes and nine top-10s this season, Reddick and the No. 45 team were able to lean on a lot of Stage Points earned this season, which allowed them to point their way into the Playoffs despite not having the best finishing results.<\/p>\n

(No. 13 Seed) Josh Berry: Focused on Finishing As Well As They’ve Run\"Josh<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Josh Berry secured his first career NASCAR Cup Series Playoff berth with an early-season win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Since then, things haven’t gone as swimingly, but the driver is encouraged by the speed that his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team has carried into each and every race. Berry says they just haven’t had all of the luck on their side each weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like we haven\u2019t finished as well as we\u2019ve run a lot of races, and it\u2019s been a number of different issues,” Berry said.\u00a0“I could probably, if you name off a race I could probably tell you what happened in that race and what I messed up or what issue we had, but I feel like the speed has been there more often than not, and I don\u2019t think it should be a surprise if we find ourselves running in the front at a couple of these races.\u00a0We just have to execute them and have good days on pit road and score some stage points, have solid finishes, and find ourselves in contention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, for Berry, if he can advance in the Playoffs, Las Vegas Motor Speedway is part of the Playoff picture. Berry is bullish on the No. 21 team’s chances based on the lineup of tracks in the Playoffs this season.<\/p>\n

“Honestly, I think a lot of the playoff tracks line up really well for us, even this first round,” Berry said.\u00a0“If you looked at the results at Darlington, you might be skeptical, but if you actually watch the races you\u2019d see that the past three races I\u2019ve spent laps in the top 5, top 10, scored stage points and did all the things we\u2019ve got to do Sunday night.\u00a0You look at Gateway and Bristol, those places have been solid for us, too.\u00a0Kansas, we had a great car.\u00a0I mean, it\u2019s just one after the other.\u00a0I feel like if we can just get that little bit better and execute, then we\u2019re gonna have a lot of fun the next 10 weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 12 Seed) Joey Logano: You’re Never Out Of It — Until You’re Out Of It\"Joey<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Joey Logano may enter the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as the No. 12 seed, but with how he and his No. 22 Team Penske group have rallied in two of the last three seasons to win the NASCAR Cup Series championships, despite not having the best regular-season performances, everyone will have their eyes on Logano.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve kind of ruined the under the radar thing at this point, which is fine.\u00a0It\u2019s just kind of a unique position for us to be in,” Logano explained.\u00a0“I think if you look at our stats, people would say you\u2019re under the radar, but I think they look at the whole body of work over the last 10 years and they\u2019d say, \u2018Well, I don\u2019t think they\u2019re under the radar that much.\u2019\u00a0It\u2019s a very unique spot to be in.\u00a0I think we have a really solid race team in the playoffs, and that\u2019s why I look forward to this part of the year every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Logano is that thorn in everyone’s side, and when NASCAR ultimately decides to tweak the way it decides a champion, the rule change will likely be referred to as the Joey Logano rule. The reason? The driver, his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, and their pit crew, seemingly always find a way to advance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and honestly, the years I felt like we should have won the championship, we didn\u2019t, so I think the key lesson of all that is you\u2019re never out of it.\u00a0Until you are out, you are not out,” Logano said.\u00a0“Even last year when I thought I was out I was not out (laughing).\u00a0It\u2019s a very interesting 10 weeks that\u2019s gonna come at us, and it\u2019s unpredictable.\u00a0I don\u2019t know how exactly it\u2019s gonna play out.\u00a0Nobody knows.\u00a0That\u2019s why the plan is one week at a time because you just don\u2019t know what the next race is gonna bring at you, so you handle what\u2019s ahead of you, and you just take it one week at a time.\u00a0You handle today.\u00a0Tomorrow will take care of itself.\u00a0It\u2019s no different than what our parents taught us.\u00a0It\u2019s the same stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Logano will look to joine Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Gordon as the only four-time NASCAR Cup Series champions in history over the next 10 weeks.<\/p>\n

(No. 11 Seed) Ross Chastain: Qualifying Improvement Is Key\"Ross<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Ross Chastain advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with a win in the Coca-Cola 600 in May. However, that win came from the rear of the field after he crashed his primary car heading into qualifying.<\/p>\n

Chastain’s team has had a rough time in qualifying all season long, and if they want to contend for the championship, the driver knows they’re going to have to have more raw speed in qualifying down the stretch.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ll start with the weakness, because it’s the easiest one.\u00a0It\u2019s just, are we going to be fast? Are we going to roll off the truck fast for practice at Darlington, and are we going to be able to stay fast on lap10 of that run, lap 20, lap 30, and transfer that through into qualifying for one lap, and then back to long run for the race? That’s the ultimate question for Trackhouse, in my mind is, can we go fast?” Chastain said. “And if we can do that, can we execute? We can call strategy right. We’ll miss calls. All the little things, I think we can do really well, but it’s holding ourselves accountable to keep doing them well. I don’t just rest on what we’ve done, but you need to make sure we do the little things right.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Chastain and crew chief Phil Surgen can clean up all of the little things, there’s a chance we see the watermelon farmer have a chance at a championship. If not, he could be an early exit from the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

(No. 10 Seed) Austin Cindric: Happy Being a Playoff Underdog\"Austin<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Austin Cindric is possibly one of the most intriguing drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. His race team, Team Penske, has won the last three NASCAR Cup Series championships, and overall, he has improved his game at just about every style of track this season.<\/p>\n

Yet, nobody is really talking about him as a Playoff threat. That’s okay with Cindric.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would love to be invisible for the first two rounds because then I\u2019ll make it to the Round of 8,\u201d Cindric quipped.<\/p>\n

If Cindric is able to work his way to the Championship 4, it would top winning the Daytona 500, and winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship as his biggest career achievement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think making the Championship 4 would be one of the, if not the, biggest accomplishments in my racing career because it is that difficult,” Cindric said.\u00a0“It is such a difficult format to push your way through, but I really do feel like the cream does rise to the top in these scenarios.\u00a0As far as being a champion or not being a champion, but having that shot to push through the entire season to make the Championship 4 is a big deal in my book.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 9 Seed) Bubba Wallace: Relaxed, Confident Heading Into Playoffs\"Bubba<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

We are truly seeing a different Bubba Wallace this season, The 23XI Racing driver took an marquee win in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which allowed him to finish out the final month of the regular-season stress free.<\/p>\n

Not being on pins and needles about whether he would be in the Playoff field in the weeks leading up to the satrt of the Playoffs was a welcomed change for Wallace this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHell, I came off a 26-week stretch of stress, and we made it in. We were the last car in, right? You get Sunday to enjoy it, but then you\u2019re back into, \u2018Alright, here\u2019s the Playoffs,\u2019” Wallace said of his first Playoff appearance in 2023. “Now, I just came off a month-long stress-free stretch. So, I think getting to experience that was really, really nice.”<\/p>\n

Now, in the Playoffs, Wallace isn’t content with just being there. The driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota feels he and his team can truly make a sustained run in the Playoffs and ultimately take home the championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely,” Wallace stated emphatically when asked if he feels he can contend for the championship. “Hell, I\u2019m good at winning in the Playoffs when I\u2019m not in the Playoffs. Like I said, I look at the schedule and there\u2019s a lot of good tracks for us coming up. We\u2019ve had speed at almost every track on the circuit for the next 10 weeks, so it just takes that little bit more. It takes beating out the 5 (Kyle Larson), the 24 (William Byron), the 11 (Denny Hamlin). It takes beating the other 15 guys you\u2019re racing against to do that. And, yes, we\u2019ve had the speed to do that. We\u2019ve got to clean up the execution standpoint and go capitalize on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of Wallace’s three NASCAR Cup Series wins, two have come in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and as he said, he has had great past performances at tracks such as Kansas (one win), Talladega (one win), Darlington (fifth in 2023), Bristol (third in the 2024 Night Race), Martinsville (third in the Spring). He’s calm, cool, and collected. Perhaps this is the year that Bubba Wallace takes that next step in his racing career.<\/p>\n

(No. 8 Seed) Chase Briscoe: No. 19 Team Completely Different From Beginning of Season\"Chase<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Heading into Darlington Raceway, the site of his Playoff-clinching win a season ago with Stewart-Haas Racing, Chase Briscoe is happy. He’s happy because he has enjoyed an excellent first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, and he is starting to really hit his stride as the season is drawing to a close.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it’s way different,” Briscoe said of his No. 19 team, now versus February. “I don’t even think you can look at the first, really, all the way up to the Coke 600. It\u2019s a totally different race team (then) than what it is now. I think at the Coke 600, I think we had a total of 17 stage points scored, and now, probably over 100, I would say. It\u2019s definitely a different race team, totally different feel to it, confidence, everything. Darlington (in the spring), I would say, was probably our worst race this season, but I feel like we’re just a totally different race team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that he’s back in the Playoffs, Briscoe will focus on chasing a championship as he feels there is a totally different mindset at Joe Gibbs Racing than his previous team, Stewart-Haas Racing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I mean we need to go and perform in the Playoffs, right? That\u2019s the difference now is that (at) SHR, did you want to get knocked out of the Round of 16? No, but if you did like, there was nobody like, \u2018man, that was a disappointing season.\u2019 They were still excited that they made the Playoffs,” Briscoe explained. “Where here (Joe Gibbs Racing), it’s almost like if you don’t make the Round of 8, that’s kind of a failure on the year, and really the final four even, right? It’s just a different mentality.<\/p>\n

“For me, think we’re fully capable of making it to the final four. From a speed standpoint, I would say arguably we are one of the better cars kind of week in and week out, it\u2019s just a matter of putting the whole race together.”<\/p>\n

(No. 7 Seed) Chase Elliott: 10-Week Playoffs Are a Long Stretch\"Chase<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Chase Elliott has just one win this season, but the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was ultra-consistent on his path to yet another Playoff appearance. While Elliott says the Playoffs don’t necessarily stress him out, as has been the case with others, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion says managing the marathon 10-week championship format is one of the biggest challenges he’s learned to overcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think understanding that, you know, 10 weeks is a long time.\u00a0\u00a0Like, that’s a lot of racing, and it’s almost enough time for someone to have a good few weeks, go through a stretch of not so good weeks and then get good again,” Elliott explained. “It’s a lot of racing, you know, over two months. \u00a0So, I think sometimes you kind of get these questions about the playoffs, and it’s like, oh, there’s just the playoffs, you know, like, it’s just one thing, right? And it’s not. It’s a long period of time. And, you know, a lot of long hours working, you know, in the shop, and travel.\u00a0It\u2019s just there are 10 races and a lot can happen in 10 weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Elliott and the No. 9 team have had consistency this season, Elliott doesn’t hide the fact that consistency will likely not be enough for him to snag his second career championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I mean, consistency’s great, but it’s not the end goal by any stretch,” Elliott said.\u00a0“Pace can save a lot of things, and we need to have some more pace. So hopefully we can gather some in, and put together some extra pace with the consistency, but it\u2019s going to take both.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 6 Seed) Shane Van Gisbergen: Starting to Get it On Ovals\"Shane<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

While he has a long way to go for his oval racing ability to reach the level of his ability on road courses, Shane van Gisbergen has made massive strides on oval tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series throughout his rookie season.<\/p>\n

The driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, who has four wins on road courses this season, will now look to advance from the opening round of the Playoffs. He’ll do so with a bountiful harvest of Playoff Points in his back pocket, and a bit of confidence heading into Darlington, which has seemingly been his best oval track even dating back to his full-time Xfinity Series season last year.<\/p>\n

It’s one of my favorite tracks and I’m enjoying it,” Van Gisbergen said about Darlington.<\/p>\n

While you don’t think of Darlington as a place, where a road racing ace would succeed, SVG feels the need to be on your marks at the 1.366-mile oval has led to him performing quite decently there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you have to be very precise. You’ve got to be millimetre perfect every lap, comfortable to run against the wall, and the proximity to the wall, and then the repetition and consistency. I think that seems to suit me,” Van Gisbergen said. “And the way the cars slide around, I really enjoy that place.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the New Zealander doesn’t shy away from the fact that he likely faces an uphill battle in the final two races of the opening round of the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

“Gateway and Bristol are going to be tough. I haven’t been to Gateway and Bristol I struggled a bit at,\u201d Van Gisbergen explained.<\/p>\n

If Van Gisbergen can advance into the Round of 12, he will have the Charlotte Roval in that round, which would give him a very realistic path to the Round of 8 of the Playoffs. What a story that would be.<\/p>\n

(No. 5 Seed) Christopher Bell: This is Probably Our Best Year (So Far) For a Championship\"Christopher<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

While Christopher Bell comes into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on a 22-race losing streak, the driver, who electrified by scoring three consecutive wins early in the 2025 campaign, isn’t lacking for confidence heading into his fifth NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Appearance.<\/p>\n

In fact, Bell feels this year is his best chance yet to win a Bill France Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is probably our best year so far for a championship, just the way the schedule lays out. We know that,” Bell explained. “Adam (Stevens, crew chief) knows that. We are ready to take it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sure, he may not come into Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington on a hot streak, but Bell feels confident in his past Playoff experience. The driver feels like he has learned a lot from mistakes made in year’s past, and he truly seems unflappable heading into this Playoff run.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve just noticed it more year over year,” Bell said of his comfort due to experience. “I go back in 2021; I got eliminated in the Round of 12 off a stupid mistake. We were at Las Vegas, and it might have been pit stop number one of the day, we had a stack up coming on pit road, and I knocked the front end in and ruined my day, off of \u2013 why? I didn\u2019t have to do that. It meant nothing. I learned from that, and that is just an example of what happens whenever you are young and inexperienced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier this season, Bell won at Phoenix Raceway, a few months removed from leading the most laps, despite not being inside the Championship 4, in the NASCAR Cup Series championship race at the 1-mile oval. With the championship venue beginning a yearly rotation next season, Bell would love to get to Phoenix with a chance at a title this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, believe me, we know this as good as it lines up for us. We know that this is a great opportunity for us,\u201d Bell said.<\/p>\n

(No. 4 Seed) Ryan Blaney: Bringing Perspective Into “Stressful” Playoffs\"Ryan<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Ryan Blaney scored a victory last weekend in the Coke Zero Sugar 400<\/a> at Daytona and will head into this weekend’s Playoff opening race at Darlington as the No. 4 seed in the Playoffs. As the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang Dark Horse will attempt to secure his second career NASCAR Cup Series championship, he admits the Playoffs are stressful, and that he tries his best to block out the pressure-packed format.<\/p>\n

\u201cI try not to be stressed.\u00a0There [are] definitely stressful moments, but during those stressful moments, I try not to think about it too much,” Blaney said.\u00a0“I try to just, \u2018Hey, this is a high-pressure situation.\u00a0This is what it is.\u00a0Let\u2019s just go do the job.\u2019\u00a0I try to not let it eat at me because I think that can really hurt you if you get in your head about stuff.\u00a0When it comes down to your season and your championships, yeah, it\u2019s stressful.\u00a0Hell yeah it is.\u00a0You\u2019re trying to do this for hundreds of people that support you and put a lot of effort and watch you every week and have hands on the car or partners that invest a lot of money and time into the program.\u00a0It can be stressful if you look at it that way, but I try to not let that get to me.”<\/p>\n

Blaney is able to bring the perspective of seeing the stresses related to his father’s NASCAR Cup Series career. The stresses of the Playoff format Blaney says pales in comparison.<\/p>\n

“I was really lucky growing up that I saw all of this stuff at a young age.\u00a0I saw my dad go through stressful times [asking questions like] ‘Who am I gonna drive for next year?’\u00a0I look at that, and that is stressful compared to, \u2018hey, I get a chance to race for a championship.\u00a0This is stressful.\u2019\u00a0That\u2019s a great opportunity.\u00a0I saw my dad scrap and claw about what car am I gonna race next year?\u00a0That\u2019s stress.\u00a0How are you gonna provide for your family, so I got that perspective of it when I was younger, and I think it definitely put my mind just in a different spot of what actually stress is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blaney, who suffered seven DNFs through the 26-race regular season, battled back to finish runner-up in the regular season championship standings. Never count Blaney out.<\/p>\n

(No. 3 Seed) Denny Hamlin: Expects to Make Championship 4, But Understands Playoffs Are a Crapshoot\"Denny<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Denny Hamlin knows a thing or two about having an excellent season and working his way into a position to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship. Unfortunately, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is still waiting for Lady Fortune to deal him the perfect hand to allow him to walk away with his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship.<\/p>\n

But after four wins in the regular-season, does Denny Hamlin expect to advance to the Championship 4?<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,” Hamlin stated. “It\u2019s the goal at the beginning of the year is to make the Championship 4. To do that, you obviously have to put in some work during the regular season, and you\u2019ve got to perform well in the Playoffs. I think our record in the Playoffs speaks for itself. Our average finish drops every year in the Playoffs. We run better every year in the final 10 than what we do in the regular season.”<\/p>\n

This season marks Hamlin’s 19th appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which is the most of any driver all-time. Hamlin, who has yet to hoist the Bill France Cup, doesn’t take solace in his historic 19 Playoff appearances. Hamlin sees it as just another chance to try to finally accomplish the ultimate goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just another chance to roll the dice. That\u2019s it,” Hamlin said about his record 19th Playoff appearance. “I don\u2019t feel any better or any worse than what I have last year or the year before that or the year before that. They\u2019re all very, very similar. I feel as though our team is as strong as it\u2019s ever been, but we\u2019ve seen in the short sample size, it\u2019s just a matter of whether you get unlucky at times or you catch a caution at the right time or not. Do you stub your toe on pit road? Those are the small things that decide whether you move on in the Playoffs or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamlin knows his No. 11 team, led by crew chief Chris Gayle, is really good, but he also knows there are so many intangibles that will control their fate over the next 10 races.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been confident before but also had my heart broken for something out of my control,” Hamlin said. “I just try to do the best I can to play it day by day and week by week. Right now, the focus is all on Darlington. I haven\u2019t looked at one shred of thing from St. Louis. It\u2019s not even on the radar. I\u2019m so week to week with my goals that I feel as though, let\u2019s just somehow figure out how to get to 60 wins before the end of the season, and if I can do that, it\u2019s probably going to put myself in a pretty good position to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

(No. 2 Seed) William Byron: Doesn’t See Any Real Weaknesses With No. 24 Team\"William<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

William Byron picked up a win in the season-opening Daytona 500, and a second win at Iowa Speedway on his path to a regular-season championship. After enduring a rough couple of months early in the Summer stretch, Byron says he doesn’t really feel like his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team has any real weaknesses.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know. There’s not a huge glaring area,” Byron answered when quizzed on his team’s biggest weakness. “We could always be faster on pit road. We could always be faster, have a better-balanced car. But I think the underlying theme of the playoffs is just you’ve got to get to the Round of Eight, and then you’ve got to start peaking as that round goes. October is the most important time of the year.”<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I mean, we’ve historically been a really good team at getting points. If you look at the last two years, I would say at the end of \u201923 we became really good at kind of gathering points and then at the end of \u201924 as well, and that’s carried over to all season this year. I don’t want to lose that at all, but you obviously want to be aggressive to go and try to get race wins as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Byron led the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings for 21 of the 26 races in the regular-season, but it took a late rally to take home the 15 Playoff Points for winning the regular-season title after he lost the top spot to Chase Elliott after a 31st-place finish at Dover, the 21st race of the season.<\/p>\n

The No. 24 group got its act together, and Byron ended up securing the regular-season title a week before the regular-season finale at Daytona. Byron says that his team has the unique ability to maximize points, which they’ve had since late in the 2023 season. That being said, the driver wants Rudy Fugle and the No. 24 team to remain ready to think outside the box in the Playoffs in an effort to win more races.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I mean, we’ve historically been a really good team at getting points. If you look at the last two years, I would say at the end of \u201923 we became really good at kind of gathering points and then at the end of \u201924 as well, and that’s carried over to all season this year. I don’t want to lose that at all, but you obviously want to be aggressive to go and try to get race wins as well,” Byron said.<\/p>\n

(No. 1 Seed) Kyle Larson: Optimistic About Short, Flat Tracks\"Kyle<\/p>\n

Tyson Gifford | Racing America On SI<\/p>\n

Kyle Larson comes into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as the No. 1 seed, but the driver is working on bouncing back from a rough stretch of races following a rough attempt in the Indianapolis 500\/Coca-Cola 600 double in May.<\/p>\n

Larson says the biggest strength for his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team is the raw speed they carry in their car each week, and he feels the trials and tribulations they endured throughout the Summer has conditioned them to be ready for anything that comes their way in the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019ve just been through a lot throughout the Summer,” Larson said. “I think we’ve seen a lot of different things, and we’re prepared for almost anything. I think we’re looking forward to the challenge of these next 10 and hopefully we can execute on a high level.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big worry for Larson is the shorter, flatter tracks, which make up a decent chunk of the final 10 races of the season. However, Larson is encouraged that Hendrick Motorsports has started finding speed at those tracks recently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think still the shorter, flatter tracks, so seeing Gateway and New Hampshire in the playoffs is not something that I was thrilled about,” Larson said. “But I do think we’ve made our package better on that style of track. You know, I look at Iowa \u2013 we were fast and William (Byron) won. Chase (Elliott) was fast. Alex (Bowman) was fast. When we went to Richmond, we were all really good again. Alex finished second, and I think I was in sixth. Chase was probably one of the best cars that night. William was good, as well. I do think we’ve gotten our cars better on those places, but we still need to probably be better. We’ll see when we get to Gateway and New Hampshire.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Larson can work his way through and continue to build his confidence in the Playoffs, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion could pull into Phoenix Raceway with a chance at becoming a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.<\/p>\n

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