The second half of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season begins at Nashville Superspeedway with Sunday's Ally 400.
An entertaining first half included a Kyle Busch vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. brawl, the two closest finishes in series history and a couple surprise winners that will impact the race to the Cup playoffs.
In part two of The Tennessean's NASCAR midseason roundtable, Mike Organ, Tom Kreager and Nick Gray make their midseason Cup Series championship picks and look back at some good and not-so-good preseason prognostications.
NASHVILLE RACE TICKETS:How to buy tickets for Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway
LAST SUNDAY:NASCAR New Hampshire race winners and losers: Josh Berry's big finish, Kyle Busch's struggles
Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have dominated the regular season so far, but Penske has won two of the last four races. Is it still destined to be Hendrick vs. JGR in the playoffs?
Mike Organ:Not only did Penske finally figure out what was going on, or should I say going wrong, with Ford, the group turned things around just in time to make a late run. The darkhorse Mustang looked good for Joey Logano in the All-Star race in May, perhaps sending a sign of things to come.
No doubt Hendrick and Joe Gibbs Racing are way out front, but I can still see Austin Cindric (Penske), Ryan Blaney (Penske), Brad Keselowski (Roush Fenway Racing) or Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) having a shot in the playoffs.
Nick Gray:Ryan Blaney will be the X-factor. He has the experience of going the distance in the playoffs to win the 2023 title. But if not Blaney, it could be a two-shop battle for the title.
Tom Kreager:This year has been a Hendrick vs. Gibbs season. Everyone has chased those two race teams. Penske has shown some life, but over the long haul no one is going to stop Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin in what may be a battle between the best from both teams.
Who will be the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion? Has your opinion changed?
Mike Organ: I picked Kyle Larson before the season and feel better about it now than I did then. The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet came close to winning the 2023 championship finishing closely behind Ryan Blaney and will surpass Denny Hamlin in the current point standings while holding off Chase Elliott for the title.
Nick Gray:I’m sticking with Chase Elliott. There appears to be some boom and bust in Kyle Larson’s recent results. Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Martin Truex Jr. and Larson should all contend. TheNo. 9 team started out fine in 2024 but has grown into a contender to win races on all types of tracks. He won at a 1.5-mile track, will always be a factor on road courses, has looked strong in pack racing and just finished third at a short track. His pit crew has been a track-position weapon too.
A second title will start the legacy discussion for the most popular driver in the sport, something NASCAR needs right now among the week-in, week-out public discourse around the NextGen car, folding teams and charters.
Tom Kreager: Kyle Larson. Larson is arguably the best driver in the world, not just NASCAR. He’ll race anything. And right now he needs to be considered one of the favorites at every track on the schedule.
You made NASCAR Cup Series playoffs picks before the season. What do you think now? What is your Cup Series playoffs picks at midseason?
2024 race winners are in bold and italicized as drivers virtually locked into playoffs already
Find our preseason playoff picks here
Mike Organ: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell
What Mike picked in February: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace
Nick Gray: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Alex Bowman, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher
What Nick picked in February: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace
Tom Kreager: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano
What Tom picked in February: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace
