Five NASCAR questions to be answered in 2025: How many can you get right?
Do you think you're up to the challenge this year? The questions are pretty straightforward, and it's certainly not impossible to go 5-for-5. But you'll need both NASCAR knowledge and luck on your side to make it happen.
Let's dive into the questions, then scroll to the bottom and answer them on the form below.
The Next Gen Era has shown how important it is to win in the regular season. Last year, only two playoff spots were available on points after some surprise victors (Harrison Burton at Daytona, Chase Briscoe at Darlington, Austin Cindric at Gateway, Daniel Suárez at Atlanta) snatched several of the guaranteed spots in the win-and-in system.
Advertisement
Winning is vital these days, and there's little safety net for any driver who hopes to make the playoffs without finding victory lane. Even eventual champion Joey Logano would have missed the cut had he not stretched his fuel for five overtimes at Nashville.
Teams now fully understand an entire season can be made by winning one regular-season race. Burton, for example, vaulted himself from 34th in points to 16th with one magical moment at Daytona.
That's certainly one reason Shane van Gisbergen received a rapid promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series, where he'll drive a third entry for Trackhouse Racing this year. And it also makes sense to re-elevate AJ Allmendinger to the Cup Series for one of Kaulig Racing's entries.
All SVG or 'Dinger would have to do is win one of the five regular-season road course races — Circuit of the Americas (March), Mexico City (June), Chicago (July), Sonoma (July) or Watkins Glen (August). Sure, we're making it sound simpler than it is; but there's a very good chance one or both of those drivers could steal a playoff spot while otherwise being in the mid-20s in points this season.
My pick: SVG wins two road course races in the regular season and makes it.
This offseason didn't really have a major marquee driver move, but Briscoe replacing the retired Martin Truex Jr. in Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 car is definitely intriguing.
Truex's team went winless in his final year (and JGR as a whole did not win in the second half of the season) while Briscoe reminded everyone of his talent with an upset, last-gasp victory at the Southern 500 to make the playoffs.
Briscoe is now in the best ride of his career and has something to prove, and the same can be said for crew chief James Small. Both will be incredibly motivated to succeed this year, as their jobs may be on the line if it doesn't work out.
Advertisement
So how many races will Briscoe win? The listed options are: 'none,' 'one or two,' 'three or four' or 'five or more.'
My pick: I'm still confused by JGR's lack of wins in the second half, which could impact Briscoe if the organization is still a tick off in speed. That said, I think he'll have a fast car and win two races.
GO DEEPER
Grading our NASCAR preseason questions: See who won the 2024 edition
This question is a carryover from last year, because it was so entertaining to see how wrong everyone was (including me). Tyler Reddick won the regular-season title and only 1.6 percent of the 922 entries picked him to do so — including our picks champion, Ryan H.
And if you're reading that going, 'Sure, but it would have been a no-brainer if Kyle Larson had not missed the Coke 600.' Well, it would have been easier but not easy; 19.2 percent of people picked Larson to win the regular-season title.
So as we sit here in January, it may not be as straightforward as everyone thinks. In fact, it often is not.
My pick: That said, I'm going with Larson to win the regular-season championship. He had the best overall year in 2024 and there's no reason to think he'll drop off.
Here's another carryover question from last year's contest. Paired with the previous one, but with a bit of a twist, this generated all sorts of wild answers last year. Here's the catch, and I need to put this in bold: You cannot pick your regular-season champion as your final-four lock.
This is a lot more difficult than it seems, or at least it was in 2024. Of the five most-picked drivers for this question last year, only one made the championship race (William Byron). Overall, less than a third of players got their 'lock' correct.
Is that because the playoffs are chaotic? Because late-season tracks favor certain drivers over others? I'm not sure of the explanation, but this one isn't easy to predict as guessing one of four drivers accurately would make it seem.
Advertisement
My pick: The rules say I'm not allowed to pick Larson, so I'll go with Christopher Bell. He absolutely should have been in the Championship 4 last year, and he'll make it back there this season.
Here's a new one: Let's pick the best overall team of 2025. But there can be different criteria for doing so, which means we should come up with a formula.
And here it is: A team gets five points for having the Cup Series champion, four points for each Championship 4 driver (excluding the champ), three points for the regular-season champion, two points for a Round of 8 driver who did not advance further and one point for a Round of 12 driver whose run ended there.
Last year, with this formula, the results would have been:
Is that fair to say Hendrick was not the best team despite winning the most races? Eh, maybe not, but the team only put one driver in the Championship 4 (in a race that had to be manipulated to do so) while Penske had two eligible drivers in the title race and won its third straight championship.
Anyway, make your guesses accordingly.
My pick: Hendrick. No, I'm not going out on a limb at all here. But there's no reason to suspect Hendrick can't win the regular-season title and have multiple drivers in the Championship 4, which would pretty much seal this category. It feels obvious … but then again, it would have been incorrect last year.
This is a very key question, so don't overlook this. Last year's picks contest was a three-way tie and the tiebreaker was used, so your championship hopes could come down to this.
Rodney Childers has a career average finish of 14.0 as a crew chief. It was 20.3 with Josh Berry last year and 15.5 in Kevin Harvick's final season. Now he's with a new driver in Justin Haley and embarking on his first year at Spire Motorsports. So what can they do together?
Advertisement
You'll be asked on the form below to list Haley's average finish for this season.
My pick: 17.6. That would be the best of Haley's career (18.4 in 2022) and the best in Spire history (last year Carson Hocevar had an 18.3). Is that making the playoffs on points? Not quite, but a 17.6 last year would have been the 16th-best in the series, which seems highly respectable in Haley and Childers' first season together.
Please submit your answers in the form below, or visit a direct link here if you're having trouble with the window.
Loading…
(Photo of last year's Championship 4 at the title race in Phoenix: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa odds, predictions: Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell favored. How likely is an upset?
The NASCAR Cup Series is in Iowa this weekend, with just four races left before the playoffs commence. Drivers on the points bubble will be extra hungry for a win to clinch their playoff spot, and hoping that another new winner doesn't emerge from the field to push the cut line down. There's a lot to unpack about the Iowa race, the standings, the controversies around the playoff format and more. So, ahead of Sunday's race, we're bringing those questions, as we always do, to our resident NASCAR experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. Take it away, guys! We've talked about Bubba Wallace a lot — what a thrilling way to see him finally clinch a win! Can you frame this from a historic standpoint for NASCAR and a career standpoint for Wallace? How much of an upset was this? Jeff: It feels like it was an upset simply in the sense that the Brickyard 400, barring some fluky weather or fuel-saving situation, was going to be about the best of the best on the top teams. And ultimately, you had a second-tier team (23XI Racing) with its B driver (instead of Tyler Reddick) beating everyone straight up — then holding off Kyle Larson on two overtime restarts when Wallace could have choked it away. When you consider Wallace had never won a regular-season race at all (his two victories came during the playoffs when he was a non-playoff driver), let alone one of NASCAR's crown jewels, this felt pretty significant for a driver who has been trying to break through. Advertisement Jordan: There's always pressure, but when you drive for a team co-owned by Michael Jordan, that pressure is amplified considerably. Then, when you factor in that Wallace hadn't won in 100 races, all while teammate Tyler Reddick has won multiple times and nearly the 2024 championship, Wallace needed that victory in a big, big way. And that he won at Indy of all places, and in the manner that he did, only enhances his accomplishment. This was huge. Now the perhaps-unanswerable: Do you think he pushed through a mental block with this win? Should we expect a better trajectory/focus? (Jeff said in early June that 'Maintaining track position up front and avoiding miscues are the two areas Wallace's No. 23 needs to improve upon.') Jeff: Wallace has been very vocal about his own confidence issues and mental weaknesses, which he has been working on over the years. Even after Indianapolis, Wallace said he spent the last 20 laps telling himself he couldn't get it done; at times, he can be his own worst enemy. But after a moment like Sunday, you would think going head-to-head with the best and not coughing it up — I personally thought he would lose the race once his lead was erased and it was headed to an overtime restart against Larson — has to be a major boost for his psyche. Next time he's in a clutch situation like that, he'll know for sure he can execute and deliver a win. Jordan: You'd think out-dueling Larson on multiple late-race restarts would give Wallace all the confidence in the world. It should. But a similar sentiment existed in 2022 when he won at Kansas, seemingly sticking it to all the naysayers. Then he went another 100 races between victories. So while Indianapolis should be a launching pad to bigger, sustained success, let's see what happens going forward. Nonetheless, let's again acknowledge how impressive Wallace was on Sunday in earning a win he certainly deserved. You wrote about a NASCAR playoff committee this week, noting that, at one point, the playoff format seemed certain to change for next year, but now it may not. One question: Is anyone in NASCAR still in favor of keeping the current one-race championship format? Jeff: There are certainly some on the TV side, the racetrack side and perhaps a few in the driving corps who like the format as-is and don't want to change it. I've spoken to them, at least privately. The argument is that the current format maximizes drama and excitement and forces drivers to step up, and they think it has created incredible moments (which is fair). But when it came time for anyone to vouch for it in the second meeting of the playoff committee in May, no one raised their hand to make their case for retaining it. That's not to say no one likes it privately, just that no one in the room spoke up for it. Advertisement In June, I did a poll on X that received more than 30,000 votes, and only 8.5 percent of fans voted in favor of keeping the current format. You can see the results here. Similarly, NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin did a poll, and only 7 percent voted for that option. Among fans, I'd confidently say it is the least desirable option — and that opinion is shared by the majority of the committee. The bottom line is the one-race format hasn't felt credible enough as a championship, and the playoff committee members are seeking a way to add more legitimacy to such an important part of the sport. Jordan: (Pours a drink. Then another. Long sigh.) The current playoff format deserves to be thoroughly dissected and examined. And if, from that, a better playoff format can be conceived, then wonderful. But to sit there and say with broad strokes that this format is primarily about luck and diminishes the championship feels a bit disingenuous. Last year, Joey Logano rose to the occasion when it mattered the most, effectively willing himself to the championship. Yet, instead of praising this as would've likely happened had it been a fan-favorite driver, he's cast as an 'undeserving champion' by a large swath of people. That's ridiculous. And if you look back on the history of this format, a valid case can be made that the eventual champion in most years was deserving. How likely is it that this race puts a new race winner in the playoffs? Jeff: I would have said the Brickyard only had a 20 percent chance or less — and I was wrong — so I'll go with 30 percent for Iowa. It's the second time NASCAR has raced at Iowa Speedway, but look at last year's inaugural race: Ryan Blaney dominated and won it, Larson led 80 laps and William Byron, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell all finished in the top four. No surprises there. That said, we haven't seen a track like Iowa yet this season — it's sort of a hybrid short track — so you can't count out a surprise driver hitting on something. But I don't think it's very likely at all, personally. Jordan: Unlikely. Expect a repeat winner on Sunday as Iowa is just not the kind of track conducive to producing an upset. When the checkered flag waves, bet on a familiar face celebrating in victory lane. Advertisement Who do you like to win this Sunday? Jeff: Before I looked at the odds, I thought I was going to have a sneaky little pick for you: Christopher Bell. Then I realized he is already the No. 3 favorite (+475), just behind Blaney and Larson (who are tied at +450). So I guess my pick isn't exactly going out on a limb. I just thought, given Bell's two self-spins while racing for the lead at Dover two weeks ago and then his huge gaffe at Indianapolis that cleaned out Zane Smith, maybe bettors would have soured on Bell a bit. After all, he's gone winless since winning three straight races (Nos. 2-4 of the season) — which seems like a lifetime ago. But Bell is a terrific short-track racer, and he won at Phoenix, which is probably the closest thing we've seen to Iowa so far this year. So I'll go with him. Jordan: Having broken out of his mid-summer swoon, Kyle Larson is back to having a consistent presence toward the front of the field. He was fast at Dover two weeks ago and nearly won last week at Indy. He's long due for another win, and Iowa is the place it happens, setting up a late-push run to the regular-season championship. Who is a long shot you like? Jeff: Shout it from the rooftops: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at +15000. The long-shot talk heading into the Iowa race last year was about Stenhouse, who once won three straight Iowa races during his Xfinity Series days. Then at the inaugural Iowa Cup race, Stenhouse went out and finished fifth — his only top-five finish on a paved non-superspeedway in the last three-plus seasons. Heck, Stenhouse is +350 to even finish in the top 10 at Iowa. Sometimes drivers just click with certain tracks, and it feels like Iowa could be one of those for Stenhouse. Jordan: Ty Gibbs is listed at +4400, which is too high for a driver at a top organization that has had speed to win a handful of races this summer. The same applies to Alex Bowman, who's at +5000. Neither of these drivers is a likely winner on Sunday, but it certainly wouldn't be a shock if it happened. And for a deep sleeper, go with Erik Jones (+20000). He and his Legacy Motor Club team have been much improved to the point that he's both qualifying and racing better, and if he can get a little luck, Jones could turn some heads. Betting/odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Kyle Larson: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Crazy Iowa finish: Carl Edwards vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. from 2011
Relive this classic moment from Iowa Speedway that saw Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carl Edwards crash at the finish of the 2011 Xfinity Series race.
Fox Sports
11 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Speedway Classic: Fastest Players in MLB By Sprint Spped
If you blink, you might miss them — and no, we're not talking about the NASCAR race cars that usually electrify the grounds of Bristol Motor Speedway. We're, of course, talking about the fastest players in Major League Baseball, a few of whom will play in Saturday's Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway. There are a number of ways to determine a player's speed, from counting their steals to looking at their 90-foot splits. For this exercise, we're looking at the fastest players in MLB by their sprint speed, as defined by Baseball Savant. Let's get into it. Honorable Mention: Elly De La Cruz, Reds We'd be remiss not to acknowledge one of the quickest players in the Speedway Classic, Elly De La Cruz. He was born to play in this event as one of the most aggressive base runners in the league. Since making his debut in 2023, nobody has more stolen bases than him (131) and he's tied for fifth in stolen bags this year with 29. In his 2024 season, he swiped the most bags in the majors with 67. Surprisingly, Cruz is in the 91st percentile in sprint speed with 29.1. Two seasons before, he was Top 3 in that statistic. Anytime there's a debate about the fastest player in MLB, Witt's name is always going to be in the discussion, and for good reason. Witt is a threat anytime he puts the ball in play. Since making his debut in 2022, his 31 triples are tied for second in that time span, and his 137 stolen bases are the most by any player in that same timeframe. This season, his sprint speed is 30.3 ft/sec, which puts him in the top spot. His home to first speed has never been higher than 4.14, which also ranks him at the top percentile of the league. Witt is the true definition of a five-tool player. In his 11th season, Trea Turner is still one of the fastest players in MLB. The 32-year-old is third among active players in stolen bases with 304, despite playing 265 fewer games than Starling Marte, who is the leader at 359. Turner has led the National League in stolen bases twice in his career: in 2018 with 43 and 2021 with 32. When he's not leading the league, he's hovering around the Top 10. Byron Buxton's 11-year career has been shortened due to nagging injuries, causing him to miss over 900 games. When he does get on the diamond, though, Buxton is undoubtedly one of the fastest players in the league. The 2015 No. 2 pick had a 60-yard dash time between 6.4-6.6. Buxton has 110 career stolen bases and has only been caught 12 times in his career. It didn't take long for Victor Scott II to make this speed known to the rest of MLB. In his first full season, Scott is fourth in the NL in stolen bases with 26 and has only been caught twice. He has one of the fastest home to first times with 4.13. The Phillies are well-represented on this list, as the 24-year-old speedster is Philadelphia's second player on this list. Rojas is one of five players in MLB this season to have a sprint speed above 30, and he has 30 bolts on the season. Simpson has been in the majors for 62 games and is already third in the entre league with 32 stolen bases. His speed is so electric he routinely beats out ground balls with his 3.95 home-to-first time. He's the only player with a time under four seconds. Any time Simpson is on base and a ball gets through the infield, there's a good chance he'll be sliding into home, if not standing up. He currently ranks sixth in sprint speed at 29.9. Soon he'll join the 30 club. White might not be the Braves player you were expecting to see on this list, but the stats back up that he's the fastest player on the team. The 31-year-old ranks higher than his outfield teammates, Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr., with a sprint speed of 29.9. Anything in the gap can easily be a triple for Corbin Carroll. Since making his debut in 2022, he leads the majors in triples with 39. He's also eighth in stolen bases with 104 during that time span. In the 2024 season, Carroll circled the bases in 14.30 seconds for an inside-the-park homer, one of the fastest times since being tracked by Statcast. His first-to-home time, 4.12, is one of the fastest in the league, and he's just outside the top 10 in sprint speed with 29.7. You might not think of Peña as this blazer on the base paths, but his sprint speed is among the highest in the majors. His 29.6 puts him in the 97th percentile of MLB players. He's another player that made his debut in 2022 and, since then, has been in the top 10 in sprint speed each season. Armstrong was a superstar in the making, and he's taken his game to another level this year, putting himself in the MVP conversation. One thing that helped take his game to the next level is his elite speed. PCA ranks in the top 10 in all base running categories; his 29 stolen bases rank fifth in the majors. Armstrong blazed around the bases in just 14.10 secs for an inside-the-park homer in 2024, the fastest time recorded in 2024. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
