The NASCAR season is long, and there are a lot of surprising things that can happen, so why not try and predict some of the surprising things that will happen.
*Note: I am not saying all of these things WILL happen. I am simply saying that they could.
**Credit for this idea goes to The Iceberg on YouTube.
1. Rick Ware Racing Will Win A Race
I know it sounds crazy, given RWR’s recent history. But it’s important to remember that RWR has a partnership with RFK Racing and signed Justin Haley, who is routinely one of the most underrated drivers in the series. Given Haley’s superspeedway prowess and Ford’s strength on superspeedways (though it will be interesting to see if that strength continues this season with their new body), we could very well see Haley put RWR in victory lane this year at Daytona, Talladega, or maybe even Atlanta.
2. There Will Be 5 First Time Winners
There is an abundance of young drivers in competitive rides this season, and with the parity that the sport has seen over the last couple of years (albeit not as much as last year), we could see the likes of Josh Berry, Noah Gragson (assuming Stewart-Haas Racing steps it up), or a couple rookies like Carson Hocevar or Zane Smith. Or even veterans who may be in a better spot to succeed, like Ryan Preece or Corey Lajoie.
3. Kyle Busch or Brad Keselowski Will Win The Daytona 500
Admittedly, this might be a bit of wishful thinking on my part as a Kyle Busch fan. Busch was leading on lap 200 during last year’s Daytona 500, but he wound up getting wrecked on an overtime restart. Keselowski, on the other hand, does not have any such momentum. Ford has been dominant at super speedways over the last couple of years, but with a new nose, it remains to be seen if Ford will still be as dominant. Keselowski’s teammate, Chris Buescher, won at Daytona this past August as well.
4. Shane Van Gisbergen Will Win On An Oval
The biggest story of the offseason has been Supercars star Shane Van Gisbergen making the jump from down under to the States to compete in NASCAR full-time. Van Gisbergen will be competing in the Xfinity Series. He undoubtedly has the talent and the adaptability to succeed, but only time will tell.
5. The Brickyard 400 Will Be The Best Race Of The Year
The Brickyard 400 is arguably the biggest unknown of the season. NASCAR has not raced on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2020. No one truly knows how the cars will drive or what the racing product will look like and who knows, maybe it will be the best race of the year.
6. The Winner Of The Daytona 500 Will Be A First Time Winner
I know, I know, that’s not that much of a bold prediction, given Daytona’s history. But the odds are not in the favor of the winless drivers
7. Both Sheldon Creed And Jesse Love Will Find Success With Their New Teams
In case you were living under a rock, one of the biggest stories of the Xfinity Series season was the messy breakup between Sheldon Creed and Richard Childress Racing. Creed moved on to Joe Gibbs Racing, while RCR tapped ARCA Menards Series Champion Jesse Love to replace Creed in the No. 2. In my eyes, the best way to recover from a messy breakup is for both sides to go on to find greener pastures; who’s to say they won’t?
8. Jordan Anderson Racing Will Follow Up A Successful 2023 With An Even Better 2024
Xfinity Series team Jordan Anderson Racing had a very successful year in 2023. Veteran Jeb Burton found victory lane at Talladega in the spring, and young gun Parker Retzlaff was consistently impressive throughout the year. If JAR can keep up the rapid improvement they showed last year, they could certainly put together an even better campaign in 2024.
9. Ty Gibbs Will Make The Championship 4
Love him or hate him, Ty Gibbs is a phenomenal talent, and I would be shocked if he doesn’t win a race or maybe even a couple this year. He has made clear improvements mentally since getting to the Cup Series, and if he can put it all together and get a couple wins, he could find himself racing for a title come November.
10. Despite Losing Kevin Harvick To The FOX Booth, Stewart-Haas Racing Will Rebound
Stewart-Haas Racing has gone through a rebuild over the last few years, and along with that has come a lot of struggles. But with a revamped lineup, bringing in Josh Berry to replace Kevin Harvick and Noah Gragson to replace Aric Almirola, joining Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece, SHR now has a very talented and much younger lineup that, with time, could be a serious threat.
11. The Cup Series’ First Visit To Iowa Will Be The Most Successful Addition The Schedule Has Seen In A Decade
It was announced late last year that the Cup Series first ever stop at Iowa Speedway in June sold out during the pre-sale period, leaving the general public with nearly zero other ticket options. This high level of demand for tickets bodes well for the event.
12. Matt Mills Will Capitalize On His Big Break With Niece Motorsports And Win
Matt Mills impressed in his couple of starts with Kyle Busch Motorsports last season. He performed well enough for Niece Motorsports to bring him in to replace Carson Hocevar in the No. 42. That truck has the potential to run really well and even win, and I think Mills could extract that potential and get it to victory lane.
13. Cole Custer Will Double His Win Total From A Year Ago
Cole Custer won 3 races en route to the Xfinity Series title last season. If he can step it up even more on the ovals this season, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be able to win 6 races.
14. AJ Allmendinger Will Win The Xfinity Series Championship In His Return To The Series
AJ Allmendinger was full-time in the Cup Series last season, and despite winning at the Charlotte Roval in the fall, the season didn’t quite go to plan. I expect Allmendinger to be a favorite for the title this season, and if he returns to the form he was in during the 2021 and 2022 Xfinity Series seasons, you could call him the outright favorite.
15. Bubba Wallace Will Win At Least 3 Races
Bubba Wallace has dramatically improved over the last 2 seasons, along with 23XI as a whole. Wallace improved a lot mentally in 2023, and I expect his mental strength and maturity to get even better in 2024. Which, along with the steady improvement of 23XI as a whole, I think will result in at least 3 wins for Wallace.
16. A Rookie Will Win Multiple Races
The best options here would be Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, and Josh Berry, and Berry is probably the best option with Stewart-Haas Racing and an abundance of experience compared to Smith and Hocevar.
17. Layne Riggs Will Continue Front Row Motorsports’ Success In The Truck Series
Layne Riggs, son of former Cup Series driver Scott Riggs, has impressed in the small number of starts he has gotten in the Truck Series, and Front Row Motorsports has been a Top 3 team in the series over the last couple of seasons, primarily with Zane Smith behind the wheel. Riggs could very well find himself in victory lane this season once he finds his footing in his first full-time gig at the National level.
18. Both Denny Hamlin And Justin Allgaier Will Finally Capture Their Elusive Championships
Denny Hamlin and Justin Allgaier are nearly one and the same in their respective series. Both are consistently considered championship contenders every season, and both have come agonizingly close to capturing the elusive title. If they can hold off Father Time a little longer, they both could get it done this year.
19. Alex Bowman Will Rebound In A Big Way And Lead The Cup Series In Wins
Let us not forget that Bowman was leading the points and was off to a very hot start last season before breaking his back in a Sprint Car crash. I don’t think there’s any reason to assume he can’t do that again and grab a good number of wins along the way.
20. Michael McDowell Will Continue To Win At The Most Iconic Racetracks In America And Win The Coke 600
If you’re like me, you’ve noticed that Michael McDowell has a knack for winning at some of America’s most iconic tracks. He won the Daytona 500 in 2021, and back in August, he won on the Indianapolis Road Course. If that trend continues, he’ll grab the checkered flag in the Coke 600.
21. Kyle Larson Shocks The World And Sweeps “The Double”
If you’re unfamiliar, “The Double” is running the Indianapolis 500 and the Coke 600 on the same day. Larson will be attempting the double for the first time. He is widely considered one of the best race car drivers on the planet, and rightfully so. I not only think he is going to complete “The Double,” but I think he could win in both races.
22. Tyler Reddick Will Continue 23XI’s Dominance At Kansas Speedway And Sweep Both Races
23XI Racing’s No. 45 car has won 3 of the last 4 races at Kansas, with 3 different drivers nonetheless. Kurt Busch drove the No. 45 to victory in the spring of 2022, with Bubba Wallace following suit that fall. In 2023, fittingly enough, Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, won the spring race, with Reddick putting the No. 45 back in victory lane in the Fall. There’s no reason to believe Reddick couldn’t get it done twice this season in the heartland.
23. Zane Smith Shows Off His Road Racing Prowess And Wins 2 Road Course Races
It’s no secret that Zane Smith is one of the better road racers in the sport. I could see him capitalizing on the Next-Gen car’s strengths and Spire Motorsports’ continuing improvement and grabbing a couple of road course wins.
24. Ryan Preece Will Return To Daytona After His Incredibly Violent Crash Last Summer To Win The Daytona 500
Ryan Preece’s crash in the summer race at Daytona last year went viral. It was everywhere online, from ESPN to Barstool Sports. It was an all-timer in terms of the violence of the crash, and fate has a weird way of working sometimes.
Header Image: Patrick Vallely
