Drivers to watch in the NASCAR Cup Series in Nashville

After the only weekend of the regular season, the Cup Series returns to competition Sunday (5 p.m. ET, NBC) with a 399-mile race at the Nashville Superspeedway near Lebanon, Tenn.

The race will be only the second cup event on the 1.33 mile track. Kyle Larson wins on the run In his first Track Cup appearance last season. Previously, the Xfinity and Truck series were racing in Nashville. They are also on the schedule this weekend.

The Cup race will start in 10 weeks, 10 races until the end of the regular season. The 10-race qualifiers are scheduled to begin September 4 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

Front Runners

Kyle Larson

  • position points: seventh
  • The last three races: xv. in Sonoma; 12 at the gate. Ninth in Charlotte
  • Past in Nashville: won in 2021

Larson actually defines the term “first runner” in Nashville. Last year, he led 264 of the 300 laps in the race and won in 4.33 seconds, which is practically a calendar page ahead of second place. Ross Chastain.

Larson rides 14 consecutive races without a win and will run in Nashville with Interim Chief of Staff Kevin Mindering who will replace Cliff Daniels Which was suspended after a Chevrolet Larson lost a wheel in Sonoma.

Ross Chastain

  • position points: Second
  • The last three races: VII in Sonoma; Eighth at the gate. 15 in Charlotte
  • Past in Nashville: second in 2021

Chastain, one of only four drivers to have multiple wins this season, finished second to last year’s winner Kyle Larson in Nashville in what was developed as a fuel mileage finish.

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In the past eight races of the season, Chastain has placed eighth or best five times. He has had seven of his five best matches (including two wins) in the past 14 events.

William Byron

  • position points: VIII
  • The last three races: 9 in Sonoma; nineteenth at the gate; 32 in Charlotte
  • Past in Nashville: third in 2021

Byron, who won this season in Atlanta and MartinsvilleIt’s been relatively quiet lately. He’s driven 570 laps this year, but 482 of those were logged in the first eight races. In the past eight races, Byron has driven only 88 laps.

However, his run in Nashville last year puts him on his watch list this weekend. Despite starting the race from behind due to incorrect adjustments, he rolled on the field and finished third.

Questions to answer

Kevin Harvick

  • position points: twelveth
  • The last three races: iv in Sonoma; 33 at the gate. 3rd in Charlotte
  • Past in Nashville5th in 2021

Harvick remains the most prominent driver still out looking for a place in the playoff. He’s the first driver below the cut-off line, seven points behind Eric Almerola. Harvick has participated in 12 playoffs in a row, the most among active drivers.

Harvick’s season has been a struggle, but he has secured two places in fourth or better in the past four races and finished in the top 10 in five of the past seven races. He ran well last year in Nashville, finishing fifth after running out of gas on the last lap, and giving up fourth. Xfinity has two wins on the track.

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Harvick is riding a winning streak of 59 races, a stretch in which he has finished second four times.

Daniel Suarez

  • position points: 17
  • The last three races: beat in sonoma; 23 at the gate; 25 in Charlotte
  • Past in NashvilleSeven in 2021

So, Daniel, can you do that again? Suarez breaks into the Sonoma winner’s circle He has four of the top 10 races in the last 14 races. Now he needs to prove he can compete for victories on the big ovals.

Suarez finished seventh last year in Nashville after starting 22nd.

Martin Truex Jr.

  • position points: VI
  • The last three races: 26 in Sonoma; the sixth in the gate; Twelfth in Charlotte
  • Past in Nashville: 22 in 2021

Truex is still winless this season after the 2021 round in which he won four times. At this point last year he had six top fives; Now he only has two.

Currently 14th in qualifying points, Truex was penalized twice during last year’s Nashville race in 22nd after gearing up for fuel 10 laps before.

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