On Feb. 16, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Collection season will start with the 67th operating of the Daytona 500. With a brand new season comes new alternatives for each driver within the discipline.
Listed here are 10 way-too-early predictions for the 77th season of NASCAR Cup Collection racing:
Kyle Busch will get again into victory lane
One of many larger underlying tales in the course of the 2024 season was the struggles of two-time champion Busch. He suffered his first winless season in 2024, lacking the playoffs within the course of. Nonetheless, Richard Childress Racing appeared to show the nook late in 2024, and Busch’s expertise makes him a risk to win on any weekend. He’ll try to interrupt his 57-race winless streak by successful his first Daytona 500 on Feb. 16.
Bubba Wallace returns to the playoffs
After successful a race in each 2021 and 2022 and making the playoffs for the primary time in 2023, Wallace stagnated in 2024. He went winless for the second yr in a row and did not make the postseason discipline. That led to Bootie Barker — Wallace’s crew chief over the previous 4 seasons — stepping down. Charles Denike, who led Christian Eckes to the Truck Collection Championship 4 in 2024, will take the reins of the No. 23 group in 2025. With a brand new crew chief on the helm, large issues will probably be anticipated of Wallace.
Denny Hamlin’s profession will begin to take a downturn
Over the previous decade, few Cup Collection drivers have been as harmful as Hamlin, who has made 4 appearances within the Championship 4 over the previous 11 seasons. The unhealthy information? Hamlin has been bounced within the Spherical of 8 in each season (2022-2024) for the reason that introduction of the Subsequent Gen automotive in 2022. His profession is in its twilight years, and he hasn’t executed a lot lately to shake his picture as a driver who cracks underneath strain. With the skin noise of 23XI Racing’s lawsuit as a distraction, Hamlin may see his efficiency take a giant dip in 2025.
Championship hangover will chunk Joey Logano
There are two statistics that can be utilized to foretell poor efficiency from Logano in 2025. The sillier model is the truth that he has by no means made the Championship 4 in an odd-numbered yr, whereas the second is rather more actual: Over the previous two seasons, the No. 22 automotive has been gradual. As clutch as Logano was to win the title in 2024, he would not have hoisted the Invoice France Cup with no huge variety of well timed moments. Logano’s third championship banner covers up the truth that the No. 22 group is not as large of a risk to win weekly because it as soon as was. Do not be shocked if Logano is preventing simply to make the postseason discipline in 2025.
Shane van Gisbergen will run away with Rookie of the Yr
Assuming van Gisbergen and Riley Herbst are the Rookie of the Yr candidates, the battle for the award will probably be intriguing. Van Gisbergen is a veteran driver with an unbelievable road-racing skill, whereas Herbst boasts extra stock-car expertise. Nonetheless, van Gisbergen’s skill to study on the fly was apparent throughout his Xfinity Collection marketing campaign in 2024, and if he can discover his means into victory lane at a highway course, he’ll sew up the award simply.
Ryan Preece will miss the playoffs in first yr with RFK Racing
Preece’s alternative with RFK Racing will probably be his greatest likelihood at Cup Collection success but. RFK would be the first secure, profitable group that Preece will stroll into, however there will probably be rising pains. In his first yr because the pilot of the No. 60 Ford, Preece will miss the playoff discipline by a slim margin.
Todd Gilliland will blossom as chief at Entrance Row Motorsports
With veteran Michael McDowell leaving for Spire Motorsports,. will probably be a fourth-year driver Gilliand taking on because the group’s most tenured driver. Noah Gragson is Gilliland’s solely confirmed teammate for 2025, however 2024 Cup Collection rookie Zane Smith is predicted to be signed by the group within the coming weeks. Gilliland has improved in each season of his profession and will take a giant step in 2025. Do not be shocked if he’s in competition for a playoff spot in August.
Kyle Larson will lead the Cup Collection in wins
Larson missed the Championship 4 in 2024, which ought to function motivation for the No. 5 group to make a championship push in 2025. Regardless of not making the ultimate spherical of the playoffs, Larson gained six races in 2024 — probably the most of any driver — and led 1,700 laps. The No. 5 group has been elite since coming again to life with Larson in 2021 (23 wins and 6,043 laps led). In 2025, Larson will lead the Cup Collection in wins for the third time in 5 years.
Spire Motorsports can have no less than one automotive make the playoffs
Do not look now, however Spire Motorsports is on the rise. A group consisting of second-year driver Carson Hocevar, fourth-year driver Justin Haley and veteran Michael McDowell is likely one of the most subtly stable lineups within the Cup Collection. Hocevar could present the group’s greatest alternative at a playoff berth, however do not depend out McDowell or Haley, each of whom have gained at superspeedways within the Cup Collection.
For the third straight yr, Ryan Blaney will make the Championship 4
Over the previous two seasons, Blaney has turn out to be considered one of NASCAR’s elite. His 2023 championship was practically defended in 2024 earlier than Blaney got here up simply shy to Penske teammate Joey Logano. In 2025, the No. 12 group will solely proceed to enhance. Do not be shocked if Blaney units a career-best mark in race wins and laps led en path to a 3rd consecutive Championship 4 look.
