Drivers to watch, drivers with questions to answer in 4EVER 400 at Homestead-Miami
The season is winding down and the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 is headed to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the 4EVER 400. Drivers are going to have to buckle down at this point in the season. There is no room for mistakes in South Beach.
Heading into the 4EVER 400, there are a few things to note. The name of the race, for one, in honor of Kevin Harvick and his final season in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track he won the 2014 title at and one that means so much to him, he is being honored.
Not only that, he’s back in the Budweiser Ford once again, just like he was nine years ago for that championship. Does that give The Closer an edge in this race?
We’ll have to wait and see. However, the 4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1 will have some great wall-riding action.
Drivers to watch at 4EVER 400
Kyle Larson
As soon as he was done with his dominant performance at Las Vegas, Kyle Larson was already thinking about Homestead. He isn’t coasting to Phoenix. Larson wants to win the 4EVER 400 by 15 seconds each stage and 30 seconds at the end. He won four of the last five races in 2021. He loves to pile on the wins any chance he gets. 11/4 overall favorite for this race, Larson is in the driver’s seat, no pun intended.
Tyler Reddick
If there is one driver who can compete with the wall-riding skills of Kyle Larson, it is Tyler Reddick. This is a track that Reddick loves. He has since the Xfinity Series. Now, he’s going to try and punch his ticket to Phoenix by winning. He’s just behind Larson in the odds and should be a factor all day on Sunday.
William Byron
In the last five races, William Byron has finished P9, P1, P2, P2, and P7. He’s going to be a factor, folks. Kansas is his only race in the playoffs where he failed to make the top-10. Homestead-Miami is a track he’s won at before. Although we don’t think of Byron as a “wall-rider” he’s a great talent in a breakout season. Keep your eyes on him.
Kevin Harvick
I’ve been in a habit of only putting playoff drivers on this list since the postseason began. Even though his only win on the track came in 2014 for that championship, Harvick has a history at Homestead. Only once since 2008 has Harvick failed to finish in the top-10. He has never DNF’d from Homestead. In 22 total starts, he has made the top-10 19 times, top-5 12 times, with a pole and race win. It’s the 4EVER 400, if there was ever a time to win a race in 2023…
Drivers with questions to answer at Homestead-Miami
Ryan Blaney
Look, he got his points back from that DQ last week. So, Ryan Blaney doesn’t have to win to advance. However, his points situation is still double digits below the cutline. Blaney needs to race very well in this round if he wants to make the Championship 4. Now that he has a new lease on his playoff hopes, can he make it happen?
Martin Truex Jr.
Alright, Martin Truex Jr. scored his first top-15 finish of these playoffs when he finished P9 at Las Vegas. He had a poor tire strategy that cost him, though. Is there a path for this team right now? Can Truex and crew chief James Small both have a good day at the same time and get this 19-car to the championship?
Chris Buescher
Alright, Chris Buescher is in a tougher spot than anyone else. He’s 8th out of 8 drivers and needs to step it up these next two weeks. He arguably has to have the race of his career at Homestead. He’s never finished top-10 here in the Cup Series. Only one top-5 in the Xfinity Series. Can Buescher step up in the biggest moment and overcome his past?