Kevin Harvick, Bob Pockrass circle NASCAR driver under most pressure in 2025

There’s pressure on every NASCAR Cup Series driver to perform well and ultimately win. But pressure exists just a little bit more with certain drivers.

Which driver is under the most pressure in 2025? FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick believes it’s Denny Hamlin, he said earlier this week on his “Happy Hour” podcast.

“Denny Hamlin. We covered a lot of that, and I think that with his high-profile expectations status, all the podcasts, lawsuits, 23XI, Michael Jordan — I mean, it’s as high-profile as you can get,” Harvick said. “I think right off the bat, these guys are gonna ask him all the questions of can you win, and ultimately that’s what it all comes down to is can you win. And he didn’t win the championship, I don’t believe he does win a championship going forward. I think his best opportunity was with what he had. I don’t know that he has time to rebuild something else into that.”

For Hamlin, it’s easy to see the pressure he’s under. Now 20 years into his Hall of Fame career, Hamlin has accomplished just about everything this level of racing has to offer. But the one thing that’s eluded him throughout his career is a Cup championship.

Now 44, Hamlin doesn’t have many realistic chances left at capturing a championship. Couple that with the fact he’s working with a new crew chief in Chris Gayle after longtime crew chief Chris Gabehart was promoted to Joe Gibbs Racing director of competition, and you see why there’s some concern if his time has passed.

NASCAR insider gives pick for driver under most pressure in 2025

While Harvick went with one of NASCAR’s biggest names in Hamlin, FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass went a different route. Pockrass said the driver under the most pressure is Chase Briscoe, who is entering his first season with JGR.

“My driver under pressure is one who hasn’t won a whole lot [and that’s] Chase Briscoe,” Pockrass said. “He steps into a team that’s used to winning. They didn’t win last year. But I think that provides a little bit of chips on their shoulder because I think they feel like they had a great driver last year and for several years in Martin Truex Jr., but I think they want somebody who is a little more accustomed to kind of the new way of doing things.

“The new way of studying and the new way of how you have to drive this car and being told how to drive it in some ways by more people than maybe if you’re an old school driver. So, I think the pressure is on Chase Briscoe to win.”

Briscoe is replacing Truex in the No. 19 Toyota after the 2017 champion retired from full-time competition. The 30-year-old is talented, yes, but has just two wins to show for it in four seasons of Cup competition.

After the No. 19 team failed to get to Victory Lane in 2024, they’re counting on Briscoe to turn things around.