So possibly you don’t watch that a lot NASCAR — but. However your mates or household could have the Daytona 500 on the tv on Sunday afternoon.
And to illustrate you need somebody to root for however simply don’t know who to root for, as there are such a lot of drivers to select from.
We’re right here that can assist you.
However who you cheer for all will depend on what makes you wish to root for a driver.
So we’ve divided drivers into totally different classes and have given you the most effective wager but in addition some alternate options. Word: We’re solely utilizing drivers who’re working the total season.
THE POPULAR
Root For: Chase Elliott
If you wish to root for the preferred driver, there’s actually just one to root for and it’s Elliott. The 29-year-old Hendrick driver is the 2020 Cup champion and has been named Most Standard Driver the final seven years. His father, Invoice, gained the award 16 instances.
Different choices: Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney had been second and third within the Most Standard Driver voting in 2024.
THE RACER
Root For: Kyle Larson
Larson, who has gained three main sprint-car and midget races because the 2024 season ended, will compete within the Indianapolis 500 for his second consecutive 12 months. If you wish to root for the driving force who can simply go quick — a man who gained’t have the ability to work on the automotive however will have the ability to clarify what it wants for velocity — Larson is your man.
Different choices: Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch. Bell is the closest factor to Larson relating to dash vehicles, whereas Busch is understood to race late fashions and different stock-car occasions.
THE KID
Root For: Ty Gibbs
Whereas Gibbs doesn’t have a win but, he’s simply 22 years previous. The grandson of workforce proprietor and Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, the 2022 Xfinity Series champion will doubtless be racing for many years.
Different choices: Todd Gilliland (age 24), Zane Smith (25) and Noah Gragson (26). All three drivers within the Entrance Row Motorsports secure are younger and they are going to be enjoyable to look at. All of them carry slightly little bit of an angle — aside from possibly Gilliland, who’s the veteran at Entrance Row.
THE VETERAN
Root For: Joey Logano
You get the most effective of each worlds right here as Logano has three championships and enters his seventeenth season. And but he’s solely 34 years previous and conceivably may stay within the Cup Collection for an additional 10 years.
Different choices: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who enters his thirteenth 12 months of Cup racing.
THE VILLIAN
Root For: Denny Hamlin
Hamlin is essentially the most polarizing driver within the collection, as he loves being brash. After a win in 2023, he declared, “I beat your favourite driver,” as boos rained down on him. And regardless of all that, individuals wish to hear from him. He has a well-liked podcast, aptly named,”Actions Detrimental.”
Different choices: Kyle Busch used to have that polarizing vibe, too, however a 57-race winless streak and a transfer to Richard Childress Racing appears to have softened the crowds’ venom once they see him.
THE THINKER
Root For: Brad Keselowski
The workforce co-owner of RFK Racing doesn’t appear to take the straightforward route. He’ll overanalyze issues. He’s brash, however he carries himself with a sure confidence, figuring out that he is bought extra data than the subsequent man.
Different choices: Michael McDowell. Few drivers have the respect of your complete Cup storage, and McDowell is one among them.
THE QUIRK
Root For: Alex Bowman
OK, so that you march to the beat of your individual drum slightly. Perhaps you want canine greater than individuals and you employ that little little bit of social aversion to your benefit. Bowman is that man.
Different choices: Chase Briscoe. Any man who says he’s by no means eaten a sizzling canine is just not completely regular, proper? His transfer to Joe Gibbs Racing can be a kind of to look at this 12 months.
THE TRAILBLAZERS
Root For: Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez
Wallace is the one Black driver within the collection and the one Black driver to have gained a Cup race since 1963. He drives for a workforce co-owned by Hamlin and sports activities icon Michael Jordan. Suarez is the one Mexican driver to win a Cup race and he drives for a workforce co-owned by Pitbull.
Different choices: Shane van Gisbergen. The three-time Supercars champion is the primary driver to come back from the Australian stock-car collection to attempt to make a profession in NASCAR.
THE MAN
Root For: Kyle Busch
He nicknamed himself “Rowdy” after the “Days of Thunder” character. He has two Cup titles. His 63 Cup wins and not using a Daytona 500 victory are essentially the most of any driver in historical past. And when you like him, he has a son that he’s grooming to observe in his footsteps.
THE UNDERDOG
Root For: Austin Dillon
The grandson of Richard Childress and driver of the enduring No. 3 automotive has had a tough go of it lately. He has 5 Cup victories in 11 years and simply two within the final 4 years.
Different choices: Josh Berry. At 33, he was a rookie within the Cup final 12 months at Stewart-Haas Racing and strikes to Wooden Brothers Racing this 12 months. Many thought his age would work in opposition to him, however he’s now driving for essentially the most historic workforce in NASCAR.
THE LOCAL
Root For: William Byron
There aren’t many North Carolinians driving and even fewer who grew up in Charlotte. Byron did. And he’s successful as he drives for a Hendrick workforce that used to make use of his favourite driver, Jimmie Johnson.
THE COOL
Root For: Ryan Blaney
Blaney frolicked with Sydney Sweeney for New 12 months’s. He’s a giant fan of Sturgill Simpson. His tattoo assortment contains the No. 10 (pushed by his grandfather and father) and a few epic “Star Wars” art work.
THE LOOK
Root For: Tyler Reddick
He will get the Jordan model paint schemes usually, and if not, he’s within the neon-green-and-black Monster colours. His vehicles all the time appear to seize the attention. And his rides are sometimes at or close to the entrance, as Reddick gained the 2024 regular-season title.
Different choices: Justin Haley. Haley’s black-and-yellow scheme all the time stands out on monitor.
THE AGITATOR
Root For: Ross Chastain
His driving model will make you wish to root for him or in opposition to him, however each time you watch him, you understand he’s giving it his all.
Different choices: Carson Hocevar and John Hunter Nemechek. Hocevar, at age 22, remains to be studying the road of what is overaggressive and what’s not the neatest transfer as he enters his second 12 months of Cup racing. However he’s rattling quick. Nemechek, who enters his third 12 months in Cup, hasn’t had as quick a Cup automotive to have the ability to push the bounds.
THE COUNTRY BOY
Root For: Chris Buescher
The Texas driver likes to race. If you wish to speak different sports activities, discover another person. However when you want somebody that can assist you in your attain, he’s your man.
THE STUDENT
Root For: Austin Cindric
The son of former Group Penske President Tim Cindric, Austin Cindric loves to speak racing and spends his time 24/7 occupied with the way to go quick.
THE LAST CHANCE
Root For: Ryan Preece
We’re ending this record with drivers who must win or at the least problem in the event that they wish to stay within the Cup Collection. Nobody is extra determined than Preece, who has had probabilities at a number of totally different groups and joins RFK Racing this 12 months.
Different choices: Erik Jones and Cole Custer. Jones drives for Legacy Motor Membership and whereas he has the expertise that can most likely hold him within the collection, if Legacy continues to wrestle, it may make it tough for Jones to get one other alternative. Custer is again in Cup after two years within the Xfinity Collection (he gained the Xfinity title in 2023) as he tries to hold the banner for Haas Manufacturing facility Group.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years overlaying motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Get extra from NASCAR Cup Collection Observe your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
