As the NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Series prepare for a return trip to Rockingham Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series enters its only off weekend of the season.
With nine of 36 races completed, here’s a look at who’s hot and who’s not heading into the break.
Who’s hot?
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Why not start with the most recent winner in the series? Larson took it to the field at Bristol by leading 411 of the 500 laps. It was his second win of the second (Homestead) and third top five in the last four races.
The series’ next stop at Talladega, where Larson has never won in 20 attempts, could present a roadblock. Aside from that, it is hard seeing Larson slowing down anytime soon.
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Sunday’s race at Bristol was the seventh time that Larson and Hamlin have finished first and second in a race, but the first instance of Larson getting the better of Hamlin.
As good as Larson has been, Hamlin has been even more consistent of late. He, too, has a pair of wins (Martinsville, Darlington) and has finished in the top five each of the last four races. As a two-time Talladega winner, Hamlin may pick back up where left off coming out of the break.
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
The overall results have not been there for Blaney compared to Larson and Hamlin. Still, with back-to-back fifth-place finishes and a dominant 124 laps led at Homestead before his engine expired, Blaney has had as much speed as anyone in the field in recent weeks.
With some positive results in consecutive weeks, Blaney heads to Talladega where he is a three-time winner and one of the best in the series on superspeedways. There is a good chance the momentum continues.
Who’s not?
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
The defending champion has had an uncharacteristic start to the 2025 campaign. Logano’s eighth-place finish at Martinsville is his only top 10 of the season with three finishes outside the top 20.
He has led laps in five of the nine races and currently sits ninth in the standings thanks to the fifth-most stage points (70) in the series. With the results lacking, something seems off a quarter of the way into the season for the No. 22 bunch.
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aside from a 26th-place result at Atlanta, Bowman had five top 10s through the first six races and was in position to win Homestead until a late charge from Larson. Since that opening stretch, Bowman has finished 27th or worse the last three races.
To make matters worse, he was a solid top-five car at Bristol before his engine blew up in the final stage. This break could not have come at a better time for the No. 48 team as they look to reestablish that early-season form.
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
It has been a brutal start to the season for the veteran Keselowski. He has scored no more than 26 points in a race, failed to lead a lap and has yet to post a finish better than 11th (Las Vegas).
Tied for the second-most wins at Talladega (six) with Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, perhaps a long overdue top 10 results in the form of another win at the 2.66-mile track.
