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Last weekend in Bristol, the NASCAR Cup Series' 16-driver playoff bracket was whittled down to 12 drivers, with former Cup Series champions being eliminated in the process.
The remaining 12 drivers advance into the second round of the playoff season, with the Texas Motor Speedway hosting the first of the three races in the round. The 1.5-mile oval will host the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Cup Series this Sunday, September 24.
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Tyler Reddick is the defending race winner, as he took his last victory for Richard Childress Racing in the #8 Chevy last year. Joey Logano and Justin Haley rounded up the top three finishers in 2022.
The 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the first opportunity for playoff drivers to book their spot in the Round of 8.
Every playoff driver will be eyeing the victory lane this weekend as the chaotic races in the following weekends at Talladega and Charlotte can shuffle the order.
In this piece, we will look at four playoff drivers who are most likely to reach the victory lane at the end of the 267-lap ordeal.
4 NASCAR playoff drivers who are favorites to win at Fort Worth, Texas
#4 Kyle Larson
The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver was the first playoff candidate to advance into the Round of 12 after he won the Southern 500 at Darlington. Kyle Larson continued his winning form over the next two races as he finished the round with a stunning average finish of 2.3.
Larson heads to Texas Motor Speedway with momentum on his side. He has won two races on the track, both of them coming in his title-winning season in 2021. He won the playoff race and also won the All-Star race on the 1.5-mile oval two years ago.
Given his current form, the 2021 Cup Series will be a contender for victory this weekend.
#3 Ryan Blaney
The #12 Team Penske driver has an impressive record at Texas Motor Speedway, where he has finished outside the top 8 only once in his nine starts on the track. The mechanical issue in 2019 forced him to a 37th-place finish.
Blaney has reached the victory lane once at the 1.5-mile mark when he won the NASCAR All-Star race in 2022. In the playoff race last season, he took a fourth-place finish and is one of the favorites to reach the victory lane this weekend.
#2 Kyle Busch
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion had a disappointing run in the Round of 16 but managed to scrape through to the next round. A 20th-place finish at Bristol was enough to book his spot in the Round of 12.
Kyle Busch can turn around his playoff campaign this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, as he has four race wins to his name on the track. He has 18 top-10 finishes and 14 top-five finishes in his past 32 starts.
Busch will be looking for a change in fortunes this weekend as he hopes to win his third NASCAR Cup Series title.
#1 Denny Hamlin
Alongside Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin is the only other driver who has shown race-winning pace in the three rounds. His consistency over the first two rounds culminated with a victory in the Bristol Night Race last weekend.
This weekend, Hamlin returns to a track where he has made 32 starts and finished in the top-10 in half of those starts. He also has three race wins and seven top-five finishes on the 1.5-mile oval.
The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver could continue his winning streak this weekend en route to his first NASCAR championship.
