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NASCAR enters the second half of the season, as Cup drivers return to action at Nashville Superspeedway. The tri-oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, will host the fourth edition of the Ally 400.
The oval 1.33 concrete will host the Truck, Xfinity, and the Cup Series over the weekend. The Ally 400 Cup race is scheduled for this Sunday, June 30 at 3:30 PM ET.
The intermediate tri-oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, has a concrete surface with 14-degree banking in the turns. The frontstretch and the backstretch feature 9 and 6 degrees of banking respectively.
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Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won two of the three races at the track, with Chevrolet sweeping the three races. The Chevy drivers will be one to watch this weekend, while one can expect strong competition from Joe Gibbs Racing.
Let us take a look at five drivers expected to battle for the win this weekend in Tennessee.
5 NASCAR drivers to watch out at Nashville Superspeedway
#5 Chase Elliott
The 2020 NASCAR Cup champion, Chase Elliott, has been very consistent in the first half of the season, boasting the best average finish position. He won the second edition of the Ally 400 in 2022 and finished fourth last season. One can bank on Elliott for a solid finish this weekend, and he could potentially be in the mix for the race win.
#4 Martin Truex Jr.
The veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Martin Truex Jr., came very close to winning the Ally 400 last season but had to settle for a second-place finish. He has recorded two top-10 finishes and led 132 laps in NASCAR's three visits to Nashville Superspeedway.
Truex Jr. has experienced a string of misfortune in recent weeks, however, this weekend might present an opportunity for him to return to the victory lane in his farewell season.
#3 Denny Hamlin
Following an impressive stretch of top-5 finishes, Denny Hamlin and the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing team have lost momentum in June. Nonetheless, this weekend's trip to an intermediate oval presents an opportunity to return to the victory lane.
Hamlin has recorded a third and a sixth-place finish in his previous two visits to the 1.33-mile concrete oval. He is expected to be in the mix for the win this weekend.
#2 Kyle Larson
The 2021 NASCAR Cup champion has been the most impressive driver on intermediate ovals this season, boasting the best average running position at such tracks.
Larson, winner of the inaugural Ally 400 in 2021, has led the most laps at Nashville Superspeedway. With three top-5 results, he has an average finish of 3.3. He will be in the mix to clinch his fourth victory of the season.
#1 Ross Chastain
The #1 Trackhouse Racing driver returns to his favorite track this weekend to defend his race win at Nashville Superspeedway. He boasts the best average finish at the track, an impressive 2.7 in three starts, and has led 103 laps there.
Similar to his last year's campaign, the Ally 400 could be Ross Chastain's best opportunity to secure his playoff berth, although he currently has enough points to remain above the cutline.
