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After a two-week break for the Olympics, the NASCAR season has resumed for the remaining races followed by the playoff rounds. Out of the 15 Cup Series teams competing for the 2024 Championship, six have confirmed their berth for the Chase to the Cup with a win, while other teams are still trying to get the finishes they want.
Here's a list of three Cup Series teams under duress as the season advances to its final stretch:
#1 Richard Childress Racing
RCR, owned by legendary Richard Childress, has a two-car operation in the Cup Series. They field the two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch in the #8 Chevy and Austin Dillon, the grandson of Childress, behind the #3.
Busch joined RCR last year and claimed three wins in 15 starts for the team. However, he has faced several disappointments this season. With only two top-5 finishes, the #8 driver has five DNFs in seven consecutive races after 22 starts. Moreover, Busch is on the verge of missing out on the playoffs for the first time in almost two decades.
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The 2018 Daytona 500 winner Dillon, in his 11th season with RCR, has accumulated four wins for the team. Dillon has also had underwhelming returns in the current season, with just two top-10s and three DNF finishes. He is now at P32 in the 2024 points table.
#2 Spire Motorsports
Formed in 2018, Spire Motorsports has been in the news recently for making noticeable changes to its driver lineup for 2015. Since its inception, the team has only won once, in 2019. Spire drivers haven't won a race in 2024 so far. The team currently fields three full-time Cup drivers: Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith, and Carson Hocevar.
Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson claimed to have one main goal after making bold changes to his organization: WIN.
Earlier this season, they signed NASCAR veteran Michael McDowell, who is set to replace Zane Smith in the #71 Chevy. They also signed a former Cup Series winner crew chief Rodney Childers for the #7 car. Moreover, Spire relieved veteran driver LaJoie from the #7.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Hocevar will possibly stay put with the team for the next season as Spire continues its search to fill the #7 Chevy seat.
#3 Legacy Motor Club
Formerly known as Petty GMS Motorsports, this team is co-owned by legendary NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson. With its lackluster performance, this organization has recently announced a couple of changes in its leadership. Legacy revealed that the former Joe Gibbs Racing engineer Jacob Canter will become the Director of competitions for the team. Moreover, they hired a long-time motorsports executive Bobby Kennedy in a newly formed position of General Manager.
Led by seven-time Cup Series champion Johnson, LMC currently fields two full-time entries in the Cup Series: Erik Jones drives the #43 Toyota, and John Hunter Nemechek is behind the #42.
Nemechek is in his first season with the team and has only managed three top-10 finishes in 22 starts and stands P31 in the points standings. Meanwhile, Jones only one top-10 finish this season, at the Daytona 500. He has struggled to keep up as NASCAR inches toward the playoff rounds.
