Eight drivers, eight cars, and five teams—after eight months, that’s what is left in the Cup Series frame. With the final race of the round of 12 coming to an end at the Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday, NASCAR now prepares to land at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the weekend. The next three races will decide the four who will fight for the championship, and the next 267 laps might confirm one of the four.

Hendrick Motorsports (2), Team Penske, RFK Racing, 23XI Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing (3): the five garages are surely feeling the heat more than others. On this subject, in a recent conversation with NBC sportscaster Rick Allen and NASCAR Talk editor Dustin Long, a NASCAR veteran shed light on the team that had the most chances to win this year’s Cup Series title.

The round of 8 line-up echoes the supremacy of Hendrick Motorsports

With the stakes set so high, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has perhaps fully stepped into his “must-win” mentality. In his 19 years of driving for Joe Gibbs, he has been unable to win the championship and he is already 43. It goes without saying that he will go all out over the course of the next few weeks. However, his road to glory remains obstructed by the talented Hendrick Motorsports duo.

According to Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett, Kyle Larson and William Byron have better chances of advancing to the grand finale at Phoenix Raceway. And that is primarily because of the tracks that lie ahead of them.

When Rick Allen asked why Jarrett felt like Rick Hendrick’s team would surely make it to the Championship 4, Jarrett lost no time in saying, “I think it’s a lot because of the way that the tracks set up here in this round of 8, William Byron and Kyle Larson are just phenomenal at these racetracks. They’ve won races at these tracks, they perform at a high level, they lead a lot of laps, they put themselves right in the mix and when they don’t win, they finish in the top 2 or 3.”

It is worth noting that Larson won the Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas back in 2021 and was the runner-up in 2022 and this season. He won at Homestead-Miami in 2022. Drawing attention to the speed of the HMS cars, Jarrett admitted, “I think that speed is something that is wonderful to have at your disposal and these first two races that line up at Las Vegas and Miami Homestead, are going to be that exactly. They both have shown the talent to win at Martinsville also.”

Despite the favorable schedule for Hendrick Motorsports, Dustin Long made a six-word announcement for the upcoming playoff battle that had the fans wheeling their heads.

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A new name makes its way into the fold

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The recent episode of the NBC podcast started with the one cardinal question, who will make it into the Championship 4 race? While many might feel like Team Penske speedster Ryan Blaney could execute another unexpected move or Tyler Reddick could work his way up based on the sheer speed of his #45 Camry, the majority seem to favor neither Team Penske nor 23XI Racing.

On that note, Dustin Long exclaimed, “I’m going to call it Hendrick Motorsports versus Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Dale Jarrett agreed and exclaimed that Long was 75% right. The three shared a hearty laughter after that. Jarrett concurred, pointing at the year-long consistency that William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson have shown despite all odds. However, he mouthed another name that none of the other two took.

“I’m gonna throw in the young man that has had his best season Chris Buescher. I think (he) has an opportunity right here to make his way into the Championship 4,” he added.

Who do you think will form the 2023 Championship 4 race line-up? Share your top-4 pick for this year’s Championship race below!

Read more: Hendrick Motorsports Veteran Hints Doubt in Their Playoff Ace Amid Return of Troubles