NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass picks HMS’s driver as favorite to win Cup Championship Race
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoff season heads to the one-mile-long track for Sunday’s Championship Race. Ahead of the Phoenix Championship Race, NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass shared his prediction, picking the championship winner, top-five finishes and longshot to win the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.
Pockrass picked Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron to take the checkered flag and 2024 championship at Phoenix. Byron is coming off a consistent performance. He will start from eighth position on Sunday and will look to secure his first Cup Series championship and first for HMS in the Next Gen era.
Rounding out Pockrass’ top-five predictions are Kyle Larson, the defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Tyler Reddick. Byron, Blaney, Reddick, and Logano are the four championship 4 drivers of the season. He also picked Alex Bowman as a dark horse prospect.
On X, Pockrass wrote:
“My pick for Cup championship race: Byron ... top-5: Byron Larson Blaney Logano Reddick ... darkhorse: Bowman”
William Byron has done well at the one-mile Phoenix track. He has collected one win, two top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes, with an average finish of 11.8 in 13 starts at this track.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Ryan Blaney is the favorite to win on Sunday. If he wins his second consecutive championship, the #12 Team Penske driver will become the first champion since Jimmie Johnson to win back-to-back titles.
Kevin Harvick picks Ryan Blaney to win 2024 NASCAR championship
Former driver-tuned commentator Kevin Harvick picks Penske’s Ryan Blaney as a favorite to win his second NASCAR title at Phoenix. Blaney is coming off a win that locked his spot in the championship race and will start from 17th on Sunday.
In a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked to give his prediction for the Phoenix Championship race, Harvick said:
“I gave you my breakdown, and unfortunately, I’m going to have to jump on the train. I gotta jump on the Ryan Blaney train. So, I'm going with Blaney. I just think he has the momentum. Just did it. Defending champ.” [51:02]
Catch Cup Series drivers and teams in action at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 10 at 3 pm ET. The event will be telecast on NBC Sports.