Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NASCAR Cup season will be kicked off with the iconic Daytona 500 on Sunday in Florida. 40 of the 42 drivers set to enter will fight each other for the race win and the first playoff spot. With seven former champions fighting for the title, the fans are In for an entertaining season in the premier stock car racing championship.

The year will mark the first title defense of Ryan Blaney’s career. The Team Penske driver won the championship last season because of his impressive clutch form in the last five races of the season. He hopes to become the first driver to defend the title since the playoff format was changed to the knockout model.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., via his podcast, recently predicted the 2024 Chmapinship-4 and his champion. He claimed that Team Penske Racing’s Joey Logano, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, and the champion Blaney will make it to the final four. According to Dale Jr, the latter will survive the challenge and win the Cup.

So, my four are Logano, Larson, Hamlin, and Blaney. And I got Blaney repeating. Now I know the odds of that happening are very not good at all. Right, nobody ever...ever happened.  But this is a short sample of you know, what we are pulling from to say, this has never happened. Were not talking about 75 year's of history here, just a few. But, I think, man they ran so good at the end of the year right? Junior said via Dale Jr. download.

Dale Jr. explains how the new Ford would affect Ryan Blaney

Junior went on to discuss how the changes made to Ford could affect their performance this season. He pointed out that the car could influence Blaney’s performance in certain tracks where aero and other challenges exist.

They got a new car. Is that new car going to help of them in some of the other race? Is it going to help them ins scenarios, aerodynamically and so forth that they found themselves in, where you know they were bit challenged? I know Toyota also has a new car too. Junior said.

It’s not just Ford; Toyota, who has eight cars racing for them in 2024, also changed their car. While talking about the same, he highlighted how the Camry’s are re-designed to help them push each other and draft better in Superspeedways.

So, could be interesting to see how those, that matters, the little change in the front end especially, i think where we mainly gonna see is at Daytona and Talladega were the pushing happens. They made the Toyota a lot better in terms of being able to push another car, I think. Junior noted.

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