NASCAR midseason superlatives: Who has shined brightest?

With the NASCAR Cup Series season nearly halfway over, it's appropriate to hand out midseason awards to drivers who have risen above their peers. While the awards range in criteria, they all serve the same purpose: to salute the drivers who have proved why they are the world's best.

Additionally, we highlight the best races so far in a season that has offered spectacular racing. 

Mr. Consistency | Chase Elliott

In 16 races, Elliott has not finished worse than 19th. Although he only had one top-10 finish through the first six races, he has put the pedal to the metal as the season has gone on, logging seven top-10s in the past 10 races. 

Throw in a win at Texas, his first since Talladega in the fall of 2022, and you have driver putting together a similar performance to the 2003 season of Matt Kenseth, who won the championship that year. Elliott is aiming for title No. 2. 

Mr. Headline | Kyle Larson

From attempting the Indy-Charlotte double to his waiver situation, Larson has been the most-discussed driver in the Cup Series. It hasn't just been for off-track reasons, either, as Larson — a three-time winner this season — leads NASCAR's regular-season standings. All signs point to the 2021 champion being the championship favorite again in 2024. 

Top rookie | Carson Hocevar

The rookie battle between Hocevar and Josh Berry is only separated by 10 points, but Hocevar's slightly better performance in an objectively worse car gives him the edge. Of course, there are still 20 races to go, and both drivers have put forth admirable performances, but Hocevar has taken Spire Motorsports to never-before-seen heights. The driver of the No. 77 got the team its first two top-10 performances on non-drafting ovals at Texas and St. Louis. 

Best underdog | Todd Gilliland

Gilliland was quick to let the NASCAR world know that he'd be more than an afterthought in 2024, leading 16 laps in the Daytona 500 and 58 at Atlanta the following week. 

While the driver of the No. 38 took a while to heat up, he has quietly worked his way up the points list and hasn't finished worse than 17th since Dover on April 28. Gilliland still has a long way to go to make the playoffs — a win at Daytona is likely his best shot — but he's laying the foundation for a bright future for him and Front Row Motorsports. 

Best races | Atlanta, Kansas

It's hard to choose between two historic finishes, so why not choose both? 

Atlanta gave fans a three-wide photo finish after a day full of three- and four-wide racing, while Kansas provided the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history after a day full of intense battles. 

Both tracks have come to be beloved by NASCAR fans in recent years, and the photo finishes they each provided show why. 

Both tracks have playoff races in the fall, so don't be surprised if their encore performances live up to expectations.