Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Tyler Reddick: Reddick passed Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney on the final lap to win the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead. Reddick joined Joey Logano as drivers who qualified for the championship round.
“Denny is one of my car owners along with the great Michael Jordan,” Reddick said. “It’s pretty surreal because passing Denny on the final lap is like dunking on Michael Jordan. Of course, I would never dunk on Michael, because I can’t dunk, because I’m white and 5’4.”
2. Joey Logano: Logano finished 28th at Homestead.
“I’ve already clinched a spot in the final,” Logano said, “so I didn’t have to deal with the nerves. If you want to tie your stomach in a knot, be a driver in the Round Of 8 with three races left. Or eat some Hunt Brothers Pizza.”
3. Christopher Bell: Bell started third and finished fourth at Homestead.
“I haven’t locked in a spot to the championship round,” Bell said, “but I’m in the best position points-wise. I don’t have any children, but I hope to be making a ‘berth’ announcement at Martinsville.”
4. Ryan Blaney: Blaney led 47 laps and held the lead on the final lap, but Tyler Reddick made a dramatic pass in Turn 4 to steal the win. Blaney settled for second.
“I’m still very confident I can defend my championship,” Blaney said. “It just might take me until next year.”
5. William Byron: Byron finished sixth at Homestead.
“It’s going to be wild at Martinsville,” Byron said. “It’s too bad NASCAR outlawed the wall-hugging Hail Mary move that Ross Chastain did there in 2022. Because it would be really cool to see six drivers do that at once.”
6. Alex Bowman: Bowman came home seventh at Homestead.
“That was a heck of a final lap,” Bowman said. “Reddick had such a huge run to pass Ryan Blaney. At Darlington, Reddick just had the huge runs.”
7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 13th in the Straight Talk Wireless 400.
“We just didn’t have our best day,” Larson said. “So, I’ve really put myself behind the eight ball. On the bright side, I’ve been there before.”
8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished third at Homestead and will most likely need a win at Phoenix to advance to the championship round.
“It would mean a lot if I could join Tyler Reddick in the championship round,” Hamlin said. “I’m hoping Tyler can give me a little help since I am his car owner. He was looking out for No. 1 at Homestead; I need him to look out for No. 11 at Martinsville.”
9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished fifth at Homestead and is now eighth in the points standings.
“That means I’m in a must-win situation,” Elliott said. “I’m confident I can do it. Anything is possible when the full support of the Dawsonville Pool Room is behind you. Those people are pushing me as much as their livers are pushing on their insides.”
10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 23rd at Homestead.
“I’ve got two more chances to close out my full-time career with a win,” Truex said. “Two of my Joe Gibbs Racing teammates are looking for spots in the championship round. Would I help one or both at the expense of losing a win? I’m a man of few words, and ‘No’ is the absolute minimum I can use for an answer, and that’s totally on brand.”
