We’re getting to the cutting edge of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Championship and already top of the pile for the regular-season title, Kevin Harvick is clearly the man to beat this year.
After making a strong start to the season with four consecutive top-ten finishes, two of which were in the top-five positions, Harvick gained his first race win of the campaign during 2020 The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Since then, consistency has been the hallmark of a driver who has finished outside the top-ten on just once.
Remarkably, with 19 races of the schedule completed, Harvick also remains the only driver who has managed to finish every race, with not one single “DNF” blemishing his record for the year so far. Such a feat is phenomenally difficult to achieve, especially given the frantic nature of NASCAR as drivers aggressively jostle for position. This is motorsport renowned for frequent collisions and crashes, not to mention more than a few high-speed spin-outs.
After all, when September rolls around and the playoffs get started, competition between the leading drivers gets fiercer with each and every race. Following the 2020 Super Start Batteries 400 at Kansas Speedway in July, ten drivers, including Harvick, had already clinched their place in the NASCAR playoffs with six more yet to earn their place amongst the last 16. This means those competing to reach the playoffs will really start burning some rubber, during the remaining races of the regular season.
Through August and right up until the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, there’s plenty of races that could still affect the final regular-season standings, and who will complete the list of 16 qualifiers for the playoffs. What makes the playoffs even edgier is that regardless of their regular-season standings, any one of those sixteen drivers could then go on to claim the 2020 NASCAR crown.
Given the excellent season that Harvick has enjoyed thus far, he’s also the outright favorite with bookmakers to win the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. This guide to getting the best prices for NASCAR betting will help you understand the odds, choose where to wager, and provide advice; which includes the recommendation to back more than one driver when betting. With the playoffs scheduled to complete in November, there will certainly be time for you to get a feel for who may have the best odds.
Although he hadn’t yet qualified for the playoffs at the end of July this year, reigning 2019 NASCAR champion Kyle Busch remains a genuine contender. Last year the 2015 champion qualified from 13th position in the rankings by the cut-off point, having only achieved 1 victory out of 26 races. Nevertheless, he clearly saved the best for last and through the playoffs, hit top gear to become the NASCAR Cup Series Champion for the second time in his exciting career.
While nobody will ignore what Busch is capable of achieving, which means that every driver will be looking over their shoulder, several other genuine candidates could yet make their mark when the playoffs begin. Denny Hamlin has won five races during the regular season, while Brad Keselowski has two race wins and a stack of consistent top-ten finishes. Don’t ignore Chase Elliott and Joey Logano as interesting outside options, either, with both drivers highly competitive this year.
Given the level of opposition, he’ll face in the races to come, particularly in the playoff phase, Harvick certainly faces a huge challenge if he’s to land the NASCAR Cup Series championship of his career. With so much at stake and such a talented pool of drivers, watching how everything pans out is guaranteed to be a thrilling ride for NASCAR fans.
