Sports
10 storylines to follow for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series
Nov 10, 2024; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) celebrates after winning the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has a plethora of storylines to follow before cars even hit the track. The fourth season of NASCAR’s Next-Gen car is sure to provide plenty of parity, and every driver in the field has a unique outlook for their 2025 campaign.
Here are 10 storylines and questions to follow throughout the 38-week season.
1. Can Kyle Busch get off the schneid?
Busch is one of the greatest drivers in the history of NASCAR, but even he is not immune to a losing streak. 2024 was the first season in Busch’s 20-year career in which the two-time champion failed to win a race, and there’s no indication that Richard Childress Racing will magically show up with race-winning speed right off the bat. However, a hungry driver is a dangerous driver, and Busch will begin his 21st Cup Series campaign by attempting to win the Daytona 500 for the first time. If Busch struggles again in 2025, expect questions regarding his driving future to be asked on a much more frequent basis.
2. Can Denny Hamlin get back to the Championship 4?
Hamlin hasn’t made the Championship 4 since 2021, and the 54-time Cup Series winner is still searching for his first championship. The changes made to the No. 11 team over the offseason didn’t exactly quell the nerves Hamlin fans feel regarding a potential championship run, either. The loss of a longtime partner in FedEx and a newer sponsor in Mavis serve as a flashback to Busch’s unceremonious, sponsor-fueled departure from Joe Gibbs Racing in 2022. Crew chief Chris Gabehart leaving Hamlin for an executive role with JGR could lead to a lack of chemistry between Hamlin and new crew chief Chris Gayle. Regardless of the extenuating circumstances at hand, there’s still pressure on Hamlin to at least find his way back into the Championship 4. At 44 years old, Father Time is drawing closer in the rearview.
3. Can Ty Gibbs break through for his first Cup Series win?
Many in the NASCAR industry have arbitrarily set a benchmark for young Cup Series talent to start performing at a higher level at 100 starts. Enter third-year driver Ty Gibbs, a veteran of 87 Cup Series starts and the 2023 Cup Series Rookie of the Year. Gibbs made the Cup Series playoffs for the first time in 2024, though a late-season slump was disappointing after a white-hot start. It once seemed inevitable that Gibbs would earn his first win in 2024, but the page has turned to 2025 with Gibbs still searching for that elusive first victory. It would be surprising to see Gibbs go winless this year, though the aforementioned crew chief moves at Joe Gibbs Racing could play a factor in the fate of his season. Gayle was atop the pit box for Gibbs during his 2022 Xfinity Series championship run and his first two Cup Series seasons. With Gayle moving next door to the No. 11 team, Gibbs will have to adapt quickly to new crew chief Tyler Allen in order to earn his first trip to victory lane.
4. Can Chase Elliott return to championship form?
No disrespect to Elliott, who returned to victory lane in 2024 at Texas after a 42-race winless streak, but the 2020 champion simply hasn’t been the same since a leg injury early in 2023. You could argue that Elliott was the best driver in the sport from 2020 to 2022, a three-year span in which he won 12 races and made the Championship 4 in three straight seasons. NASCAR’s most popular driver was undeniably consistent a season ago, but there’s work to be done in order to get back into championship contention.
5. Who will be the top dog at Hendrick Motorsports?
One of the most underrated stories in NASCAR over the past two seasons has been the back-and-forth between Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron. Over the past two years, Larson has won 10 races to Byron’s nine. Byron has made the Championship 4 in both seasons, while Larson missed out in 2024. It wouldn’t be surprising to see either HMS driver lead the Cup Series in wins in 2025, nor would it be surprising to see Larson or Byron hoist the Bill France Cup at season’s end. The battle between two of the best drivers in the sport, driving two of the best cars in the sport, is a fascinating story that will add a new chapter on a weekly basis.
6. Can Ryan Blaney continue his ascension?
The best way to describe the last two seasons of Ryan Blaney’s career? Legacy defining. After winning the 2023 title, Blaney came less than four tenths of a second away from becoming the first back-to-back champion of the playoff era. A narrow championship loss to Team Penske teammate Joey Logano should provide a little extra fire in Blaney’s belly as he aims to make the Championship 4 for the third consecutive season.
7. Spire, Front Row on the rise
Front Row Motorsports and Spire Motorsports were once field-filling organizations with little hope of being faster than any other car on the track. Now, both organizations have built driver lineups poised to take them to the postseason. Spire boasts a three-driver lineup comprised of Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell, 2024 ROTY Carson Hocevar and fourth-year driver Justin Haley. Front Row is home to fourth-year driver Todd Gilliland, third-year driver Noah Gragson and 2022 Truck Series champion Zane Smith. Don’t be surprised if both teams put at least one driver in the Cup Series playoffs.
8. Different ends of the rookie spectrum
The 2025 Cup Series Rookie of the Year battle is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Only two full-time drivers — Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen and 23XI Racing’s Riley Herbst — will compete for the honor, but the drivers come from completely different ends of NASCAR’s rookie spectrum. van Gisbergen is a 35-year-old road-course specialist who won in his first Cup Series start, while Herbst is a 25-year-old who underperformed during his tenure in the Xfinity Series. Herbst has more stock-car experience and will likely be quicker on the ovals, but van Gisbergen’s road-course prowess and ability to learn on the fly will make for a fascinating tussle between the Cup Series’ two first-year drivers.
9. Can anyone defeat Penske when it matters most?
Roger Penske has figured out the secret formula to winning NASCAR championships in the modern era: simply blow the competition out of the water come playoff time. That philosophy has won “The Captain” three consecutive Cup Series championships (Logano in 2022 and 2024 and Blaney in 2023). There’s no excuse for the rest of the field to ignore this trend, and teams will have to decide whether or not going for broke in an attempt to win more races is worth potentially damaging their championship chances.
10. Will the dreaded “championship hangover” bite Joey Logano?
Since the elimination-style format was introduced to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, Logano has made the Championship 4 six times and won the title thrice. Interestingly enough, none of those Championship 4 appearances have come in consecutive seasons, and Logano is yet to make the championship race in a year that ends in an odd number. That statistic may be coincidental, but Logano should heed prior tales of championship hangovers that have haunted drivers before him. As Tony Stewart (2006), Brad Keselowski (2013) and Logano himself (2023) will tell you, a Champagne shower doesn’t always make the grass greener.
–Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media
Sports
Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes look to shut down Senators in Game 2
Apr 18, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) looks against the Ottawa Senators during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images Finding space on the ice is expected to be an ongoing challenge for the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series.
So, finding any small edge will be critical when they meet in Game 2 on Monday night at Raleigh, N.C.
“The first round always has all the energy in the world and that’s what you expect,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
Carolina won 2-0 in the first game Saturday behind Frederik Andersen’s 22-save performance.
Both teams had difficulty finding openings and more of that could be in the works.
“I don’t think this series it’s ever going to look like there’s a ton of space out there,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “It’s going to look very similar every night. I think at the end of every game, both teams are going to feel like there wasn’t space on the ice and I don’t see changing.”
So, it came down to what the goalies could do.
“The goalies had to really shine,” Brind’Amour said.
Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark made 27 saves Saturday, but he fell to 5-11 in career playoff games. He was sharp as well, though Andersen stole the spotlight when it wasn’t clear leading up to the series opener if he would be Brind’Amour’s choice.
He had to decide between Andersen and rookie Brandon Bussi. Andersen got the call.
“He was up to the challenge,” Brind’Amour said. “We have good options and both guys have played well. Clearly, experience, I think won out. … Freddy has a track record and we know what he’s capable of.”
Green said to win on the road in the playoffs the goalie has to play well (and he liked Ullmark’s outing) and a power-play goal or two would be a boost.
The teams combined to go 0-for-9 on power plays in Game 1, with the Hurricanes having five chances.
“They’re a quick team,” Green said. “They’re good in this building.”
Carolina’s relentless nature is something the Senators need to be ready for again.
“They’re deep,” Green said. “They’re good. … Carolina does a real good job of playing their game.”
Carolina’s Logan Stankoven supplied a goal and an assist in the series opener, extending a strong stretch. He had an eight-game points streak to end the regular season.
Three of Stankoven’s four multi-point postseason outings have come with the Hurricanes. His line has been rolling up strong numbers for the past few weeks.
“We have a lot of depth,” Stankoven said. “Since the break, our line has been clicking pretty good. We’ve been able to find each other and I think we’re all hungry to track pucks.”
Now the Hurricanes will look for upgrades on power plays.
“If we look at one area we’re not overly happy with is our power-play chances,” Stankoven said. “Every team as a series goes on makes adjustments.”
Carolina improved to 7-0 in its last seven postseason opening games. The Hurricanes put together some quality stretches in the offensive zone.
“They probably deserved to win analytically, and they did,” Green said.
The Hurricanes have won 12 of 18 all-time best-of-seven series when winning Game 1.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Keller directs Pirates over Rays to clinch series win
Apr 19, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) tags Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) out at second base on a steal attempt during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Mitch Keller pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs to help the host Pittsburgh Pirates score a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.
Coming off a 13-inning loss on Saturday where Pittsburgh used six relievers, Keller (2-1) preserved some arms for the Pirates bullpen and helped his team take two of three games against the Rays, who entered the series having won six in a row.
Bryan Reynolds backed up the pitching with two hits and three RBI to lead Pittsburgh’s bats, while Spencer Horwitz and Nick Yorke each hit solo home runs.
Nick Gonzales had two hits and an RBI and Jake Mangum also had two hits. The Pirates did it with the long ball and small ball as they recorded three bunt singles in a game for the first time since 1998.
After picking up his first win in three years in his previous start, Rays starter Shane McClanahan (1-2) was unable to follow up that success, nor spare Tampa Bay’s own taxed bullpen a day after it used seven relievers. He allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out five over 4 1/3 innings on 90 pitches.
Keller picked up his second win in his fifth start of the season after not doing so last season until his 17th start. He struck out five and gave up five hits and did not issue a walk on 89 pitches.
The Rays took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth on a two-run single by Hunter Feduccia off Keller, which was one of Tampa Bay’s six hits overall. Jonny DeLuca followed a Richie Palacios double and then stole second to set up Feduccia’s go-ahead hit.
The Pirates answered immediately when Joey Bart doubled and Billy Cook followed with a bunt single and stole second. Two batters later, Gonzales singled to drive in Bart, and Reynolds followed with a two-run single to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-2.
Right-hander Wilber Dotel was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis and made his major-league debut in the ninth. He allowed a solo home run to Junior Caminero, but then struck out Jonathan Aranda and retired Yandy Diaz on a ground out, and Cedric Mullins on a fly ball to center. The Pirates optioned reliever Cam Sanders to Triple-A Indianapolis.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Curtis Mead, Keibert Ruiz help Nationals tame Giants
Apr 19, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Curtis Mead (45) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Curtis Mead hit a two-run homer, Keibert Ruiz had two hits and the Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 3-0 in Washington on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Andrew Alvarez (1-0), called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Rochester, pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, allowing three hits and striking out five without a walk.
PJ Poulin opened for Washington and was replaced by Miles Mikolas with two outs and two on in the first. Mikolas, who began the day with an 11.49 ERA, pitched four scoreless innings while allowing four hits in his best outing of the young season.
Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert had two hits each for the Giants, who had won three straight, but went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
San Francisco’s Robbie Ray (2-3) gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
The Giants put runner on first and second with two outs in each of the first two innings but did not score.
The Nationals got an infield single and a walk to open the third inning but couldn’t cash in. Curtis Mead hit a blooper to shallow left field that dropped, but Keibert Ruiz briefly broke back towards second and was thrown out at third. Brady House flied to the warning track in center and CJ Abrams flied out.
Washington took a 3-0 lead in the fifth. Nasim Nunez reached on a bunt single and stole second. Ruiz hit shot to left center and Heliot Ramas made a diving effort but couldn’t come up with it. Nunez scored and Mead lined the first pitch he saw from Ray out to left for a two-run homer.
The first two Giants reached base in the eighth inning on an error and a single, but Casey Schmitt grounded into a double play and pinch hitter Jerar Encarnacion struck out.
–Field Level Media
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Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes look to shut down Senators in Game 2
