This was the first season without 2014 champion Kevin Harvick since 2000, as he retired after the 2023 season and joined the NASCAR on Fox broadcast booth in 2024,[1] and the first season since 2011 without Aric Almirola, who stepped away from racing full-time after the 2023 season. In addition, this was the last season for NASCAR's 2015 TV rights deal.[2] This was the last season for Tony Stewart's ownership of Stewart-Haas Racing, as the team announced that they would be shutting down operations at season's end. Gene Haas will fully own the team, with the team being operated by current team president Joe Custer. The team will have one charter and run under the name Haas Factory Team in 2025.[3] This was also the final season for 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr., as he announced his retirement from full-time racing on June 14.[4] In addition, this was the final season for GEICO as a premier partner of the Cup Series.[5] This was also the first winless season of the 2015 and 2019 champion Kyle Busch since 2004.
^Justin Allgaier ran the Coca Cola 600 in place of Kyle Larson, who ran the Indianapolis 500 the same day. Larson was originally supposed to get in the car, but the race was called before he officially took over.
^On April 2, RCR announced that Justin Alexander would replace Rodden as the crew chief of the No. 3 car for the remainder of the 2024 season.[28]
^On April 20, Team Penske announced that Palmer would substitute for Hassler as the crew chief of the No. 12 car, as Hassler's wife was expected to give birth soon.[61]
^Christopher Bell has car chief Chris Sherwood listed as his crew chief for a few weeks after Adam Stevens suffered a double knee injury during his vacation in late-July 2024.
^On April 28, Legacy Motor Club announced that Cohen would substitute for Elenz as the crew chief of the No. 43 car, as Elenz had to attend to a personal matter.
In 2023, it was announced that The Money Team Racing would run five to eight races in 2024. They reportedly planned to participate in the 2024 Daytona 500, but did not attempt the race.[120] The team would undergo an ownership change, being renamed to Team AmeriVet, with the Coca-Cola 600 being the first race the team attempted after the changes.[96]
Smithfield Foods announced that it would not return to NASCAR as a sponsor in 2024, after Aric Almirola announced his retirement from full-time competition. Smithfield sponsored Almirola from 2012 to 2023, as he drove the No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 10 for Stewart–Haas Racing.[125]
Hunt Brothers Pizza signed a multi-year deal to serve as sponsor of the Team Penske No. 22 of Joey Logano, starting in 2024. The pizza chain would also act as an associate sponsor for the No. 12 of Ryan Blaney.[128] Hunt Brothers previously sponsored the Stewart–Haas Racing No. 4 of Kevin Harvick, who retired at the end of the 2023 season.
The United States Air Force signed a deal to sponsor the 23XI Racing No. 23 of Bubba Wallace for several races in 2024. The USAF previously sponsored Wallace when he drove the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 from 2018 to 2020.[130]
In 2022, 3F Racing announced that they hope to run the full season with their No. 30 car in the Cup Series in 2024 after debuting in the series part-time in 2023. The team ultimately did not enter any Cup Series races in 2023.[142] On July 18, 2023, the team announced that Xfinity and Truck Series driver Ryan Vargas would be their Director of Team and Driver Development as well as a reserve driver for them when they debut in the Cup Series.[143] On November 5, Frontstretch reporter Jared Haas spoke to the team's owners at the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race and they indicated that 3F could debut in the Cup Series in 2024 and run eight to ten races if they are able to find sponsorship.[144] The team did make their debut in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2023.[145]
In 2023, it was announced that Erebus Motorsport planned to enter the Cup Series for five races in 2024, including an oval race with Brodie Kostecki in collaboration with Richard Childress Racing.[146][147] Due to ongoing contract controversy between Erebus and Kostecki, it is unknown whether or not Erebus Motorsport will still race in the Cup Series or with a different driver.[148]Paul Morris, Kostecki's long–time mentor, later confirmed that the planned races, Sonoma and Chicago being two of the likely races, had been axed.[149]
Drivers
On March 11, 2024, Matt Jaskol revealed that he was planning on making his Cup Series debut at the Circuit of the Americas with MBM Motorsports, whom he had previously driven for in the Xfinity Series in 2021 and 2022, but that they would need sponsorship in order to participate in the race.[150] A couple hours before it was announced that Timmy Hill would drive the car, Jaskol stated that he had failed to find sponsorship in time for the race, but that he was still planning on making a start with MBM later in the season.[151]
Rule changes
Cup Series cars would run a new aero package at all road courses and tracks measuring one mile or shorter (except Bristol Motor Speedway and Dover Motor Speedway). The package would consist of a three-inch spoiler, a simplified diffuser and diffuser strakes, the 2023-spec short track/road course splitter stuffers, and no engine panel strakes.[152]
All road/street courses in 2024 would have stage-break cautions.[153]
Following Corey LaJoie's flip at Michigan, NASCAR mandated a Right Side Rear Window Air Deflector to be used the following week during Daytona.[154]
Schedule
The 2024 schedule was released on October 4, 2023 and consists of 31 oval races, 4 road course races, one street track race, and 4 non-championship races to be held on ovals.[155]
^Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum was brought forward from Sunday, February 4 to Saturday, February 3 due to anticipated severe weather.[157] Television broadcasting of the race was switched from Fox to FS1 due to this rescheduling.[155]
^The Daytona 500 was postponed from Sunday, February 18 to Monday, February 19 due to rain.[158]
^The FireKeepers Casino 400 started on Sunday, August 18 but was postponed to Monday, August 19 due to rain.[162]
Bolded races indicate an event generally known as a Crown Jewel race.
O Oval track R Road course S Street course
Confirmed schedule changes
On November 6, 2022, it was confirmed that 2023 would be the last race on Auto Club Speedway's 2-mile configuration.[164] The track would not be on the 2024 schedule due to being reconfigured into a short track.
On September 15, 2023, Bristol Motor Speedway announced that the spring Bristol race would return to being run on concrete, having taken place on dirt the prior three seasons. In the same press release, it was confirmed that Bristol would continue to have two race dates; the spring race reverted back to its old Food City 500 name due to the return to concrete.[165]
On October 2, 2023, Fox Sports and The Athletic reported that Iowa Speedway was expected to receive a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2024, replacing the race at Auto Club Speedway.[167] A press conference by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was held on October 3, where she and NASCAR officially announced the inaugural Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway on June 16.[168]
NASCAR was rumored to potentially return to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, with the track hosting a Cup Series race for the first time in 2024. The race would have been the first international Cup Series race since the 1958 season.[169] On October 2, 2023, it was reported by Fox Sports and The Athletic that this deal fell through.[167]
The Busch Clash was moved from Sunday, February 4 to Saturday, February 3 in advance of the February 2024 California atmospheric rivers. This resulted in the cancellation of scheduled heat races, as the event was condensed into a one-day practice, qualifying, and race event. Denny Hamlin took the pole for the 23-car field, with notable drivers such as Daniel Suárez, Austin Dillon, Austin Cindric, and Christopher Bell failing to qualify for the 150-lap event. Hamlin led most of the first 50 laps before yielding the lead to Ty Gibbs on lap 50. Gibbs led 84 of the next 91 laps, as Justin Haley, Chase Elliott, and Todd Gilliland all failed to finish due to mechanical issues. Hamlin reclaimed the lead on a restart with ten laps remaining as Gibbs fell back through the field. Gibbs spun with two laps remaining, ultimately finishing 18th. Hamlin held off on the final restart to win.[170]
In the Bluegreen Vacation Duels, Logano started on the pole for Duel 1 while McDowell started on the pole for Duel 2. Tyler Reddick won the first duel while Christopher Bell won the second duel.[171]
Joey Logano started on the pole. Christopher Bell and Chris Buescher both hit the wall after a flat tire, with Buescher exiting the race due to the wheel coming off his car. Kyle Larson dominated the race by leading the most laps. Larson also won both stages and secured the victory by holding off a charging Tyler Reddick.[174]
Ryan Blaney won the pole. The race was plagued by extreme tire wear. Ty Gibbs dominated the first half of the race and won both stages. The race saw 54 lead changes, the most for a short-track race in Cup Series history. Kyle Busch spun twice with a flat tire. Gibbs was heading to the win until the lapped car of Todd Gilliland slowed down and caused Gibbs and teammate Christopher Bell to lose multiple spots. Denny Hamlin dominated the second half of the race and led the most laps. Hamlin and teammate Martin Truex Jr. stayed out front after the final round of green-flag pit stops and saved their tires. Hamlin was able to hold off Truex for the win, followed by Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson, marking the first time since the 2004 MBNA America 400 at Dover that a race ended with 5 or fewer cars on the lead lap.[176]
Kyle Larson won the pole. The race started on weather tires due to the track still being wet from rain. Larson won the first stage while Martin Truex Jr. won the second stage. Kyle Busch got into the wall after a flat tire. Truex was heading to the win until Larson spun after contact with Bubba Wallace, bringing out the caution and sending the race into overtime. Denny Hamlin won the race off pit road and held off Joey Logano and Truex for his second win of the season.[178]
Kyle Larson won the pole for the second straight race. Larson dominated early and won the first stage. Christopher Bell got a flat tire, bringing the caution out for debris. Joey Logano took two tires and held on to the lead, but started falling back as Denny Hamlin won the second stage. Hamlin and Chase Elliott took turns leading the race, but William Byron pitted a lap before everyone else on the final round of green flag pit stops. John Hunter Nemechek blew a tire and caught fire, sending the race to overtime. On the restart, Byron held the lead and scored his third win of the season.[179]
Kyle Larson won the pole for the third straight race. Larson won the first stage while Ross Chastain won the second stage. Christopher Bell spun into the wall, causing Alex Bowman to spin after contact with John Hunter Nemechek. Michael McDowell spun into the wall while battling Chastain for the lead. On a restart, Harrison Burton made a three wide pass for the lead on Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe, which sent the latter two spinning after contact with one another. Ryan Blaney spun into the wall. On a restart, Larson spun which sent the race to overtime. On the first attempt, Denny Hamlin spun while battling Chase Elliott for the lead. On the second attempt, Burton and Kaz Grala spun after contact. On the restart, Chastain got into the wall after contact with William Byron on the final lap as Elliott won under caution for his first win in 42 races.[180]
Michael McDowell started on pole for the second time in his career. Austin Cindric narrowly beat Chase Elliott by inches to win Stage 1, while Joey Logano won Stage 2. The race was incident-free until lap 132 when Christopher Bell crashed out on the backstretch, collecting Justin Haley, Chase Briscoe, and Zane Smith. On lap 151, the Toyota drivers were drafting alone as part of a pit strategy when Erik Jones lost control and hit the outside wall head-on in turn 3, collecting Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek, and Denny Hamlin, which claimed four of the six Toyotas in the draft. McDowell held onto the lead in the closing laps of the race until the last lap when Brad Keselowski attempted a crossover move from second. McDowell got loose while blocking and wrecked on the tri-oval, triggering "The Big One", which caused Corey LaJoie to flip upside-down. Tyler Reddick evaded the wreck and made a three-wide pass on Keselowski and Noah Gragson to score the win.[181]
Tyler Reddick won the pole. Kyle Larson won the first stage while Reddick won the second stage. John Hunter Nemechek spun after two flat tires. On a restart, Ryan Blaney got into the wall after William Byron made contact with Martin Truex Jr. Late in the race, Reddick and Brad Keselowski made contact battling for the lead allowing Chris Buescher to make a three-wide pass for the lead. With 10 laps to go, Buescher and Reddick made contact battling for the lead causing both flat tires on both cars taking both to pit road as Keselowski retook the lead and held off Ty Gibbs and Josh Berry for the win, his first win as an owner/driver (the first since Tony Stewart in 2016), the first win of 2024 for Ford, and snapped a 110-race winless streak, the longest drought of his career.[184]
In The Open, Ty Gibbs started on pole for the 2nd straight time. In the end, Gibbs led all 100 laps and won the Open and advanced to the All-Star Race with runner-up Bubba Wallace and Noah Gragson, who won the fan vote for the second year in a row.
In the All-Star Race, Joey Logano started on pole. Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact on Lap 2 and Busch spun Stenhouse into the wall, taking Stenhouse out of the race and Stenhouse left his damaged car in Busch's pit box. Logano dominated by leading all but one lap and held off Denny Hamlin to win the $1 million for his second All-Star Race win. Busch and Stenhouse got into a brawl by the haulers and the melee caused crew member suspensions and Stenhouse was fined $75,000 for striking Busch.[185][186]
Eventual race winner Christopher Bell leads during the third stage at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May
Ty Gibbs won the pole. William Byron took the first stage and Christopher Bell won the second stage. Noah Gragson spun and slammed into the wall after contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Justin Allgaier, filling in for Kyle Larson who was running the Indianapolis 500, got up to 13th position when a caution came out. Larson arrived in Charlotte during the caution, but was unable to race as the race was red flagged due to rain and lightning and race was called after 249 laps as NASCAR tried to dry the track for over an hour but was not making enough progress to get the race restarted at a reasonable hour, so Bell was given his second win of the season.[187]
Michael McDowell started on the pole. Christopher Bell swept the stages. Josh Berry slammed into the wall after his left front tire became flat. Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson got into the wall after making contact taking Busch, the defending race winner, out of the race, this being the first of his 5 DNFS of the season. Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell battled for the lead until Bell began having engine issues and fell back. Blaney would run out of fuel at the white flag and his teammate Austin Cindric took the lead and won the race, his second career win and breaking an 85-race winless streak, dating back to the 2022 Daytona 500.[188]
This was the first ever NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway. Kyle Larson scored his 4th pole of the season. The race saw multiple tire issues. On lap 51, A. J. Allmendinger got a flat tire and got an early exit. Ryan Blaney won the first stage and Larson won the second stage. On lap 220, Larson got into a wreck with Daniel Suárez sending Larson to the garage and later returned multiple laps down. Kyle Busch experienced mechanical issues leading to him being out of the race. Blaney, on two tires, held off a charging William Byron to win the race.[190]
Chase Elliott won the pole after qualifying was cancelled due to inclement weather, ending a 39-race streak of having qualifying.[191]Alex Bowman was the first out due to a terminal issue. Christopher Bell won the first stage and Denny Hamlin won the second stage. On a restart, Joey Logano locked up the brakes and got into Elliott, spinning him out. The race was put under a red flag due to weather. NASCAR officials instructed teams to prepare their cars with wet-weather tires. The race resumed and Kyle Busch got into the wall under caution, taking him out of the race. Ross Chastain and Justin Haley went into contact and the race went under caution. On the restart, Michael McDowell spun and collected Ryan Blaney. After Brad Keselowski got into a wreck, the race went to overtime. Bell held on for his third win of the season, sweeping the weekend due to his Xfinity win the day before.[192]
Denny Hamlin won the pole. Christopher Bell swept the stages for the fourth time in his career and second of the season. At lap 132, Chad Finchum was the first one out of the race while Ty Gibbs spun after contact with Alex Bowman. The race was red flagged on lap 137 for a weather delay in the Nashville area. After over an hour and a half, the race resumed. Bell spun and got into the wall, ending his dominant day. Brad Keselowski spun into the wall and Chase Elliott spun in the grass, which shook up pit strategy. Carson Hocevar spun Harrison Burton under caution. Ryan Blaney stayed off pit road and stayed out front, but eventually had to pit. Hamlin passed Ross Chastain for the lead and was heading to the win until Austin Cindric spun, sending the race to overtime. The leaders were all close on fuel with most not having enough to make it. On the restart, Chastain spun into the wall after contact with Kyle Larson and collected Austin Dillon. On the second restart, Justin Haley spun and collected Blaney, Burton, Josh Berry, Corey Heim, and Todd Gilliland. On the third restart, Larson ran out of fuel and stacked up his line, taking out Kyle Busch. Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. pitted for fuel. On the fourth restart, Berry got into the wall while Elliott ran out of fuel. On the fifth restart, Joey Logano had enough fuel to hold off Zane Smith and Tyler Reddick for the win.[193]
Kyle Larson won the pole for the fifth time this year. After the pre-race ceremonys, light rain came down. NASCAR designated the track as wet and teams have the option to put on the wet tires. Drivers then put on slick tires before the green flag. On the green flag, Ty Gibbs passed Larson for the lead. Shane van Gisbergen won the first stage and Joey Hand won the second stage, their first career Cup stage wins. On lap 26, Chase Briscoe sent van Gisbergen into the outside wall sending the defending race winner out. The race was red flagged on the same lap for a weather delay in the Chicago area. Before the race resumed, NASCAR told officials that they’d be put under a time limit to 8:20pm CT. After about an hour, the race resumed and Larson got into the tire barrier and the race went under caution, taking him out of the race at lap 34. Shortly after, on lap 38, Josh Berry crashed into the tire barrier, but no caution. Hand and others kept on wet tires while others put on slicks. Alex Bowman took the lead from Hand and the caution went out for Berry who went into the tire barriers at turn 2. On lap 55, John Hunter Nemechek into the wall in turn 12, but no caution. Later Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar, and Martin Truex Jr. got together but continued. The time expired and the race was shortened to 58 laps. Tyler Reddick, on slicks tires, closed on Bowman for the lead, but Reddick got into the wall and Bowman pulled away to win, locking himself into the playoffs and snapped an 80-race winless streak, the first since the 2022 Pennzoil 400, the longest drought of his career.[194]
This race was the 30th anniversary of the Inaugural Brickyard 400. Tyler Reddick won the pole. Reddick led the first 36 laps but was passed by Denny Hamlin for the lead. Martin Truex Jr. had to serve a pass-through for a tech violation at qualifying. B. J. McLeod was the first out. Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott served a pass-through for blend-line violation. Hamlin won the first stage and Bubba Wallace won the second stage. On the restart, John Hunter Nemechek took the lead from Hamlin. Cody Ware's left rear tire went down after contact with the wall. On lap 74, A. J. Allmendinger and William Byron wrecked on the backstretch. On the restart, Truex Jr. and Josh Berry spun and has contact with the wall. Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano wrecked on a restart, sending them out. On lap 157, Kyle Busch wrecked into the wall, sending race into an overtime finish. On the first restart, the leader, Keselowski pitted, them Busch, Nemechek, Hamlin, Alex Bowman, and Daniel Hemric, wrecked of the pit wall, sending them all out, and putting the red flag out. On the second restart, Ryan Preece spun out, still green. But in the end, Kyle Larson ended up winning his 3rd crown jewel race of his career.[196]
Denny Hamlin won the pole as qualifying was cancelled due to rain. On lap 38, Hamlin spun into the wall and slid into the grass. Ryan Blaney won the first stage as right after, race came and delayed the race to Monday, after 51 laps were complete. Stage two ended with Kyle Busch winning his first stage of the year after Kyle Larson, Todd Gilliland, Christopher Bell, and Joey Logano were taken out in an incident that also involved Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace. On lap 136, Corey LaJoie flipped and slid upside down, sending him out of the race. The race went into overtime after an incident with Martin Truex Jr. On the first overtime, Alex Bowman hit the wall and the top line had to check up causing Ross Chastain to spin around. On the second attempt, Tyler Reddick held off William Byron for his second win of the season.[198]
Michael McDowell won the pole. On lap 55, Kyle Larson got loose and hit the wall outside of turn 2, sending him and Chase Briscoe out, Ryan Blaney won stage 1 as a result of the caution and Austin Cindric won stage 2. Joey Logano eventually managed to pull away from a speedy Daniel Suárez and Ryan Blaney to advance to the Round of 12 and get his second win of the season.[201]
Ross Chastain won the pole. On the first lap on the bus stop, Ryan Blaney spun and was taken out early. Chastain dominated most of the race. Martin Truex Jr. won the first stage and Chastain won the second stage. William Byron slighty went airbone and took the race into overtime. Shane van Gisbergen led the field with half a lap to go on the last lap when Chris Buescher took the lead, ultimately winning the race and getting his first since the 2023 Daytona Night Race.[202]
Christopher Bell won the pole. Tyler Reddick won the first stage and Bell won the second stage. On lap 89, Reddick, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott were involved in a wreck, sending Reddick and Keselowski out. Bell would dominate, leading 155 laps but in the end, Joey Logano would hold off Bell to lock himself in the Championship 4.[207]
Tyler Reddick won the pole. Reddick won his third consecutive stage one and Denny Hamlin picked up stage two, his first stage win since Indianapolis. On the last lap, Ryan Blaney was passed by Reddick. Reddick ended up winning the race, and clinched an opportunity to give him his first Championship 4 appearance, joining Joey Logano.[208]
Martin Truex Jr. won the pole. Chase Elliott won stage one and Brad Keselowski won stage two, his first stage win of the year. The ending to the race was shrouded in controversy, as Christopher Bell attempted to do a wall ride move, similar to Ross Chastain's move in 2022's running that such move was since prohibited. There was speculation of race manipulation as Chastain and Austin Dillon created a blockade behind Byron in closing laps in the race to prevent him from losing a spot that would have eliminated him from the playoffs, and Bubba Wallace intentionally slowing down on the final lap to allow Bell to gain a position to tie with Byron in points (and advance in the tiebreaker). In the end, Ryan Blaney would win back to back runnings of the event to advance to the Championship 4 with Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron. The drivers eliminated from the Round of 8 were Bell, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Elliott.[209]
Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for the second straight race. Joey Logano won the first stage. Right after, the red flag came out before the restart, as the pace car hit the barrels on the SAFER barrier. Ryan Blaney won the second and final stage of the season. In a close battle at the end of the race between Logano and Blaney, Logano would win the race and the 2024 Championship.[210]
(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by competition-based formula. * – Most laps led. 1 – Stage 1 winner. 2 – Stage 2 winner. 3 – Stage 3 winner.[N 1]1–10 - Regular season top 10 finishers. . – Eliminated after Round of 16
. – Eliminated after Round of 12
. – Eliminated after Round of 8
† – Kyle Larson originally qualified for the race, but was replaced before the start of the race to compete in the Indianapolis 500, and was replaced by Justin Allgaier. ± – Austin Dillon was allowed to keep his Richmond win, but was penalized 25 points and his win not counted toward the playoffs. ‡ – Denny Hamlin was fined 75 points and 10 playoff points for a L2 penalty, and his Bristol win also did not count towards the playoffs.
