What’s Happening?

NASCAR returns next week following a two-week break for the Paris Olympics. Many fans have wondered if motorsports were added to the Olympics, what it would look like, and, specifically, what drivers would make up the Olympic team. Well, let’s have some fun and see which drivers would be chosen for a NASCAR Olympic team.

• This list will feature drivers only in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series. It will not include drivers from local series.
• These drivers all bring something unique to the table. Whether its dominant pace, consistency, or a skillset a specific style of track.
• Keeping things similar to the four car rule in the Cup Series, this list will feature only four drivers for the team, with one reserve driver as a fifth.

Driver 1: Kyle Larson

The first driver on the list is obvious. Since 2021, Kyle Larson has been arguably the best driver in NASCAR. The 2021 Cup Series champion can win on any style of track (minus superspeedways) and in dominating fashion. Since he joined Hendrick Motorsports, Larson leads the series in wins (21), top-fives (57), top-10s (74) and laps led (5,105). He’s been the class of the field and would be the first choice to lead NASCAR in the Olympics.

Driver 2: Chase Elliott

Chase doesn’t have the wins or outright speed his teammate Larson has. However, one thing the driver of No. 9 has over most of the series is consistency. Elliott leads the Cup Series in average finish with (10.5) and leads the Cup Series in average finish since the Next Gen Era (12.03). Assuming an Olympic schedule would consist of multiple races (and no playoffs), the team would need one driver who is guaranteed always to get the best finish. Since the introduction of the Next Gen Era, Elliott has been the driver to do so.

Driver 3: Denny Hamlin

Every team needs a veteran presence to lead the group. For the NASCAR Olympic team, Denny Hamlin would be the choice for multiple reasons. First, he still wins races and competes for championships well into his 40s. Second, Hamlin is arguably the best superspeedway driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has three Daytona 500 wins (2016, 2019, 2020) and a plethora of wins at Talladega, filling the superspeedway role for the team. Also, his experience as a team owner would be beneficial for the overall running of the team.

Driver 4: Shane van Gisbergen

Every driver on this list was selected for this team for a specific purpose. Larson is the dominator, Elliott is Mr. Consistent, and Hamlin is the veteran who can help run the team. But what about the road courses? The driver to go out and not only run up front but win. Currently, no driver comes close in NASCAR to Shane van Gisbergen. Since arriving in 2023, SVG has won four road course races, including three of the four Xfinity Series races this season. Had he not run into issues during the Chicago Street Race, he could’ve gone two-for-two in the Cup Series at Chicago. With SVG on the team, the road courses would be in good hands for this NASCAR Olympic team going for the gold on the twists and turns.

Backup Driver: Ryan Blaney

The backup driver must be ready to be called up to the main team if one driver struggles to perform or gets injured. For this team, the backup driver would be none other than Ryan Blaney. William Byron and Tyler Reddick were considered for this spot, but Blaney has done something those two have not: win a championship. He’s proven he can rise to the occasion under the most pressure, and for something as pressurized as the Olympics, it’s essential to have that trait, and the 2023 Cup Series champion is the perfect driver to call up when he’s needed the most.

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