The Biggest Shock in NASCAR History: William Byron’s Surprise Announcement
In the final race before the playoff field is trimmed down to 12 drivers, a few dozen of the sport’s top drivers will take to the track at Bristol for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.
Kevin Harvick and his co-hosts on the Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast came together to make their picks for the big race.
“I don’t know. I’m almost getting tired of guessing because my guesses have been so wrong,” Harvick said, leading things off. “I think if you go off of the first race it’s going to be a Gibbs car with the way that they ran. But gosh do I just, I think I have to go off the Denny Hamlin thing because he’s just been so wrong for me.”
Harvick paused for a minute, considering before delivering his final pick for Bristol.
“I can’t do it,” he said. “I’m going with Denny.”
A Denny Hamlin win would certainly be interesting and add a little juice to the current playoff picture. As things stand Hamlin is currently below the cut line, trailing Ty Gibbs by just six points.
It’s a margin that is definitely small enough to be overcome with a good race.
Of course, others will also be eyeing a top-notch finish and maybe even a Bristol win. So who did Harvick’s co-hosts pick?
“I’m staying in the Gibbs camp as well,” Kaitlyn Vincie said. “I’m going with Martin (Truex Jr.), because I would really like to see him win a race in his final season. I have his charity event this week, by the way. Catwalk for a Cause. I’ll be hosting it, it’s always big time.”
Mamba Smith, Harvick’s other co-host on the podcast, offered a third and different driver to take the win at Bristol.
“I am going to go with the guy who sat on the pole at Watkins Glen, Ross Chastain,” Smith said. “They have some speed. A non-playoff guy to win the race. They have been showing up, and I think there’s about four or five playoff guys who are going to keep doing this throughout the playoffs.”
