NASCAR Analysts Clash Over Championship Picks as HMS and Penske Fumble Playoffs

The big night in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway brought surprises for several championship contenders. Chase Briscoe led a staggering 309 of 367 laps to claim his first crown jewel victory. Meanwhile, established favorites struggled to make an impression. Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson could only salvage a P19 finish. And an even worse result was for Team Penske’s Joey Logano behind Larson at 20th. This put both title hopefuls on the back foot. Traditionally, Darlington sets the tone for the ten-race postseason. But despite these evident struggles, two of the sport’s most recognized analysts have picked these drivers to win it all.

Both Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi entered the NASCAR playoffs having staked their reputations on early championship predictions. Larson, the 2021 champion, had shown flashes of dominance earlier this year. But mostly, he lacked consistent execution in the summer stretch. Logano, a three-time Cup champion, had impressed at Richmond in August. Yet, Darlington’s opener erased that momentum, leaving Larson searching for speed and Logano sliding three points below the cut line. Still, these results have not shifted the analysts’ stances.

NASCAR analysts double down on Joey Logano and Kyle Larson

On The Teardown podcast, Jordan Bianchi made it clear that he has no intention of abandoning his preseason favorite. “I still like Larson. Maybe I’m overconfident in Kyle Larson and that team, but I feel like they’re going to go on a roll,” Bianchi said. He pointed to upcoming races at Gateway and Bristol. Larson had dominated earlier in the season, at those tracks, as the true litmus test for Hendrick’s No. 5 car.

Bianchi also noted Larson’s tendency to find form when the stakes are highest. He suggested that recent inconsistency might give way to a postseason surge. Beyond Larson, Bianchi admitted he has grown “increasingly bullish on the No. 19 team” of Chase Briscoe after his Darlington performance. He went on to cite favorable tracks for him, like New Hampshire, Gateway, and Kansas, on the horizon.

Jeff Gluck, meanwhile, refused to let Logano’s misstep shake his conviction. “Yeah, well, I’m not giving up on my champion pick even though he missed it tonight and he’s minus three because of the year,” Gluck admitted. He acknowledged that Gateway would serve as a crucial checkpoint. “But if he has a bad Gateway, then I’m going to be like, uh oh, I really messed this up. I probably messed up all of Penske.” Gluck’s confidence rests on Logano’s proven playoff mettle. Logano’s history at Gateway is rich, where he won the inaugural Cup race in 2022. Still, his candid hesitation hinted at growing unease. After all, Penske failed to capitalize at Darlington, especially on a track where they traditionally excel.

As the season progresses, the stakes will only intensify as the schedule shifts to Gateway and Bristol. Larson must translate past dominance into present results to validate Bianchi’s confidence. Meanwhile, Logano needs a rebound at Gateway to justify Gluck’s loyalty. Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske both face pivotal weeks that could either restore their reputations or deepen concerns about their NASCAR playoffs trajectory.

For now, the analysts’ clash mirrors the uncertainty of the postseason itself. Past champions have the pedigree, but the road ahead is unforgiving. As of the Darlington race, Briscoe is the new winner on the block.

Briscoe shines over HMS and Penske in NASCAR playoffs opener

The 2025 NASCAR Playoffs opened with a shocker at Darlington Raceway. Chase Briscoe claimed the biggest victory of his career in the Southern 500. Driving the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, he dominated much of the night, leading 309 of the 367 laps. The result marked his first win since 2022. It put him in firm control of advancing deeper into the postseason.

Briscoe finished the race 0.408 seconds ahead of Reddick and 0.537 seconds ahead of Erik Jones, who finished third. This marked his second victory of the season and fourth of his career. About the Toyota dominance in the top five, Briscoe said, “Yeah, I think this is definitely what we’re capable of doing.” Six of the top seven cars were Toyotas, with AJ Allmendinger winning with his Chevy in 5th.

The Southern 500 proved brutal for several title contenders. Kyle Larson, who entered as one of the championship favorites, saw his race unravel after pit road issues cost him valuable track position. Joey Logano, another playoff hopeful, also endured setbacks on the pit lane that left him scrambling outside the top 10. These mishaps opened the door for Briscoe, who executed flawlessly on long runs and kept his Ford clear of trouble in the race’s critical stretches.