Bubble Watch, presented by Xfinity: High stakes in the desert
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The Round of 8 begins Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), and it will be a hotly contested one as the majority of the playoff field is strong at the 1.5-mile oval.
Before the green flag drops, check out who's trending toward a solid race in Sin City with the latest edition of Bubble Watch, presented by Xfinity.
(Stats provided by Racing Insights)
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William Byron
Points above elimination line: 20
Trending: Red Hot
Las Vegas outlook -- Hot: Byron is on an absolute tear right now after scoring finishes of first, second and second during the Round of 12. Oh, and he's returning to a track this weekend where he won at in the spring. This Sunday has all the makings of the No. 24 team returning to the Championship 4 for the first time since Jeff Gordon did it in his final season in 2015.
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Martin Truex Jr.
Points above elimination line: 15
Trending: Cold
Las Vegas outlook -- Hot: Byron's biggest challenge is still the 2017 champ, despite his struggles throughout the postseason so far. Having yet to score a top-10 in almost two months, the Round of 8 is more than favorable for the driver of the No. 19 as he owns six straight results of eighth or better at the Nevada track.
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Denny Hamlin
Points above elimination line: 11
Trending: Roval Snapped Hot Streak
Las Vegas outlook -- Hit or Miss: Some signs of inconsistency at Vegas for Hamlin don't add up well after losing momentum due to a last-place finish at Charlotte. With such a narrow margin for error this Sunday, the No. 11 team needs to be on the hit side of its trip to Vegas.
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Kyle Larson
Points above elimination line: 3
Trending: Cold
Las Vegas outlook -- Mostly Warm: Vegas was the site of Larson's first win in the No. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports. He'll need to find the magic again as he's gone a bit cold recently with three straight finishes of 13th or worse.
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Chris Buescher
Points below elimination line: 3
Trending: Hit or Miss
Las Vegas outlook -- Cold: 1.5-mile ovals have arguably been the weak point for RFK amid a return to brilliant form throughout 2023. Buescher finished 21st at Vegas in the spring but needs to be much better to keep the pressure on the rest of his playoff competitors.
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Christopher Bell
Points below elimination line: 8
Trending: Cooling Off
Las Vegas outlook -- Hit or Miss: Similar to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Hamlin, Bell has inconsistent finishes in Sin City, but scored his best career result at the track in the spring with a top-five run. He'll need something similar to find himself above the fold heading to Homestead.
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Tyler Reddick
Points below elimination line: 8
Trending: Roval Snapped Cold Streak
Las Vegas outlook -- Warm Until March: Reddick was victorious at Kansas in September and won a stage at Texas. As long as he stays out of trouble, expect the No. 45 to be in the mix for a win on Sunday.
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Ryan Blaney
Points below elimination line: 10
Trending: Win or Cold
Las Vegas outlook -- Cold: Mistake after mistake has plagued Blaney in the Round of 8 in his Cup Series career. He's yet to reach the Champ 4 despite making the semifinal round in five of seven playoff appearances. While not having the best of results at Las Vegas, it still offers his likeliest chance of going for the title on a victory.