Kyle Larson enters 2027 as the rightful favorite to make it three straight championships after a 2026 campaign that proved the No. 5 team could handle adversity just as well as outright dominance. Larson went the entire 26-race regular season without a single victory before flipping the switch in The Chase, winning three times and building such a commanding advantage that he clinched the title with two stages to spare at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is an awfully dangerous combination, and the rest of the garage is left trying to catch up.
Denny Hamlin enters 2027 with speed and consistency still firmly at a championship-caliber level, though time is becoming an increasingly relevant factor as he has publicly stated he intends to hang it up after next year. Hamlin posted four victories, a series-leading 24 top 10s and the No. 1 Chase seed in 2026, but Larson’s postseason surge left him third in the final standings. Christopher Bell finished second in the championship standings, led more than 800 laps and managed one win, proving he can contend annually across multiple formats and positioning himself as perhaps Larson's greatest threat over the next 10 years. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney continued establishing himself as a dependable A-list threat with four victories and a second straight season-ending triumph at Homestead-Miami, securing a fourth-place points finish.
Chase Briscoe largely delivered in his second season with Joe Gibbs Racing, collecting three victories, 13 top fives and a sixth-place championship finish to establish himself as a legitimate front-line contender. Tyler Reddick experienced a wild 2026, opening the year by winning the Daytona 500 and the first three races on his way to a series-leading six victories before finishing fifth in points. William Byron went much of the year without his trademark winning form, picking up a buzzer-beating victory at Martinsville and finishing eighth in points. Joey Logano grabbed three wins at North Wilkesboro, Richmond and Bristol, but a seventh-place standings finish and seven top fives suggested the No. 22 team was not quite on its usual level.
Chase Elliott endured a 12th-place points finish in Hendrick Motorsports equipment despite two early victories, while Ty Gibbs broke through for his first wins at Bristol and Iowa on his way to a ninth-place finish. Bubba Wallace collected 17 top 10s to finish 11th in the standings for 23XI Racing, though he failed to return to Victory Lane. Austin Cindric took a 10th-place standings finish with Team Penske in a winless campaign with four top fives, while Heim earned an extraordinary full-time move to the No. 35 Toyota for 2027 after winning twice in 12 starts, including the Brickyard 400.
Chris Buescher finished last among the 16 Chase participants without a win in a difficult year for RFK Racing. Shane van Gisbergen dominated on road courses with victories at Watkins Glen and Sonoma, but missing The Chase highlighted ongoing struggles on ovals as he prepares to work with new crew chief Blake Harris, who arrives from Hendrick Motorsports to replace Stephen Doran. Alex Bowman suffered through a 26th-place points finish after being sidelined early by vertigo, and now faces a significant transition into his final full-time Cup season as Harris departs for Trackhouse Racing, leaving his crew chief situation unresolved.
Ryan Preece secured his first Cup victory in a dramatic race at Daytona, finishing 15th in points and now moving into RFK’s flagship No. 6 Ford following Brad Keselowski’s departure. Carson Hocevar found his first Cup win at Talladega, collected six top fives and made his first Chase appearance, though his momentum faced complications from a late-season disciplinary controversy and suspension.
