Garbage Time Sports

We’re halfway through the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, and if you’re not watching… Well, buckle up, grab a cold one and get behind the wheel, because this year’s racing has been anything but a slow sober Sunday drive. From loud-ass engines to red-neck-riders south of the border(yep we’re talkin Meheeco baby),the season’s heating up hotter than the asphalt at Daytona in July. Let's break down who’s flying, who’s fading, and what lies ahead in everyone's not-around-much-step-dad’s favorite “Sport.”

The Standings: Who’s Riding High?

At the head of the pack after the 15th race of the series, is Willy Byron, the connoisseur of consistency. He may only have one win, but with 576 points and strong finishes week after week, he's keeping the No. 24 car in the whatever spotlight this god-forsaken sport has to offer. This guy is about as consistent as the voice in my head telling me it’s time for a beer.

But wait! Hot on his tail is Kyle Larson, sitting second in the standings with 535 points and a trifecta of wins in the passenger-seat cooler. If NASCAR awarded style points for precision driving, Larson would be on the same level as Devin Booker pregame in the tunnel. He’s winning races and building a fridge full of playoff bonus points that could be ice-cold and frosty come 10 o’clock(that’s October for any of you City-Slicking drugstore-cowboy cheechakos reading this).

Elliott and Reddick are lurking, winless but wildly consistent— the kinds of guys you don’t want on your bumper in a memorial-day midnight drive. And before you ask what the points mean: slowdown cowboy, nobody knows, and nobody gives a shit.

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Chase Briscoe: The Pole Position Poster Boy

Three straight poles, four on the season. Briscoe’s qualifying times are faster than Old Man O'Driscoll driving home from Bootleggers barn on a Tuesday night(may god rest his soul). Now he just needs to start finishing races in that same first-place spot.

Ross Chastain: From Watermelon Smasher to Playoff Dark Horse

Not only is Chastain an eighth generation watermelon farmer: he’s got swagger and speed. A second consecutive pole in Nashville and a recent top-10 in Charlotte may have pushed him right back into the playoff picture. Try to keep your wandering eyes on him—especially when he’s near a wall, You know how he gets.

Denny’s Trifecta

The golden boy’s got three wins and just moved up into third. Oh, and his own Tallahassee smokeshow is expecting her third kid(still hasn't put a ring on it: atta-boy). Talk about multitasking. Talk about someone to look up to. What a guy.

Next Stop: Mexico City (Sí Señor, We’re el Serio)

For the first time in 67 years, NASCAR is travelling to its arch enemy south of the Rio Grande, Mexico. Now before you get too riled up, I know, I know. But this isn't your dads old NASCAR league; times are changin’, and NASCAR’s gotta change too if we wanna keep taking the kids to races when we have ‘em on the weekends. Here are the details, if anyone even cares about this one: Race time: 3:30 PM CT, Sunday June 15, Motor Racing Network or Nascar Radio

Final Lap Thoughts:

This isn’t just another NASCAR season. It’s a Golden Corral Buffet of fast cars, big-wrecks, and tropical spice. Willy Byron’s holding first for now, but Larson, Hamlin, Bell, and the rest are breathing down his red-neck, it's still anyone’s championship to win. And with street races, cross-border action, and million-dollar milk-chugs ahead, fans are getting a full throttle thrill ride in the passenger seat of Gramps ‘64 Chevy when a kook tries passing. So grab your six packs, pick a driver, and fire up ‘cause this one’s going down to the old bridge at the county line.

(Garbage Time Sports does not condone nor tolerate drunk driving under any circumstances)

-Hein