The 2024 NASCAR season was packed with drama, featuring debates over the playoff format, concerns about the quickness of officials’s decisions, discussions about the fairness of Kyle Larson’s waiver, some of the tightest finishes in the sport’s history, Larson’s six wins yet failing to make the top-4, and Kyle Busch’s unexpected winless streak.
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Reflecting on the season’s mixed events, NASCAR president Steve Phelps acknowledged the exceptional moments it brought forth. He remarked, “We got three of the top seven closest finishes in NASCAR (history); just when you didn’t think it’d be any closer. I think that’s really a testament to how hard our competition guys have worked with our race teams, with our (manufacturers).”
Delving deeper into the overall quality of racing this season, NASCAR president Steve Phelps expressed unequivocal praise. He stated, “I think that inarguably this is the best racing we’ve ever had. Statistically and the eye test and just kind of looking at a high level, I think that’s a true statement.”
Phelps also shared some of his personal highlights from the season, which included 23XI’s rapid ascent in competing for the championship, and the nail-bitingly close finishes.
However, Phelps expressed particular pride in the season’s television ratings. He noted that despite starting the NASCAR season with TV ratings down by 27%, they rebounded to close in positive territory from a viewership perspective, underscoring a successful turnaround and strong fan engagement as the season progressed.
Closest finishes in NASCAR 2024 season
The season’s first heart-stopping finish occurred at Atlanta, the second race of the year. Daniel Suarez narrowly maintained the lead, edging out Ryan Blaney and Busch by razor-thin margins of 0.003 and 0.007 seconds respectively, making it the fourth-closest finish in Cup Series history.
The suspense escalated at Kansas in May, where Larson slipped past Chris Buescher by a mere 0.001 seconds, setting a new record for the closest finish ever in NASCAR.
The finish was so tight that despite the support of FinishLynx software and its high-precision camera, officials had to scrutinize the footage repeatedly to confirm the winner and determine whose car first reached the start/finish line.
Another nail-biter unfolded at Talladega, where the season’s third closest finish saw JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. clinch victory in the second race of the Round of 12, with Brad Keselowski trailing by just 0.006 seconds behind him.
