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Who’s hot, who’s not in Cup Series heading to Kentucky

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 - Qualifying

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 06: Erik Jones, driver of the #20 buyatoyota.com Toyota, stands by his car during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

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A look at some of the drivers who are streaking or reeling heading into Saturday’s Cup race at Kentucky Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN).

HOT

Kevin Harvick


  • In 18 races in 2018, 14 finishes of 7th or better (including 5 wins) & 4 finishes of 19th or worse
  • Finished in the Top 5 in 18 of the last 25 races, dating back to last season
  • 5 straight Top 10s at Kentucky
  • Never finished worse than 16th in 7 Kentucky starts
  • Won 4 of last 8 races on 1.5-mile tracks

Kyle Busch


  • Won 5 of the last 12 races
  • Finished in the Top 10 in 6 of the last 7 races
  • Finished in the Top 5 in 12 of 18 races this season
  • Finished in Top 10 in 6 of 7 starts at Kentucky, including 2 wins
  • Never finished worse than 12th in 7 Kentucky starts
  • Won 3 of last 4 races on 1.5-mile tracks

Erik Jones


  • Won at Daytona
  • Finished 7th or better in 3 straight races
  • First first-time winner since Ryan Blaney at Pocono in June 2017
  • Led only 2 laps and scored 1 stage point in last 3 races, despite 3 straight Top 10s
  • Top 10 in 4 of last 5 races on 1.5-mile tracks

Martin Truex Jr.


  • Finished 2nd at Daytona
  • Finished 4th or better in 3 straight races
  • Finished in the Top 5 in 7 of the last 8 races
  • Won 2 of the last 5 races
  • 4 Top 10s in 7 starts at Kentucky, including win in 2017
  • Won 7 of last 16 races on 1.5-mile tracks (none in 2018)
  • Finished 8th or better in 16 of last 17 races on 1.5-mile tracks

Alex Bowman


  • Finished 10th at Daytona
  • Finished in the Top 10 in 3 straight races and 4 of the last 6
  • Top-10 finishes in the last two races on 1.5 mile tracks

NOT

Jamie McMurray


  • Finished 30th at Daytona
  • Finished 15th or worse in 14 of 18 races this season
  • 2 straight finishes of 7th at Kentucky
  • 3 Top 10s in 7 starts at Kentucky, including the last two races
  • Top 10 two of the last four races on 1.5 mile tracks

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.


  • Finished 17th at Daytona
  • Finished outside the top-10 in 7 of the last 8 races
  • Finished 14th or worse in 14 of 18 races in 2018

Ryan Blaney


  • Finished 40th at Daytona

  • Finished 18th or worse in last 3 races, including 2 of 34th or worse

  • Finished 35th (2016) and 10th (2017) in 2 career Kentucky starts

Chase Elliott


  • Finished 34th at Daytona
  • Finished 19th or worse in last 2 races
  • Finished outside the top-10 in 5 of last 8 races
  • Finished 11th or worse in 5 straight races on 1.5-mile tracks

Matt Kenseth


  • Finished 8th or better in 6 of 7 starts at Kentucky, including win in 2013
  • Finished 13th or worse in 4 starts in 2018 (last start - 33rd at Michigan)
  • Never finished worse than 17th in 7 starts at Kentucky
  • Average finish of 26.5 in 2 starts on 1.5-mile tracks for Roush in 2018