Drivers to watch in NASCAR Cup Series race at Gateway

NASCAR’s premier series goes to Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway for the first time this weekend.

Although Cup teams have never competed on the flat, 1.25-mile oval, there are some drivers to keep an eye on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1).

Busch is on a bit of a hot streak, notching three podium finishes in his last five races to climb to No. 1 in the NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings. The two-time Cup champion has experience at Gateway, claiming an Xfinity Series win in 2009. In three Xfinity starts, Busch never finished worse than eighth there.

The No. 18 team has momentum on its side. Despite an early spin while battling at the head of the pack, Busch scored a runner-up finish Sunday at Charlotte for his second straight finish inside the top three. With 60 career Cup wins, Busch seems like a safe bet at nearly any track on the circuit.

Chastain has remained fast at seemingly every track on the Cup schedule this season. Heading to a facility where he’s already won bodes well for Chastain, who has already won twice this season at Circuit of the Americas and Talladega.

Chastain wheeled a Niece Motorsports truck to victory at Gateway in 2019 during a three-win season. He has also laps led in each of his last five Cup starts, including a race-high 153 circuits in last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600.

Bell is stringing together an impressive stretch of good finishes, taking the checkered flag sixth or better in each of the last four races. The No. 20 team has had speed much of the season but execution lagged. That’s changed. His eight top-10 finishes is tied for fourth this season with reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain.

Reddick has led laps in each of the last three Cup races. Even so, he’s had a roller-coaster