The 5 biggest storylines at the 2018 NASCAR All-Star break

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 27: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, talks to Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Ford, during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 27, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

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MARTINSVILLE, VA – APRIL 01: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Ford, and Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Ford, talk during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 1, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /

1. Stewart-Haas Racing reigns supreme

It’s easy to forget now, but Stewart-Haas Racing actually took a pretty significant risk just last year by changing from Chevrolet to Ford. That kind of transition can sometimes set race teams back a bit, with results not improving for a couple of seasons.

Call this the best case scenario. SHR hasn’t just been good, it’s been dominant. Kevin Harvick has five wins, more than any other Cup Series driver, while Clint Bowyer broke a lengthy winless streak to add another. That means one team has won half of the races this season, and Aric Almirola nearly made it more than that in the Daytona 500.

Next: Why Harvick's 2018 season could be the most dominant of the 21st century

If the playoffs began right now, all four Stewart-Haas Racing cars would be part of the field, and not just participating, either. Harvick is the unquestioned favorite, with Bowyer part of a group of three or four drivers beyond his teammate and Kyle Busch who could stake a spot in this year’s Championship 4. For anyone else to have a real shot at the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series championship, it will mean either finding something that hasn’t quite clicked yet or hoping SHR falls off its game, and at the All-Star break, neither of those are looking like solid bets.

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