Following Josh Berry's first career Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the 101st win for the famed Wood Brothers organization, the NASCAR Cup Series heads back east with a trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the running of the Straight Talk Wireless 400. It is the second week in a row the series has visited a 1.5-mile track, although Homestead-Miami is its own beast as drivers spread out all over the race track and even inches from the wall as they look to find the most speed around the high tire-wear speedway.
With five races in the books and Berry's win in Sin City ending Christopher Bell's win streak at three, the early portion of the schedule has seen some interesting storylines present themselves despite only three drivers finding victory lane. Along with Bell and Berry, Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron is the only other driver to win a race so far this season. That Daytona 500 win, in addition to top-10 finishes in four of the five races, has him as the points leader (+29) over Bell entering Miami.
This will mark the first spring race at Homestead-Miami Speedway since 2021, when Byron was victorious. The track was once home to NASCAR's Championship Weekend from 2002-19 and has played host to a playoff race each of the past three seasons. As the series prepares for a springtime stop in Miami, these three drivers are in search of a rebound performance following Las Vegas.
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske Ford)
For the second week in a row, the 2023 Cup Series champion appeared to have winning speed, but could not take advantage of it with a 35th-place result. After cutting a tire in practice and starting the Las Vegas race from the rear, Blaney put himself in contention until a multi-car crash early in the final stage ended his eventful day prematurely.
Although Blaney has only put together three top-10s at Homestead-Miami, they have all been inside the top five and come within the last five races. In the last two races alone, Blaney has a pair of runner-ups, scored top-five stage points in both races and fell victim to a pass for the lead in the final corner on the last lap in last year's race. His overall record at Homestead-Miami Speedway is spotty at best, but the last two races suggest Blaney will be toward the front on Sunday and in position to put together a much-needed rebound.
Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
Busch did not have a good time at his home track, to say the least. Despite qualifying fourth at Las Vegas, Busch was penalized for speeding on pit road in Stage 1 and lost a right rear wheel in Stage 2, ultimately finishing 33rd. Busch was leading late at COTA a few weeks back and finished eighth at Phoenix, but the mistake-filled race at Las Vegas leaves plenty to be desired.
Busch has been up-and-down in his career at Miami. His two wins at the track (2015, 2019) clinched the series championship each year. He has 11 top 10s in 20 starts with five finishes outside the top 30. The biggest concern is his finishes of 18th and 31st in two starts at the track with RCR. Unless an uptick in performance is in store, it may be difficult for Busch for turn things around this weekend.
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XI Racing Toyota)
Following a third-place effort at COTA, Reddick has finished 20th or worse the last two weeks at Phoenix and Las Vegas. Power steering issues relegated Reddick to a 20th-place finish at Phoenix while a slow stop on lap 233 was too much to overcome in a 24th-place showing in Sin City. Reddick had the speed to win both races, but had nothing to show for it in the end.
If there was ever a track for Reddick to bounce back at, it is Homestead-Miami Speedway. In five Cup Series starts at the track, Reddick has four top-five finishes, including a thrilling last-lap pass over Blaney in the final corner to win last season's playoff race to punch his ticket to the Championship Four. If Reddick and the No. 45 team can have a mistake-free day, it is hard to imagine anything besides a rebound performance on Sunday.