Ricky Stenhouse Jr., focused on playoff consistency for 2024, is maintaining a determined approach as the NASCAR Cup Series intensifies. Having missed the postseason cut last year despite a Talladega victory, Stenhouse is now working to secure his spot by emphasizing steady performance over outright wins.
Momentum Builds After Last Season’s Setbacks
Following a challenging finish to the 2023 season—where Stenhouse placed 25th in points and failed to enter the playoffs—the expectations for his #47 Chevrolet team were elevated. In 2024, there are positive signs. After 12 races, he matches his previous totals in top-five and top-10 finishes but has managed to double his top-20 results, climbing from four to eight. This consistency is translating to real momentum, elevating him to 14th in the current driver standings, 211 points behind leader Kyle Larson.
Evaluating the year so far, Stenhouse expressed satisfaction with his team‘s trajectory and believes that there is further potential yet to be realized. He stressed that while they are already achieving better results by consistently finishing races, there’s untapped performance still within reach for the team:
“We haven’t nearly got the speed out of our car that I feel like we have in it somewhere,”
Stenhouse said.
“So, we’re continuing to look for that. We’re continuing to try and figure out how we can qualify better. That’ll make our race days go better. But we’re executing. We’re finishing races well. Making sure we get to the end and capitalizing on that.”
—Ricky Stenhouse Jr., NASCAR Driver
According to Stenhouse, if the team can unlock greater speed, it could push them into genuine contention as the playoff race tightens. Even as he acknowledges that securing victories and accumulating points are ultimately critical, his outlook remains positive regarding their current performance level.
Stenhouse Navigates Standings Pressure From Veteran Challengers
Currently nestled within the top 16 in the Cup Series, Stenhouse is holding his ground ahead of veterans like Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, who both find themselves just outside the playoff cutline. Busch and Keselowski—enduring their own winless stretches—pose a lingering threat to Stenhouse’s playoff hopes, as a single breakthrough win from either could quickly alter the standings and jeopardize his position.
Stenhouse, undeterred by the formidable competition, remains committed to the strategy that has brought him success so far: focusing on consistent points accumulation. He pointed to his recent effort at Talladega, where he overcame a 35th-place qualifying start to finish 12th and collect significant stage and race points. His approach is to continue this mindset at Charlotte and the incoming races, using consistency as his main weapon to keep contenders like Busch and Keselowski at bay.
Stenhouse made his playoff strategy clear:
“If we have no more new winners, even including myself, I would probably take that chance over new winners and then even me having a shot at a win because I like what we’re doing as a race team right now,”
he said. —Ricky Stenhouse Jr., NASCAR Driver
For Stenhouse, the rise of repeat winners elsewhere on the grid actually strengthens his push to reach the playoffs based on points, rather than relying solely on race wins. This cautious optimism sets the tone as the Cup Series inches closer to its pivotal late-season battles.
Aiming for a Consistent Climb as the Chase Heats Up
With every race amplifying the pressure, Stenhouse’s use of consistent finishes is looking increasingly crucial in the swirling points battle. The intrigue around whether Busch and Keselowski will break their winless streaks remains, but Stenhouse is intent on driving his team forward, counting on steady performances over the fleeting promise of a single race victory. As the NASCAR season continues, all eyes are on Stenhouse’s push for the 2024 playoffs and whether his approach can secure a coveted place in the next postseason round.
