NASCAR insider picks top story of 2024 season ahead of Round of 8

The NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 is set to begin in Las Vegas. But before we get there, what has been the of the season? There is only a month left in the Cup Series calendar, so it is almost time to reflect on the last 38 weeks or so.

Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports has been around NASCAR for a long time. He has seen some of the biggest stories in the sport up close and personal. This week he was the guest on Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast .

Fans got to see a more relaxed and casual Pockrass as he wore a Daytona 500 graphic tee instead of his usual FOX Sports polo. He also gave us his of the season. That is, the with four weeks remaining in the season.

"I mean we talk about Kyle Larson and I think the whole Indy 500 was one that was just so captivating and doing the Double. So, such, like you couldn't have predicted that it would be that. Like you couldn't predict that the same storm that ruins his day at Indianapolis came to Charlotte and ruined it here. Like that's just – and then he goes back to Indianapolis and wins and then comes back to Charlotte and wins. That's like Redemption City, twice.

"And so I think that saga and you look at you know, potentially cost him the regular season championship, right, not being at Charlotte. Now he will point to other things but certainly if he had raced that race he probably would have won the regular season championship. Will he need those five points going forward? He shouldn't but if he does, man. That just brings that story, he wants that story to go away and that story keeps cropping up again and again and again."

Is Bob Pockrass right? That weekend was very consequential for Kyle Larson. He lost the chance at potentially earning as many as 70 points – the highest points-paying race of the season.

Not to mention how historic the attempt was. Larson qualified P5. He appeared to be on his way to a top-5 finish. Then a pit road penalty sent him to the rear of the field. He ended up finishing P18.

Despite the issues that came with it, Kyle Larson will race the Double once again in 2025. Next season, if there is any chance of rain or delay at the 500, Larson will prioritize the Coca-Cola 600 and NASCAR. There will be no missing Charlotte again after this year's fiasco.

So, is Pockrass right? What is your biggest story of the year before the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8?