Kyffin Simpson aims to replicate 2025 Nashville showing or "a couple spots better"
Kyffin Simpson is heading back to a familiar comfort zone this weekend, with eyes firmly set on a late-season surge.
The 21-year-old Caymanian driver returns to Nashville Superspeedway — the site of a stellar fourth-place finish last year — looking to replicate that magic and thrust the #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda into a push to get into the top 10 of the championship.
Currently sitting 15th in the championship standings, Simpson has shown flashes of brilliant pace this year, including a season-best fourth-place finish at Road America last month. However, returning to Nashville brings a unique sense of confidence for the young driver.
Last year’s race at the 1.33-mile concrete oval marked a pivotal moment in his development, serving as the first non-Indianapolis oval where he felt completely dialed in. While different weather conditions and extreme summer heat could alter the playing field this weekend, Simpson remains highly optimistic.
Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing
“The whole team was really strong there last year,” Simpson told Motorsport.com. “We had really strong cars, we were really comfortable. It was kind of the first non-Indy oval where I really felt comfortable, and was really happy with the car I had… Hopefully we can replicate last year a little bit, but hopefully a couple spots better.”
Reflecting on last year’s standout performance, Simpson noted that running at the front of the pack provided an invaluable education. Battling side-by-side with the series’ elite forced him to adapt on the fly, transforming early-race mistakes into a polished performance by the checkered flag.
“Being able to run with the fast guys always kind of throws you in the deep end of you’ve got to figure it out quick,” Simpson said. “Early on in the race, I know I made a lot of mistakes on restarts… But I think by the end of the race, we were really putting everything together and that kind of showed.”
While Simpson acknowledges that the year has featured some “messy races,” his preseason goal of a top-10 championship finish remains well within reach. Armed with four top-10 finishes already under his belt, a massive points haul this weekend could completely shift the momentum of his campaign.
“I really do believe that it is absolutely still in hand that we could end top 10 in the championship this season,” Simpson said. “I think we’ve got quite a few tracks still that I think we’re going to be strong at. And I think Nashville is hopefully going to be a good weekend for us. And God willing, we’ll get a bunch of points there and put us really in the fight.”
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