PUEBLO, Colo. – The inaugural PBR Team Series Championship is just over one month away, taking place on Nov. 4-6 in Las Vegas. The race will be a fight to the finish, not just in the team competition but in the individual one as well.

That weekend, the rider with the most points accrued throughout the regular season will be named the MVP and win an additional $50,000.

Right now, just 9.75 points separate the top two riders in contention for the MVP title, while another three riders are within three rides of the top spot. Every ride from here on out is crucial, and an injury – or even just an 0-for-2 weekend – could completely change the outlook of the race.

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 MVP contenders, and tune in for Rattler Days in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 7-9 to see how the race continues to shake out.

1. Jose Vitor Leme, Austin Gamblers – 1,239.25 points

The two-time World Champion is no stranger to putting up insane numbers – just look at his 2021 season – and he’s first in the MVP race thanks to the blistering pace he’s set in the PBR Team Series. Leme is 14-for-19 for a riding percentage of 73%, serving mostly as the squad’s closer. He missed Cowboy Days and Freedom Fest due to several broken ribs, and without him there, the Gamblers had their two worst finishes at events this season. Now 11-11, Austin needs their captain to step up if they want to win the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship. The only thing lacking from Leme’s resume this season has been 90-point rides. Usually leading the world in 90s, Leme has put up just two this season, the highest of which was 90.75 points on Montana Jacket in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

2. Daylon Swearingen, Carolina Cowboys – 1,229.5 points

Swearingen won the 2022 world title thanks to a career performance at the PBR World Finals in May, and he hasn’t slowed down one iota since. During the summer break, he won a PBR Canada Cup Series event and three Challenger Series events before sliding in as captain of the Carolina Cowboys. The Cowboys are No. 1 in the season standings with a 14-8 record, thanks in no small part to Swearingen’s performance – he’s 14-for-23, riding at a 60.8% clip. Of his two 90-point rides this season, his highest also came in Cheyenne with 92.5 points on I’m Legit Too.

3. Luciano de Castro, Arizona Ridge Riders – 1,033.5 points

Castro is perhaps a surprising name to see this high on this list, up here with two World Champions, but fun fact: he finished the 2022 Unleash The Beast season ranked a career-best No. 4 in the world. It was a performance that earned him a first-round draft selection by the Arizona Ridge Riders, a pick that has paid off mightily. Castro is 12-for-25 (48%) this season, often closing games for the No. 3 squad (12-9-1). For context, he’s a career 35% (62-for-173) rider on the premier series. His top ride this season was 90.5 points on Top Shelf in Oklahoma City.

4. Mason Taylor, Carolina Cowboys – 1,021.75 points

The one-two punch for the Cowboys is easily the best in the league. And it’s no wonder, given their No. 1 ranking. Taylor sits fourth in the MVP race thanks to his 12-for-25 (48%) showing. He truly broke out at the 2021 PBR World Finals, nearly winning the event despite riding with his broken jaw wired shut, and finished the 2022 season ranked No. 13 in the world. The potential is all there with Taylor, and the Cowboys are hoping to reap the benefits come the Team Series Championship in Las Vegas. Taylor’s best ride this season came at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with 89.5 points on Duke.

5. Derek Kolbaba, Oklahoma Freedom – 968.5 points

We know that Derek Kolbaba has it in him to contend for a world title – he finished No. 2 in 2017 – so his contention in the MVP race just feels right. He finished No. 15 in the world in 2022, riding 33% of his bulls, but has begun the Team Series 11-for-22 – a cool 50% riding average. The Freedom have been on a tear as of late, winning two events in a row and finishing third in another to climb to No. 2 on the season leaderboard. At Freedom Fest, Kolbaba was the star of the show, notching three walk-off rides to earn the event win in front of the hometown crowd. One of those rides – 91 points on HomeBru – is the highest of his three 90-point rides this season.