Martinsville as expected came down to a crazy finish, just not the crazy finish we expected. Ross Chastain lit the world on fire with his wall riding move and got himself a chance at the championship this weekend at Phoenix. Here is a look at the his and the other championship contenders as well as 4 other notable drivers 2022 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2022 with ranking through 35 races since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2022 small track (1.0-1.3 mile) statistics and Phoenix statistics.
Playoff Drivers
1 Seed – Chase Elliott
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 5 | 1st | T24th |
| Poles | 3 | T3rd | T38th |
| Top2 | 8 | 1st | T30th |
| Top3 | 8 | 3rd | T68th |
| Top5 | 12 | T3rd | T74th |
| Top10 | 20 | T1st | T64th |
| Stage Wins | 6 | T3rd | T18th* |
| Stage T10s | 46 | 2nd | T21st* |
| Stage Pts | 292 | 1st | T17th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 31 | 1st | 10th* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 1 Wins, 0 Pole, 2 Top 2, 2 Top 3, 2 Top 5, 3 Top 10, 1 Stage Wins, 10 Stage Top 10’s, 63 Stage Points, 6 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 5 straight Top 2 finishes
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 8.75, Best 1st, Worst 21st, Led 10.81% of laps run, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 11th, Started 19th, Led 50 laps (16.03%), Finished 3rd in Stage 1 and 2nd in Stage 2
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 13 Races
- 10.69 Avg. Finish (Ranks 3rd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 39th
- Led 13.91% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 1 Win, 7.69% (% ranks 4th)
- 1 Pole, 7.69% (% ranks 3rd)
- 2 Top 2’s, 15.38% (% ranks 4th)
- 5 Top 3’s, 38.46% (% ranks 3rd)
- 8 Top 10’s, 61.54% (% ranks 3rd)
- 11 Top 15’s, 84.62% (% ranks 1st)
- 2 times finish outside Top 20, 15.38% (% ranks 5th)
- 1 DNF, 7.69% (% ranks 24th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 9.09% (% ranks 5th)
- 20 Stage Top 10’s, 90.91% (% ranks 1st)
- 4.59 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Outlook
At Martinsville last week Chase Elliott ran strong finishing 2nd in both stages, but ended up 10th at the end of the race and barely made it to the Championship 4. While this was Elliott’s 20th Top 10 in 2022 it was only his 3rd Top 10 of the playoffs. This illustrates the difference between his overall stats and playoff stats as he ranks 3rd or better in every 2022 rank above, but is mid pack in the playoff ranks. We are headed to a small track this week though where Elliott has been impressive. He has an average finish of 8.75 this year and led 10.81% of the laps he’s run in 4 races. He also has 2 Top 3’s but those are his only Top 10’s. In the spring race at Phoenix Elliott was good early accumulating 17 Stage Points and leading 50 laps before coming home outside the Top 10. Historically here at Phoenix Elliott is one of the best is every stat above in race results and stages. With Elliott’s success this year on small tracks and Phoenix as a whole I see a good day coming. I see a Top 10 and with that most likely a Top 3 but I won’t go as far as to say he wins the race or championship, although he might.
At Martinsville last week Chase Elliott ran strong finishing 2nd in both stages, but ended up 10th at the end of the race and barely made it to the Championship 4. While this was Elliott’s 20th Top 10 in 2022 it was only his 3rd Top 10 of the playoffs. This illustrates the difference between his overall stats and playoff stats as he ranks 3rd or better in every 2022 rank above, but is mid pack in the playoff ranks. We are headed to a small track this week though where Elliott has been impressive. He has an average finish of 8.75 this year and led 10.81% of the laps he’s run in 4 races. He also has 2 Top 3’s but those are his only Top 10’s. In the spring race at Phoenix Elliott was good early accumulating 17 Stage Points and leading 50 laps before coming home outside the Top 10. Historically here at Phoenix Elliott is one of the best is every stat above in race results and stages. With Elliott’s success this year on small tracks and Phoenix as a whole I see a good day coming. I see a Top 10 and with that most likely a Top 3 but I won’t go as far as to say he wins the race or championship, although he might.
1 Seed – Joey Logano
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd | T68th |
| Poles | 3 | T3rd | T38th |
| Top2 | 5 | 5th | T81st |
| Top3 | 7 | T4th | T93rd |
| Top5 | 10 | T6th | T118th |
| Top10 | 16 | T5th | T166th |
| Stage Wins | 6 | T3rd | T18th* |
| Stage T10s | 47 | 1st | T17th* |
| Stage Pts | 269 | 4th | T28th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 21 | T2nd | T19th* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 1 Win, 2 Poles, 2 Top 2, 2 Top 3, 3 Top 5, 4 Top 10, 1 Stage Wins, 13 Stage Top 10’s, 68 Stage Points, 6 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 3 finishes
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 15.5, Best 1st, Worst 29th, Led 4.07% of laps run, 1 Win, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 8th, Started 10th, Led 4 laps (1.28%), Finished 9th in Stage 1 and 10th in Stage 2
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 27 Races
- 13.11 Avg. Finish (Ranks 7th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 37th
- Led 8.91% of laps he’s run (% ranks 5th)
- 2 Wins, 7.41% (% ranks 5th)
- 6 Top 3’s, 22.22% (% ranks 7th)
- 15 Top 10’s, 55.56% (% ranks 7th)
- 18 Top 15’s, 66.67% (% ranks 7th)
- 7 times finish outside Top 20, 25.93% (% ranks 13th)
- 4 DNF’s, 14.81% (% ranks 32nd)
- 4 Stage Wins, 18.18% (% ranks 1st)
- 15 Stage T10’s, 68.18% (% ranks 5th)
- 3.45 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 7th)
Outlook
Joey Logano wasn’t impressive at Martinsville coming home 6th, but with his win at Las Vegas 2 weeks ago he didn’t have to be. Logano deserves to be in the Championship 4 as he has some of the best 2022 ranks in the table above. His worst ranking is 6th in Top 5’s but most others are 1st-4th. In the playoffs Logano has a win, 2 Top 2’s, and 4 Top 10’s. This isn’t too impressive but he does have the 7th most Top 10’s in the playoffs. In 4 races this year on small tracks Logano has been go or go to the back as he has an average finish of 15.5, 1 Win and 2 Top 10’s but also 2 finishes outside the Top 20. He also only has 1.75 Stage Points Per Stage which tells me he’s not been running up front much. At Phoenix this year Logano did about that as he finished around 10th in both stages and the race. Historically here at Phoenix though Logano runs well, he has 2 Wins and finished in the Top 10 in over half his races. Logano’s stats are a mixed bag, but since it’s the championship race I see him running well all day and ending in the Top 10. I am not so confident in his ability to be Top 5 or the champion though.
Joey Logano wasn’t impressive at Martinsville coming home 6th, but with his win at Las Vegas 2 weeks ago he didn’t have to be. Logano deserves to be in the Championship 4 as he has some of the best 2022 ranks in the table above. His worst ranking is 6th in Top 5’s but most others are 1st-4th. In the playoffs Logano has a win, 2 Top 2’s, and 4 Top 10’s. This isn’t too impressive but he does have the 7th most Top 10’s in the playoffs. In 4 races this year on small tracks Logano has been go or go to the back as he has an average finish of 15.5, 1 Win and 2 Top 10’s but also 2 finishes outside the Top 20. He also only has 1.75 Stage Points Per Stage which tells me he’s not been running up front much. At Phoenix this year Logano did about that as he finished around 10th in both stages and the race. Historically here at Phoenix though Logano runs well, he has 2 Wins and finished in the Top 10 in over half his races. Logano’s stats are a mixed bag, but since it’s the championship race I see him running well all day and ending in the Top 10. I am not so confident in his ability to be Top 5 or the champion though.
1 Seed – Christopher Bell
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd | T68th |
| Poles | 4 | T1st | T21st |
| Top2 | 4 | T6th | T109th |
| Top3 | 6 | 7th | T122nd |
| Top5 | 12 | T3rd | T74th |
| Top10 | 19 | 3rd | T88th |
| Stage Wins | 4 | T8th | T38th* |
| Stage T10s | 36 | T7th | T54th* |
| Stage Pts | 207 | 8th | T53rd* |
| Playoff Pts² | 19 | 4th | T27th* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 2 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 2, 3 Top 3, 5 Top 5, 5 Top 10, 2 Stage Wins, 9 Stage Top 10’s, 68 Stage Points, 12 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 10.0, Best 1st, Worst 26th, Led 3.34% of laps run, 1 Wins, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 26th, Started 4th, Led 0 laps, Finished 6th in Stage 1
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 5 Races
- 17.0 Avg. Finish (Ranks 14th)
- Best Finish: 9th, Worst: 26th
- 0 Top 5’s
- 2 Top 10’s, 40.0% (% ranks 12th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 40.0% (% ranks 15th)
- 2 times finish outside Top 20, 40.0% (% ranks 17th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks 1st)
- 2 Stage Top 10’s, 20.0% (% ranks 18th)
Outlook
Christopher Bell is the walk-off king in the 2022 playoffs. Bell needed to win at Martinsville and defied the stats by doing just that. Besides his stage stats his 2022 ranks above are good as most of his 2022 ranks above are 3rd or better. The playoffs for Bell have been good across the board, however he is tied for the most Top 5’s in the playoffs with 5 and is the only driver to win twice in the playoffs. Bell’s stages have even been good in the playoffs as he is tied for the 4th most Stage Points. At small tracks this year Bell has been good again as he has a win and 3 Top 10’s in the 4 races on these tracks this year. He does however have 1 finish outside the Top 20 this year on small tracks, it came here at Phoenix in the spring. Bell finished 6th in Stage 1 before he spun in Stage 2 and never recovered. Overall here at Phoenix Bell hasn’t faired a lot better as he has 0 Top 5’s and only 2 Top 10’s in 5 races here. With all this in mind its hard to see what is in store for Bell this weekend, but I see his first Top 5 here and a shot at the championship. If it isn’t a Top 5 though I see Bell outside the Top 10.
Christopher Bell is the walk-off king in the 2022 playoffs. Bell needed to win at Martinsville and defied the stats by doing just that. Besides his stage stats his 2022 ranks above are good as most of his 2022 ranks above are 3rd or better. The playoffs for Bell have been good across the board, however he is tied for the most Top 5’s in the playoffs with 5 and is the only driver to win twice in the playoffs. Bell’s stages have even been good in the playoffs as he is tied for the 4th most Stage Points. At small tracks this year Bell has been good again as he has a win and 3 Top 10’s in the 4 races on these tracks this year. He does however have 1 finish outside the Top 20 this year on small tracks, it came here at Phoenix in the spring. Bell finished 6th in Stage 1 before he spun in Stage 2 and never recovered. Overall here at Phoenix Bell hasn’t faired a lot better as he has 0 Top 5’s and only 2 Top 10’s in 5 races here. With all this in mind its hard to see what is in store for Bell this weekend, but I see his first Top 5 here and a shot at the championship. If it isn’t a Top 5 though I see Bell outside the Top 10.
1 Seed – Ross Chastain
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 2 | T6th | T99th |
| Poles | 0 | T17th | T265th |
| Top2 | 7 | T2nd | T47th |
| Top3 | 9 | T1st | T53rd |
| Top5 | 14 | 1st | T42nd |
| Top10 | 20 | T1st | T64th |
| Stage Wins | 6 | T3rd | T18th* |
| Stage T10s | 38 | 6th | T48th* |
| Stage Pts | 233 | 6th | T43rd* |
| Playoff Pts² | 16 | 6th | T33rd* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 2, 2 Top 3, 4 Top 5, 6 Top 10, 1 Stage Wins, 12 Stage Top 10’s, 64 Stage Points, 1 Playoff Point earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes
- 4 straight Top 3 finishes
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 5.25, Best 2nd, Worst 8th, Led 6.84% of laps run, 0 Wins, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 2nd, Started 17th, Led 0 laps, Finished 7th in Stage 2
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 8 Races
- 20.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 23rd)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 28th
- 1 Top 3, 12.5% (% ranks 10th)
- 1 Top 10, 12.5% (% ranks 20th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 25.0% (% ranks 24th)
- 5 times finish outside Top 20, 62.5% (% ranks 29th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks 1st)
- 1 Stage Top 10, 6.25% (% ranks 20th)
Outlook
Ross Chastain had one of the most impressive moves in NASCAR history at Martinsville last week riding the wall into the owners and drivers Championship 4. Looking at the stats Chastain deserves the spot as well, his 2022 ranks above are either 1st or 2nd in Top 2’s through Top 10’s. Chastain has also been one of the most impressive playoff drivers accumulated the 2nd most Top 5’s with 4, the 2nd most Top 10’s with 6 and 4th most Stage T10’s with 64. To add to this Chastain also has the highest average finish on small tracks this year of 5.25, with a best of 2nd and worst of 8th. Furthermore, he has 2 Top 3’s and 4 Top 10’s in 4 races but not many Stage Points. The spring race here produced his best finish at these style tracks with 2nd, so there is reason to be optimistic about his chances. His overall stats at Phoenix though are rough with only 1 Top 10 in 8 races, however many of his races were in underfunded cars. I see Chastain with a strong run though based on his 2022 stats and him coming home with a Top 10, while also probably getting a Top 5 as well as racing for the championship in the closing laps.
Ross Chastain had one of the most impressive moves in NASCAR history at Martinsville last week riding the wall into the owners and drivers Championship 4. Looking at the stats Chastain deserves the spot as well, his 2022 ranks above are either 1st or 2nd in Top 2’s through Top 10’s. Chastain has also been one of the most impressive playoff drivers accumulated the 2nd most Top 5’s with 4, the 2nd most Top 10’s with 6 and 4th most Stage T10’s with 64. To add to this Chastain also has the highest average finish on small tracks this year of 5.25, with a best of 2nd and worst of 8th. Furthermore, he has 2 Top 3’s and 4 Top 10’s in 4 races but not many Stage Points. The spring race here produced his best finish at these style tracks with 2nd, so there is reason to be optimistic about his chances. His overall stats at Phoenix though are rough with only 1 Top 10 in 8 races, however many of his races were in underfunded cars. I see Chastain with a strong run though based on his 2022 stats and him coming home with a Top 10, while also probably getting a Top 5 as well as racing for the championship in the closing laps.
Notable Drivers
1 Seed in Owners Championship – Kyle Larson
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd | T68th |
| Poles | 4 | T1st | T21st |
| Top2 | 6 | 4th | T62nd |
| Top3 | 7 | T4th | T93rd |
| Top5 | 13 | 2nd | T63rd |
| Top10 | 18 | 4th | T113th |
| Stage Wins | 6 | T3rd | T18th* |
| Stage T10s | 45 | 3rd | T25th* |
| Stage Pts | 272 | 2nd | 26th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 21 | T2nd | T19th* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 2’s, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10, 3 Stage Wins, 13 Stage Top 10’s, 85 Stage Points, 8 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (active streak)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 16.5, Best 6th, Worst 34th, Led 1.77% of laps run, 0 Wins, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 34th (engine), Started 7th, Led 2 laps (0.64%), Finished 7th in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 16 Races
- 12.38 Avg. Finish (Ranks 5th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 40th
- 1 Win, 6.25% (% ranks 6th)
- 2 Top 2’s, 12.5% (% ranks 5th)
- 4 Top 3’s, 25.0% (% ranks 5th)
- 9 Top 10’s, 56.28% (% ranks 6th)
- 3 times finish outside Top 20, 18.75% (% ranks 9th)
- 2 DNF’s, 12.5% (% ranks 30th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 10.0% (% ranks 4th)
- 15 Stage Top 10’s, 75.0% (% ranks 4th)
- 3.75 Stage Points Per Stage (ranks 5th)
Outlook
Kyle Larson ran strong last week at Martinsville ending the race with his 2nd straight Top 2 finish. Now if Larson and the 5 team want an owners championship they will probably need another. It’s a shame Larson is not in both championships when looking at his stats. He ranks 4th or better in every 2022 rank above, which is crazy as only he and Chase Elliott can say that. His playoffs have been decent as well as he has a Win, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s and 85 Stage Points (the most of any driver). Larson’s small track stats this year are concerning since he doesn’t have a finish better than 6th and that is his only Top 10. The good news is he does well in stages so he just needs to work on finishing the races out. In the spring race here Larson blew a motor and finished 34th, but overall here his stats are pretty good. He has a Top 3 in 25% of his races here and more Top 10’s than not Top 10’s. With all of this in mind, I see Larson getting Stage T10’s and a Top 10 with a Top 5 being a good possibility if he can put the full race together.
Kyle Larson ran strong last week at Martinsville ending the race with his 2nd straight Top 2 finish. Now if Larson and the 5 team want an owners championship they will probably need another. It’s a shame Larson is not in both championships when looking at his stats. He ranks 4th or better in every 2022 rank above, which is crazy as only he and Chase Elliott can say that. His playoffs have been decent as well as he has a Win, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s and 85 Stage Points (the most of any driver). Larson’s small track stats this year are concerning since he doesn’t have a finish better than 6th and that is his only Top 10. The good news is he does well in stages so he just needs to work on finishing the races out. In the spring race here Larson blew a motor and finished 34th, but overall here his stats are pretty good. He has a Top 3 in 25% of his races here and more Top 10’s than not Top 10’s. With all of this in mind, I see Larson getting Stage T10’s and a Top 10 with a Top 5 being a good possibility if he can put the full race together.
5th in points – Denny Hamlin
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 2 | T6th | T99th |
| Poles | 3 | T3rd | T38th |
| Top2 | 4 | T6th | T109th |
| Top3 | 5 | T8th | T142nd |
| Top5 | 10 | T6th | T118th |
| Top10 | 15 | T9th | T190th |
| Stage Wins | 5 | 7th | T30th* |
| Stage T10s | 31 | 10th | T65th* |
| Stage Pts | 195 | 10th | 56th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 15 | 7th | T37th* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 0 Wins, 0 Pole, 2 Top 2, 2 Top 3, 5 Top 5, 8 Top 10, 2 Stage Wins, 9 Stage Top 10’s, 62 Stage Points, 2 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 18.5, Best 6th, Worst 34th, Led 5.38% of laps run, 0 Wins, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 13th, Started 2nd, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage Points
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 34 Races
- 10.62 Avg. Finish (Ranks 2nd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 35th
- Led 8.1% of laps he’s run (% ranks 7th)
- 2 Wins, 5.88% (% ranks 7th)
- 2 Poles, 5.88% (% ranks 7th)
- 11 Top 3’s, 32.35% (% ranks 2nd)
- 16 Top 5’s, 47.06% (% ranks 1st)
- 26 Top 15’s, 76.47% (% ranks 4th)
- 5 times finish outside Top 20, 14.71% (% ranks 4th)
- 1 DNF, 2.94% (% ranks 19th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 9.09% (% ranks 5th)
- 14 Stage Top 10’s, 63.64% (% ranks 6th)
- 3.45 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 7th)
Outlook
Denny Hamlin was looking good for the Championship 4 with 2 laps to go, but then the haul on the wall happened. As far as Hamlin’s 2022 stats go this isn’t a big surprise as he doesn’t rank in the top 5 of any 2022 rank above except Poles. However, as far as his 2022 playoff stats go this is a huge shock. Hamlin is tied for the most Top 5’s in the playoffs with 5 and has 2 more Top 10’s in the playoffs than any other driver with 8. If Hamlin races at Phoenix like he has at small tracks this year he wouldn’t have won the championship anyway though. He has an 18.5 average finish with only 1 Top 10 and 2 Top 15’s on small tracks this year. One of the Top 15’s was at Phoenix this spring where he finished 13th. This is not typical of Hamlin at Phoenix though as he has almost half his races here ending in Top 5’s. I see Hamlin mixing it up with the Championship 4’s above and getting 10+ Stage Points along with a for sure Top 10 and probably a Top 5.
Denny Hamlin was looking good for the Championship 4 with 2 laps to go, but then the haul on the wall happened. As far as Hamlin’s 2022 stats go this isn’t a big surprise as he doesn’t rank in the top 5 of any 2022 rank above except Poles. However, as far as his 2022 playoff stats go this is a huge shock. Hamlin is tied for the most Top 5’s in the playoffs with 5 and has 2 more Top 10’s in the playoffs than any other driver with 8. If Hamlin races at Phoenix like he has at small tracks this year he wouldn’t have won the championship anyway though. He has an 18.5 average finish with only 1 Top 10 and 2 Top 15’s on small tracks this year. One of the Top 15’s was at Phoenix this spring where he finished 13th. This is not typical of Hamlin at Phoenix though as he has almost half his races here ending in Top 5’s. I see Hamlin mixing it up with the Championship 4’s above and getting 10+ Stage Points along with a for sure Top 10 and probably a Top 5.
14th in points – Kyle Busch
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 1 | T10th | T141st |
| Poles | 0 | T17th | T265th |
| Top2 | 3 | T9th | T138th |
| Top3 | 7 | T4th | T93rd |
| Top5 | 8 | T9th | T172nd |
| Top10 | 16 | T5th | T166th |
| Stage Wins | 3 | 11th | T51st* |
| Stage T10s | 33 | 9th | 63rd* |
| Stage Pts | 196 | 9th | 55th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 8 | T11th | T53rd* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 0 Wins, 0 Pole, 0 Top 2, 2 Top 3, 2 Top 5, 3 Top 10, 1 Stage Win, 7 Stage Top 10’s, 41 Stage Points, 1 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 7.0, Best 2nd, Worst 12th, Led 13.43% of laps run, 0 Wins, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 7th, Started 11th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage Points
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 34 Races
- 10.74 Avg. Finish (Ranks 4th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 38th
- Led 11.43% of laps he’s run (% ranks 4th)
- 3 Wins, 8.82% (% ranks 3rd)
- 4 Poles, 11.76% (% ranks 2nd)
- 7 Top 2’s, 20.59% (% ranks 3rd)
- 10 Top 3’s, 29.41% (% ranks 4th)
- 24 Top 10’s, 70.59% (% ranks 2nd)
- 27 Top 15’s, 79.41% (% ranks 2nd)
- 6 times finish outside Top 20, 17.65% (% ranks 8th)
- 1 DNF, 2.94% (% ranks 19th)
- 3 Stage Wins, 13.64% (% ranks 2nd)
- 18 Stage Top 10’s, 81.82% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5.18 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Outlook
Kyle Busch was awful at Martinsville and has been out of the playoffs for some time but his overall 2022 stats aren’t that bad. He is tied for the 4th most Top 3’s and 5th most Top 10’s. He also does not rank lower than 11th in any of the 2022 ranks above except Poles. The playoffs have been a struggle for Busch though as he only has 3 Top 10’s and 41 Stage Points in 9 races, that’s just over 2 Stage Pts Per Stage. The reason Busch is notable however is for his small track success this year. He has an average finish of 7th with a best finish of 2nd, led 13.43% of laps he’s run and only finished outside the Top 10 once in 4 races. In the spring race at Phoenix Busch finished 7th, but also got 0 Stage Points which is not Busch-like here. Typically Busch gets over 10 Stage Points in a race and finished in the Top 3 in over a quarter of his starts. While Busch has nothing to fight for I see his tenor with JGR ending with a Top 10 and some Stage Points.
Kyle Busch was awful at Martinsville and has been out of the playoffs for some time but his overall 2022 stats aren’t that bad. He is tied for the 4th most Top 3’s and 5th most Top 10’s. He also does not rank lower than 11th in any of the 2022 ranks above except Poles. The playoffs have been a struggle for Busch though as he only has 3 Top 10’s and 41 Stage Points in 9 races, that’s just over 2 Stage Pts Per Stage. The reason Busch is notable however is for his small track success this year. He has an average finish of 7th with a best finish of 2nd, led 13.43% of laps he’s run and only finished outside the Top 10 once in 4 races. In the spring race at Phoenix Busch finished 7th, but also got 0 Stage Points which is not Busch-like here. Typically Busch gets over 10 Stage Points in a race and finished in the Top 3 in over a quarter of his starts. While Busch has nothing to fight for I see his tenor with JGR ending with a Top 10 and some Stage Points.
16th in points – Kevin Harvick
| Category | Statistic | 2022 Rank | ¹Rank Thru 35 Races |
| Wins | 2 | T6th | T99th |
| Poles | 0 | T17th | T265th |
| Top2 | 4 | T6th | T109th |
| Top3 | 5 | T8th | T142nd |
| Top5 | 8 | T9th | T172nd |
| Top10 | 16 | T5th | T166th |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th | T96th* |
| Stage T10s | 21 | T15th | T93rd* |
| Stage Pts | 90 | 17th | 95th* |
| Playoff Pts² | 10 | 9th | T42nd* |
¹Since Playoffs started in 2004
²Earned from races only
*Stage racing started in 2017
- Playoff Statistics this year
- 0 Wins, 0 Pole, 1 Top 2, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10, 0 Stage Wins, 2 Stage Top 10’s, 5 Stage Points, 0 Playoff Points earned in a race
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Wins
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022 Small Track Stats
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 13.25, Best 5th, Worst 33rd, Led 0.00% of laps run, 0 Wins, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- Spring Phoenix Race
- Finished 6th, Started 16th, Led 0 laps, Finished 8th in Stage 1 and 3rd in Stage 2
- Notable Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 39 Races
- 8.74 Avg. Finish (Ranks 1st)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 34th
- Led 13.68% of laps he’s run (% ranks 2nd)
- 9 Wins, 23.08% (% ranks 2nd)
- 12 Top 3’s, 30.77% (% ranks 3rd)
- 18 Top 5’s, 46.15% (% ranks 2nd)
- 28 Top 10’s, 71.79% (% ranks 1st)
- 4 times finish outside Top 20, 10.26% (% ranks 2nd)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks 1st)
- 18 Stage Top 10’s, 81.82% (% ranks 2nd)
- 4.55 Stage Points Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Outlook
Kevin Harvick wound up 16th at Martinsville last week and is winding down what is a disappointing season for him and the 4 team. While Harvick didn’t make as big of a splash as his teammate Chase Briscoe in the playoffs, he did have the best season statistically for SHR. He ranks between 6th and 9th in non-stage 2022 ranks above except for Poles. The playoffs have been a different story though as he only has 1 Top 5 and 5 Stage Points in 9 races. At the 4 small tracks this year Harvick has only 1 Top 5, but does have 3 Top 10’s with his only non-Top 10 being a DNF. Now for the reason Harvick is a notable, Phoenix. He finished 6th here in the spring and in 39 races has an average finish of 8.79. To go along with this he has won almost a quarter of his starts here, a Top 5 in almost half of them and 0 DNF’s. This weekend I see the season ending on a relative high note for Harvick with a finish in the Top 10 probably between 5th and 8th.
Kevin Harvick wound up 16th at Martinsville last week and is winding down what is a disappointing season for him and the 4 team. While Harvick didn’t make as big of a splash as his teammate Chase Briscoe in the playoffs, he did have the best season statistically for SHR. He ranks between 6th and 9th in non-stage 2022 ranks above except for Poles. The playoffs have been a different story though as he only has 1 Top 5 and 5 Stage Points in 9 races. At the 4 small tracks this year Harvick has only 1 Top 5, but does have 3 Top 10’s with his only non-Top 10 being a DNF. Now for the reason Harvick is a notable, Phoenix. He finished 6th here in the spring and in 39 races has an average finish of 8.79. To go along with this he has won almost a quarter of his starts here, a Top 5 in almost half of them and 0 DNF’s. This weekend I see the season ending on a relative high note for Harvick with a finish in the Top 10 probably between 5th and 8th.
