Last week we saw a race where passing was difficult, but not impossible, and we saw Kyle Larson pick up his 2nd Short track win of the season. This week it’s on to a track where passing for the lead will be much more prevalent than the last 2 races, Talladega. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 1 based on the 2023 point standings, 2 based on 2023 stats, 2 based on Superspeedway stats, 1 based on the last Talladega race and 2 based on their overall Talladega stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 with ranking through 9 races since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Superspeedway (drafting tracks) statistics and Talladega statistics.
*This was written prior to any penalties or reversal of penalties, so points position does not reflect after penalty or reversal.
1st in Points – Christopher Bell
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.22 | 2nd of 36 | T77th of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.22% | 26th of 36 | 453rd of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.58% | 5th of 36 | 113th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 92.96 | 4th of 36 | 137th of 790‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T3rd of 50 | T43rd of 1060 |
| Poles | 0 | T6th of 50 | T119th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T6th of 50 | T92nd of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T1st of 50 | T32nd of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | 1st of 50 | T14th of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | T1st of 50 | T32nd of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T22nd of 36 | T576th of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T11th of 50 | T65th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | T2nd of 50 | T32nd of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 57 | 7th of 50 | 49th of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 5 | T5th of 50 | T33rd of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 3.0(2nd), 67.58% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 89.3(6th), Best 3rd, Worst 3rd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 5.51% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 17th, Started 1st, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 92 Laps in Top15 (48.94% of laps he ran), had 69.5 Driver Rating (ranked 20th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 6 Races
- 21.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 28th)
- Best Finish: 5th, Worst: 39th
- Completed 81.3% of laps (% ranks 35th)
- 67.05% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 5th)
- 73.0 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 19th)
- Led 2.86% of laps he’s run (% ranks 15th)
- 2 Poles, 33.33% (% ranks 1st)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 1 Top 5, 16.67% (% ranks T13th)
- 1 Top 15, 16.67% (% ranks 32nd)
- 3 finishes outside Top 20, 50.0% (% ranks T21st)
- 1 DNF, 16.67% (% ranks T14th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 5 Stage T10’s, 41.67% (% ranks T9th)
Outlook
Christopher Bell is notable because he is the points leader thru 9 races. Last week was a struggle for Bell as he ran most of his race outside the Top 15 and then finished there as well, in 16th. This is his worst finish this season in which he did not DNF, he has 2 DNF’s, and raised his Avg. Finish to 11.22, but this is still the 2nd best Avg. Finish this year. In addition to this Bell has a 92.96 Avg. Driver Rating (ranks 4th), 1 Win (ranks T3rd), 3 Top 3’s (ranks T1st), 5 Top 5’s (ranks 1st), and 6 Top 10’s (ranks T1st). These numbers could be even better after this weekend if he runs like he has in the first two Superspeedway races this year. In these races Bell has finished 3rd both times, ran 67.58% of his laps in the Top 15, and has the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating at 89.3. Additionally he has led 5.51% of his laps, but despite all this he has only gotten 1.5 Stage Pts Per Stage. Last Fall at Talladega Bell didn’t run well, after starting on Pole he ran less than half his laps in the Top 15 and his 69.5 Driver Rating was 20th best that day. In the end he finished 17th which actually improved his Avg. Finish in 6 races here to 21.5. This is 28th best among active drivers but his 73.0 Avg. Driver Rating is better at 19th best. Bell’s best finish here is 5th, but that is his only Top 15 as well. In short Talladega has been a struggle for Bell so even though he has been good this year I see a bad race coming, I think he DNF’s to a finish outside the Top 25.
Christopher Bell is notable because he is the points leader thru 9 races. Last week was a struggle for Bell as he ran most of his race outside the Top 15 and then finished there as well, in 16th. This is his worst finish this season in which he did not DNF, he has 2 DNF’s, and raised his Avg. Finish to 11.22, but this is still the 2nd best Avg. Finish this year. In addition to this Bell has a 92.96 Avg. Driver Rating (ranks 4th), 1 Win (ranks T3rd), 3 Top 3’s (ranks T1st), 5 Top 5’s (ranks 1st), and 6 Top 10’s (ranks T1st). These numbers could be even better after this weekend if he runs like he has in the first two Superspeedway races this year. In these races Bell has finished 3rd both times, ran 67.58% of his laps in the Top 15, and has the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating at 89.3. Additionally he has led 5.51% of his laps, but despite all this he has only gotten 1.5 Stage Pts Per Stage. Last Fall at Talladega Bell didn’t run well, after starting on Pole he ran less than half his laps in the Top 15 and his 69.5 Driver Rating was 20th best that day. In the end he finished 17th which actually improved his Avg. Finish in 6 races here to 21.5. This is 28th best among active drivers but his 73.0 Avg. Driver Rating is better at 19th best. Bell’s best finish here is 5th, but that is his only Top 15 as well. In short Talladega has been a struggle for Bell so even though he has been good this year I see a bad race coming, I think he DNF’s to a finish outside the Top 25.
2nd in Points – Ross Chastain
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.11 | 4th of 36 | T100th of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.96% | 3rd of 36 | T37th of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 68.22% | 8th of 36 | 161st of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 88.97 | 7th of 36 | 181st of 790‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 50 | T131st of 1060 |
| Poles | 0 | T6th of 50 | T119th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T12th of 50 | T214th of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T5th of 50 | T68th of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T4th of 50 | T82nd of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 4 | T5th of 50 | T143rd of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 36 | T1st of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 3 | 2nd of 50 | T9th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | T2nd of 50 | T32nd of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 73 | 3rd of 50 | T31st of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 3 | 8th of 50 | T47th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 11.0(T8th), 27.75% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 67.9(20th), Best 9th, Worst 13th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 2.33% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 4th, Started 6th, Led 36 laps (19.15%), Finished 6th in Stage 2, ran 172 Laps in Top15 (91.49% of laps he ran), had 118.2 Driver Rating (ranked 1st)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 8 Races
- 17.63 Avg. Finish (Ranks 13th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 33rd
- Completed 99.72% of laps (% ranks 5th)
- 31.8% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 26th)
- 65.49 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 26th)
- Led 4.11% of laps he’s run (% ranks 9th)
- 1 Win, 12.5% (% ranks 3rd)
- 2 Top 5’s, 25.0% (% ranks 6th)
- 2 Top 10’s, 25.0% (% ranks T19th)
- 3 Top 15’s, 37.5% (% ranks T22nd)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 50.0% (% ranks T21st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 3 Stage T10’s, 18.75% (% ranks 23rd)
Outlook
Ross Chastain is notable because of how he ran at Talladega last Fall. Last week at Martinsville Chastain struggled to start, but strategy helped him get a 13th place finish with 5 Stage Pts. This has his Avg. Finish now at 12.11 (ranks 4th) and he’s now only ran 68.22% of his laps in the Top 15 (ranks 8th). On the year he has 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 3 Stage Wins, 11 Stage Top 10’s and 73 Stage Pts, the stage stats all rank 3rd or better. This has Chastain’s Avg. Driver Rating at a decent 88.97 this year which is well above his 67.9 Avg. Driver Rating in the two Superspeedway races this year. Despite this he is tied for the 8th best Avg. Finish at 11.0 with finishes of 9th and 13th. What makes this even more surreal is that he has only ran 27.75% of his laps in the Top 15 in the two Superspeedway races this year. Last Spring at Talladega Chastain won and in the Fall he finished 4th with the best Driver Rating of any driver that day at 118.2. In that race he led 19% of the race, ran over 90% of his laps in the Top 15, and came home with 5 Stage Pts as well. This was his 8th start at Talladega but only his 2nd Top 10 and just his 3rd Top 15. In fact half his finishes have been out of the Top 20 here but he still holds a 17.63 Avg. Finish despite his underwhelming 65.49 Avg. Driver Rating. I don’t think Chastain will run Top 15 much of the race but I think, as long as he doesn’t wreck, that he ends up in the Top 10 at the end of the race.
Ross Chastain is notable because of how he ran at Talladega last Fall. Last week at Martinsville Chastain struggled to start, but strategy helped him get a 13th place finish with 5 Stage Pts. This has his Avg. Finish now at 12.11 (ranks 4th) and he’s now only ran 68.22% of his laps in the Top 15 (ranks 8th). On the year he has 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 3 Stage Wins, 11 Stage Top 10’s and 73 Stage Pts, the stage stats all rank 3rd or better. This has Chastain’s Avg. Driver Rating at a decent 88.97 this year which is well above his 67.9 Avg. Driver Rating in the two Superspeedway races this year. Despite this he is tied for the 8th best Avg. Finish at 11.0 with finishes of 9th and 13th. What makes this even more surreal is that he has only ran 27.75% of his laps in the Top 15 in the two Superspeedway races this year. Last Spring at Talladega Chastain won and in the Fall he finished 4th with the best Driver Rating of any driver that day at 118.2. In that race he led 19% of the race, ran over 90% of his laps in the Top 15, and came home with 5 Stage Pts as well. This was his 8th start at Talladega but only his 2nd Top 10 and just his 3rd Top 15. In fact half his finishes have been out of the Top 20 here but he still holds a 17.63 Avg. Finish despite his underwhelming 65.49 Avg. Driver Rating. I don’t think Chastain will run Top 15 much of the race but I think, as long as he doesn’t wreck, that he ends up in the Top 10 at the end of the race.
4th in Points – Kyle Larson
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.0 | 11th of 36 | T195th of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 94.09% | 28th of 36 | 507th of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 77.15% | 4th of 36 | 88th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 100.14 | 2nd of 36 | 75th of 790‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T1st of 50 | T9th of 1060 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 50 | T8th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T1st of 50 | T12th of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T1st of 50 | T32nd of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 4 | T2nd of 50 | T41st of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 4 | T5th of 50 | T143rd of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T32nd of 36 | T743rd of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T3rd of 50 | T16th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | T2nd of 50 | T32nd of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 74 | 2nd of 50 | T74th of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 12 | 2nd of 50 | T4th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 24.5(28th), 64.44% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 77.9(13th), Best 18th, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 88.77%, Led 1.43% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 18th, Started 2nd, Led 8 laps (4.26%), Finished 8th in Stage 1 and 3rd in Stage 2, ran 137 Laps in Top15 (72.87% of laps he ran), had 88.4 Driver Rating (ranked 8th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 16 Races
- 22.81 Avg. Finish (Ranks 30th)
- Best Finish: 4th, Worst: 42nd
- Completed 81.46% of laps (% ranks 34th)
- 60.84% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 7th)
- 76.78 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 14th)
- Led 2.19% of laps he’s run (% ranks 17th)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 1 Top 5, 6.25% (% ranks 22nd)
- 3 Top 10’s, 18.75% (% ranks 24th)
- 6 Top 15’s, 37.5% (% ranks T22nd)
- 8 finishes outside Top 20, 50.0% (% ranks T21st)
- 5 DNF’s, 31.25% (% ranks T26th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2.1 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 11th)
Outlook
Kyle Larson is notable because of his 2023 season stats thru 9 races. Last week Larson ran well most the race and, to his surprise, won the race. This was his 2nd Win of the season and his 4th Top 5, but also just his 4th Top 10 with 3 DNF’s this year as well. This has his Avg. Finish ranking 11th at 15.0 but his 100.14 Avg. Driver Rating is actually 2nd best this year, and he’s ran 77.15% of his laps this year in the Top 15, which is the 4th best percentage. Even his stage stats are good as all of his stage stats rank 2nd or 3rd in the 2023 Ranks above. In addition a lot of his traditional stats rank 1st as well. That’s it for the good news, however, as the rest is not pretty. This year at Superspeedways Larson has gotten wrecked in both races leading to a 24.5 Avg. Finish with a best finish of 18th. His Avg. Driver Rating is a little better at 77.9, but this still only ranks 13th best. Last Fall at Talladega Larson ran decent as 73% of his laps were run in the Top 15 but he ended up finishing 18th. The bit of good news from this race is he that he got 11 Stage Pts and his 88.4 Driver Rating was 8th best. This is amazing in comparison with his career stats here as in 16 races Larson has 1 Top 5, a 22.81 Avg. Finish, and a 76.78 Avg. Driver Rating. In fact he has more DNF’s (5) than he does Top 10’s (3). I don’t expect much from Larson this week, but if he can avoid a DNF (that’s a big IF) then I think he finishes between 8th-15th.
Kyle Larson is notable because of his 2023 season stats thru 9 races. Last week Larson ran well most the race and, to his surprise, won the race. This was his 2nd Win of the season and his 4th Top 5, but also just his 4th Top 10 with 3 DNF’s this year as well. This has his Avg. Finish ranking 11th at 15.0 but his 100.14 Avg. Driver Rating is actually 2nd best this year, and he’s ran 77.15% of his laps this year in the Top 15, which is the 4th best percentage. Even his stage stats are good as all of his stage stats rank 2nd or 3rd in the 2023 Ranks above. In addition a lot of his traditional stats rank 1st as well. That’s it for the good news, however, as the rest is not pretty. This year at Superspeedways Larson has gotten wrecked in both races leading to a 24.5 Avg. Finish with a best finish of 18th. His Avg. Driver Rating is a little better at 77.9, but this still only ranks 13th best. Last Fall at Talladega Larson ran decent as 73% of his laps were run in the Top 15 but he ended up finishing 18th. The bit of good news from this race is he that he got 11 Stage Pts and his 88.4 Driver Rating was 8th best. This is amazing in comparison with his career stats here as in 16 races Larson has 1 Top 5, a 22.81 Avg. Finish, and a 76.78 Avg. Driver Rating. In fact he has more DNF’s (5) than he does Top 10’s (3). I don’t expect much from Larson this week, but if he can avoid a DNF (that’s a big IF) then I think he finishes between 8th-15th.
7th in Points – Joey Logano
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.89 | 10th of 36 | T187th of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 89.85% | 34th of 36 | 646th of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 54.68% | 14th of 36 | 256th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 82.56 | 11th of 36 | 245th of 790‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T3rd of 50 | T43rd of 1060 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 50 | T8th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T1st of 50 | T12th of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T1st of 50 | T32nd of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T4th of 50 | T82nd of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T3rd of 50 | T86th of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T22nd of 36 | T576th of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T5th of 50 | T36th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 6 | T13th of 50 | T88th of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 44 | 10th of 50 | 62nd of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 6 | 4th of 50 | T25th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 1.5(1st), 82.2% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 116.25(1st), Best 1st, Worst 2nd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 32.2% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 6.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 27th, Started 11th, Led 0 laps, Finished 5th in Stage 1, ran 45 Laps in Top15 (23.94% of laps he ran), had 55.3 Driver Rating (ranked 28th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 28 Races
- 17.86 Avg. Finish (Ranks 15th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 39th
- Completed 93.1% of laps (% ranks 21st)
- 67.14% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 4th)
- 89.2 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 4th)
- Led 8.51% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 3 Wins, 10.71% (% ranks 5th)
- 5 Top 3’s, 17.86% (% ranks 4th)
- 9 Top 5’s, 32.14% (% ranks T2nd)
- 13 Top 15’s, 46.43% (% ranks 19th)
- 13 finishes outside Top 20, 46.43% (% ranks 19th)
- 9 DNF’s, 32.14% (% ranks 29th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 15 Stage T10’s, 62.5% (% ranks 2nd)
- 4.38 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Outlook
Joey Logano is notable because of his stats in 2 races on Superspeedways this year. At Martinsville Logano struggled but a late race call not to pit had him finish 2nd. This was his 3rd Top 2 of the year, but also his 3rd Top 5 as well and he now has just the 10th best Avg. Finish of the year at 14.89. This fits right along with his 11th best 82.56 Avg. Driver Rating and T13th most Stage T10’s at 6. To further show the overall struggles of Logano he has only ran 54.68% of his laps in the Top 15 this year. The tracks Logano has not struggled on are where we head this week, Superspeedways. In the 2 races this year he’s finished 2nd and 1st all while running 82% of his laps in the Top 15 and getting 1 Stage Win. In addition Logano has 1 Pole, 6.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, and his 116.25 Avg. Driver Rating is the best by far in the two races. The same cannot be said about him last Fall at Talladega where Logano had the 28th best Driver Rating at 55.3. This was due, in part, to him only running 24% of his laps in the Top 15 and his 27th place finish. The finish is about right for Logano here actually as he has a 17.86 Avg. Finish with 13 finishes out of the Top 20 and only 13 Top 15’s. However he typically runs better as he’s led 8.51% of laps he’s run, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating at 89.2, and gets 4.38 Stage Pts Per Stage. I feel this holds and Logano runs in the Top 15 a lot this weekend and if he doesn’t DNF then he’ll finish Top 5 I believe.
Joey Logano is notable because of his stats in 2 races on Superspeedways this year. At Martinsville Logano struggled but a late race call not to pit had him finish 2nd. This was his 3rd Top 2 of the year, but also his 3rd Top 5 as well and he now has just the 10th best Avg. Finish of the year at 14.89. This fits right along with his 11th best 82.56 Avg. Driver Rating and T13th most Stage T10’s at 6. To further show the overall struggles of Logano he has only ran 54.68% of his laps in the Top 15 this year. The tracks Logano has not struggled on are where we head this week, Superspeedways. In the 2 races this year he’s finished 2nd and 1st all while running 82% of his laps in the Top 15 and getting 1 Stage Win. In addition Logano has 1 Pole, 6.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, and his 116.25 Avg. Driver Rating is the best by far in the two races. The same cannot be said about him last Fall at Talladega where Logano had the 28th best Driver Rating at 55.3. This was due, in part, to him only running 24% of his laps in the Top 15 and his 27th place finish. The finish is about right for Logano here actually as he has a 17.86 Avg. Finish with 13 finishes out of the Top 20 and only 13 Top 15’s. However he typically runs better as he’s led 8.51% of laps he’s run, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating at 89.2, and gets 4.38 Stage Pts Per Stage. I feel this holds and Logano runs in the Top 15 a lot this weekend and if he doesn’t DNF then he’ll finish Top 5 I believe.
10th in Points – Ryan Blaney
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.78 | 9th of 36 | T181st of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.79% | T7th of 36 | T91st of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 61.34% | 12th of 36 | 207th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 79.31 | 14th of 36 | 286th of 790‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 50 | T131st of 1060 |
| Poles | 0 | T6th of 50 | T119th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T6th of 50 | T92nd of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T9th of 50 | T146th of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T12th of 50 | T229th of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 4 | T5th of 50 | T143rd of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 36 | T1st of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T11th of 50 | T65th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 6 | T13th of 50 | T88th of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 33 | 14th of 50 | T81st of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T14th of 50 | T79th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 7.5(3rd), 55.51% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 87.0(7th), Best 7th, Worst 8th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 1.27% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 2nd, Started 19th, Led 31 laps (16.49%), Finished 1st in Stage 1, ran 113 Laps in Top15 (60.1% of laps he ran), had 101.2 Driver Rating (ranked 4th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 17 Races
- 16.0 Avg. Finish (Ranks 10th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 43rd
- Completed 94.89% of laps (% ranks 15th)
- 73.99% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 2nd)
- 91.71 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 1st)
- Led 7.58% of laps he’s run (% ranks 2nd)
- 2 Wins, 11.76% (% ranks 4th)
- 3 Top 2’s, 17.65% (% ranks 2nd)
- 6 Top 10’s, 35.29% (% ranks 11th)
- 10 Top 15’s, 58.82% (% ranks 7th)
- 5 finishes outside Top 20, 29.41% (% ranks 8th)
- 4 DNF’s, 23.53% (% ranks 21st)
- 2 Stage Wins, 8.33% (% ranks T4th)
- 18 Stage T10’s, 75.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 4.58 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Outlook
Ryan Blaney is notable because of his career statistics here at Talladega. Last week Blaney had a decent race and came home P7. This may have been Blaney’s 4th Top 10 of the year but only 1 of those was a Top 5, a 2nd at Phoenix. Furthermore his 79.31 Avg. Driver Rating only ranks 14th best as does his 33 Stage Pts. The good news for him this year is that he has 0 DNF’s which has helped him acquire the 9th best Avg. Finish at 14.78. At Superspeedways this year Blaney has been consistent as he has finished 7th and 8th in the two races giving him the 3rd best Avg. Finish at 7.5. The races haven’t been all good, however, as he has only ran 55.51% of his laps in the Top 15 and his 87.0 Avg. Driver Rating is just 7th best (not bad, but not as good as ranking 3rd). These stats are definitely not as good as his Fall Talladega stats last year where he got a 101.2 Driver Rating (4th best) and missed winning by just 0.46 seconds. In addition Blaney won Stage 1 and led 16.49% of the race. This should come as no surprise as Blaney runs good here running 74% of his laps in the Top 15 and 58% of his finishes have been a Top 15. In addition his 91.71 Avg. Driver Rating, 75.0 Stage T10%, and 4.58 Stage Pts Per Stage here all rank 1st among active drivers. The stats line up well for Blaney this weekend and a good finish looks to be highly likely. In the end I think he contends most the race and ends up with a Top 5.
Ryan Blaney is notable because of his career statistics here at Talladega. Last week Blaney had a decent race and came home P7. This may have been Blaney’s 4th Top 10 of the year but only 1 of those was a Top 5, a 2nd at Phoenix. Furthermore his 79.31 Avg. Driver Rating only ranks 14th best as does his 33 Stage Pts. The good news for him this year is that he has 0 DNF’s which has helped him acquire the 9th best Avg. Finish at 14.78. At Superspeedways this year Blaney has been consistent as he has finished 7th and 8th in the two races giving him the 3rd best Avg. Finish at 7.5. The races haven’t been all good, however, as he has only ran 55.51% of his laps in the Top 15 and his 87.0 Avg. Driver Rating is just 7th best (not bad, but not as good as ranking 3rd). These stats are definitely not as good as his Fall Talladega stats last year where he got a 101.2 Driver Rating (4th best) and missed winning by just 0.46 seconds. In addition Blaney won Stage 1 and led 16.49% of the race. This should come as no surprise as Blaney runs good here running 74% of his laps in the Top 15 and 58% of his finishes have been a Top 15. In addition his 91.71 Avg. Driver Rating, 75.0 Stage T10%, and 4.58 Stage Pts Per Stage here all rank 1st among active drivers. The stats line up well for Blaney this weekend and a good finish looks to be highly likely. In the end I think he contends most the race and ends up with a Top 5.
11th in Points – Alex Bowman
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.0 | 1st of 36 | T52nd of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.92% | 4th of 36 | T49th of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 86.42% | 1st of 36 | 29th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 94.59 | 3rd of 36 | 121st of 790‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 50 | T131st of 1060 |
| Poles | 1 | T3rd of 50 | T26th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T12th of 50 | T214th of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T5th of 50 | T68th of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T4th of 50 | T82nd of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | T1st of 50 | T32nd of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 36 | T1st of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T11th of 50 | T65th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 9 | T8th of 50 | T58th of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 54 | 8th of 50 | T51st of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T14th of 50 | T79th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 9.5(5th), 65.89% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 84.7(8th), Best 5th, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 2.54% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Spring Talladega Race
- Finished 9th, Started 27th, Led 0 laps, Finished 9th in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2, ran 112 Laps in Top15 (59.57% of laps he ran), had 87.2 Driver Rating (ranked 12th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 14 Races
- 24.43 Avg. Finish (Ranks 32nd)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 43rd
- Completed 89.7% of laps (% ranks 28th)
- 49.44% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 16th)
- 74.23 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 17th)
- Led 1.97% of laps he’s run (% ranks 19th)
- 0 Wins
- 1 Top 2’s, 7.14% (% ranks 13th)
- 1 Top 5, 7.14% (% ranks T21st)
- 4 Top 10’s, 28.57% (% ranks 16th)
- 8 finishes outside Top 20, 57.14% (% ranks 30th)
- 6 DNF’s, 42.86% (% ranks 36th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 9 Stage T10’s, 50.0% (% ranks 7th)
- 2.78 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 6th)
Outlook
Alex Bowman is notable because of how well he has ran in 2023 thru 9 races. Bowman ran a decent race last week but ended up finishing 11th. This is about average for him this year as he has a 10.0 Avg. Finish, best of anyone this year, and his 86.42% of laps run in the Top 15 is also the best percentage of anyone this year. To further illustrate how good his season has been his 94.59 Avg. Driver Rating is 3rd best and his 6 Top 10’s are tied for the most this year. One of those Top 10’s was on a Superspeedway where in the 2 races this year he has finished 5th and 14th with the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating at 84.7. In the races he has also ran 66% of his laps in the Top 15 and has 4.25 Stage Pts Per Stage. Bowman missed the Fall race at Talladega but in the Spring he finished 9th while accumulating 8 Stage Pts. Despite this he only had the 12th best Driver Rating at 87.2, probably because he only ran 60% of his laps in the Top 15 and led 0 laps. This was one of Bowman’s better races here as in 14 starts he only has 1 Top 5 and 4 Top 10’s with 8 finishes out of the Top 20 leading to a 24.43 Avg. Finish. The good thing is 6 of those 8 were DNF’s, so if he can keep it on track he might do okay. In all the stats aren’t terrible for Bowman but they don’t point towards a win. This weekend I expect him to run decent most the race but probably DNF, however if he doesn’t DNF then he’ll get a Top 10.
Alex Bowman is notable because of how well he has ran in 2023 thru 9 races. Bowman ran a decent race last week but ended up finishing 11th. This is about average for him this year as he has a 10.0 Avg. Finish, best of anyone this year, and his 86.42% of laps run in the Top 15 is also the best percentage of anyone this year. To further illustrate how good his season has been his 94.59 Avg. Driver Rating is 3rd best and his 6 Top 10’s are tied for the most this year. One of those Top 10’s was on a Superspeedway where in the 2 races this year he has finished 5th and 14th with the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating at 84.7. In the races he has also ran 66% of his laps in the Top 15 and has 4.25 Stage Pts Per Stage. Bowman missed the Fall race at Talladega but in the Spring he finished 9th while accumulating 8 Stage Pts. Despite this he only had the 12th best Driver Rating at 87.2, probably because he only ran 60% of his laps in the Top 15 and led 0 laps. This was one of Bowman’s better races here as in 14 starts he only has 1 Top 5 and 4 Top 10’s with 8 finishes out of the Top 20 leading to a 24.43 Avg. Finish. The good thing is 6 of those 8 were DNF’s, so if he can keep it on track he might do okay. In all the stats aren’t terrible for Bowman but they don’t point towards a win. This weekend I expect him to run decent most the race but probably DNF, however if he doesn’t DNF then he’ll get a Top 10.
12th in Points – Brad Keselowski
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.89 | 15th of 36 | T272nd of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.16% | 15th of 36 | 202nd of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 69.22% | 7th of 36 | 156th of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 81.79 | 12th of 36 | 256th of 790‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 50 | T131st of 1060 |
| Poles | 0 | T6th of 50 | T119th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T6th of 50 | T92nd of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T9th of 50 | T146th of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T12th of 50 | T229th of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 3 | T12th of 50 | T230th of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T22nd of 36 | T576th of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T5th of 50 | T36th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | T2nd of 50 | T32nd of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 47 | 9th of 50 | T59th of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 1 | T9th of 50 | T62nd of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- none
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 12.0(12th), 89.6% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 109.9(2nd), Best 2nd, Worst 22nd, Laps Completed 99.79%, Led 18.9% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 24th, Started 18th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 67 Laps in Top15 (35.64% of laps he ran), had 54.7 Driver Rating (ranked 29th)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 28 Races
- 15.68 Avg. Finish (Ranks 7th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 38th
- Completed 97.09% of laps (% ranks 9th)
- 62.92% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 6th)
- 89.47 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 6.13% of laps he’s run (% ranks 6th)
- 6 Wins, 21.43% (% ranks 1st)
- 7 Top 3’s, 25.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 9 Top 5’s, 32.14% (% ranks T2nd)
- 13 Top 10’s, 46.43% (% ranks 7th)
- 11 finishes outside Top 20, 39.29% (% ranks 14th)
- 4 DNF’s, 14.29% (% ranks T11th)
- 3 Stage Wins, 12.5% (% ranks 2nd)
- 14 Stage T10’s, 58.33% (% ranks 3rd)
- 4.46 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Outlook
Brad Keselowski is notable because of how he’s faired in the 2 Superspeedway races this year. Keselowski ran pretty good at Martinsville last week but ended up P24. This was Keselowski’s 2nd worst finish of the year, and he now has a 16.89 Avg. Finish (ranks 15th) with 1 Top 5 and 3 Top 10’s. The finishes are a bit misleading, however, as he’s actually ran 69.22% of his laps in the Top 15 (ranks 7th) and has an 81.79 Avg. Driver Rating (ranks 12th). He has also been good in stages as he is tied for the 2nd most Stage T10’s at 11. His stages have been really good in the two Superspeedway races this year as he has 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. In fact he’s been really good at these races overall as is evident by his 109.9 Avg. Driver Rating (2nd best) and the fact that he’s ran 90% of his laps in the Top 15. In addition he’s led 19% of the laps he’s ran and has a 12.0 Avg. Finish with a 2nd in the Atlanta race. He was not as good in the Fall race last year at Talladega where he only ran 35.64% of his laps in the Top 15, finishing 24th, and his 54.7 Driver Rating was 29th best in the race. This is very untypical of Keselowski here as in 28 races he’s finished 13 of them in the Top 10 and his Avg. Finish is 15.68. In addition all of his Talladega stage stats (and 89.47 Avg. Driver Rating) rank 2nd or 3rd. With these stats it is hard to count out Keselowski this weekend, I think he runs Top 15 all day and ends up with a DNF or Top 10.
Brad Keselowski is notable because of how he’s faired in the 2 Superspeedway races this year. Keselowski ran pretty good at Martinsville last week but ended up P24. This was Keselowski’s 2nd worst finish of the year, and he now has a 16.89 Avg. Finish (ranks 15th) with 1 Top 5 and 3 Top 10’s. The finishes are a bit misleading, however, as he’s actually ran 69.22% of his laps in the Top 15 (ranks 7th) and has an 81.79 Avg. Driver Rating (ranks 12th). He has also been good in stages as he is tied for the 2nd most Stage T10’s at 11. His stages have been really good in the two Superspeedway races this year as he has 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. In fact he’s been really good at these races overall as is evident by his 109.9 Avg. Driver Rating (2nd best) and the fact that he’s ran 90% of his laps in the Top 15. In addition he’s led 19% of the laps he’s ran and has a 12.0 Avg. Finish with a 2nd in the Atlanta race. He was not as good in the Fall race last year at Talladega where he only ran 35.64% of his laps in the Top 15, finishing 24th, and his 54.7 Driver Rating was 29th best in the race. This is very untypical of Keselowski here as in 28 races he’s finished 13 of them in the Top 10 and his Avg. Finish is 15.68. In addition all of his Talladega stage stats (and 89.47 Avg. Driver Rating) rank 2nd or 3rd. With these stats it is hard to count out Keselowski this weekend, I think he runs Top 15 all day and ends up with a DNF or Top 10.
31st in Points – Chase Elliott
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.67 | – of 36 | – of 835 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 88.42% | – of 36 | – of 835 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 35.1% | – of 36 | – of 790‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 75.03 | – of 36 | – of 790‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 50 | T131st of 1060 |
| Poles | 0 | T6th of 50 | T119th of 1060 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T6th of 50 | T92nd of 1060 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T9th of 50 | T146th of 1060 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T12th of 50 | T229th of 1060 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T18th of 50 | T311th of 1060 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | – of 36 | – of 835 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T11th of 50 | T65th of 345* |
| Stage T10s | 2 | T22nd of 50 | T145th of 345* |
| Stage Pts | 5 | T26th of 50 | T160th of 345* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T14th of 50 | T79th of 345* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (of races he’s run)
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 42 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 38.0(42nd), 50.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 64.3(24th), Best 38th, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 55.66%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Talladega Statistics
- 2022 Fall Talladega Race
- Finished 1st, Started 16th, Led 10 laps (5.32%), Finished 3rd in Stage 1 and 1st in Stage 2, ran 179 Laps in Top15 (95.21% of laps he ran), had 116.7 Driver Rating (ranked 2nd)
- Notable Talladega Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 14 Races
- 14.21 Avg. Finish (Ranks 2nd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 38th
- Completed 96.68% of laps (% ranks 11th)
- 74.97% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 1st)
- 91.28 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 2nd)
- Led 7.31% of laps he’s run (% ranks 3rd)
- 2 Wins, 14.29% (% ranks 2nd)
- 2 Poles, 14.29% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5 Top 5’s, 35.71% (% ranks 1st)
- 7 Top 10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 28.57% (% ranks 7th)
- 3 DNF’s, 21.43% (% ranks 20th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 8.33% (% ranks T4th)
- 13 Stage T10’s, 54.17% (% ranks T5th)
- 3.58 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 4th)
Outlook
Chase Elliott is notable because of his statistics in 14 starts here at Talladega. Last week in his first race back Elliott ran poorly most the race but at the end of the race he was P10. This was Elliott’s 2nd Top 10 in his 3 races this year but his Avg. Finish is just 16.67 and his Avg. Driver Rating is also not great at 75.03. Even worse is that he has only spent 35% of his laps in the Top 15 this year and only has 5 Stage Pts in the 6 stages he’s competed in. Some good news is he is on a 2 race Top 10 streak (of races he’s ran), but more bad news is that his one Superspeedway race this year he DNF’d to a 38th place finish. This isn’t as bad as it seems though, but still isn’t good, as he ran half his race in the Top 15 and his 64.3 Avg. Driver Rating is 24th best. Now to the best news of all, this weekend is Talladega. Last Fall Elliott won the race here after running 95% of the race in the Top 15 and getting 18 Stage Pts. In addition he also had the 2nd best Driver Rating in the race at 116.7. Here at Talladega Elliott’s stats are better than any active driver as in 14 races he has a Top 5 in 35% of the them (ranks 1st) and has a Top 10 in half of them (also ranks 1st). In addition he has 2 Wins here plus his 14.21 Avg. Finish and 91.28 Avg. Driver Rating both are 2nd best. The stats suggest that Elliott will run really good this weekend and as long as his leg isn’t an issue I agree. I think he runs up front most the day and finishes Top 5.
Chase Elliott is notable because of his statistics in 14 starts here at Talladega. Last week in his first race back Elliott ran poorly most the race but at the end of the race he was P10. This was Elliott’s 2nd Top 10 in his 3 races this year but his Avg. Finish is just 16.67 and his Avg. Driver Rating is also not great at 75.03. Even worse is that he has only spent 35% of his laps in the Top 15 this year and only has 5 Stage Pts in the 6 stages he’s competed in. Some good news is he is on a 2 race Top 10 streak (of races he’s ran), but more bad news is that his one Superspeedway race this year he DNF’d to a 38th place finish. This isn’t as bad as it seems though, but still isn’t good, as he ran half his race in the Top 15 and his 64.3 Avg. Driver Rating is 24th best. Now to the best news of all, this weekend is Talladega. Last Fall Elliott won the race here after running 95% of the race in the Top 15 and getting 18 Stage Pts. In addition he also had the 2nd best Driver Rating in the race at 116.7. Here at Talladega Elliott’s stats are better than any active driver as in 14 races he has a Top 5 in 35% of the them (ranks 1st) and has a Top 10 in half of them (also ranks 1st). In addition he has 2 Wins here plus his 14.21 Avg. Finish and 91.28 Avg. Driver Rating both are 2nd best. The stats suggest that Elliott will run really good this weekend and as long as his leg isn’t an issue I agree. I think he runs up front most the day and finishes Top 5.
