Darlington put on a pretty good Truck race last weekend, but was ruined a bit by NASCAR trying to get another overtime restart which actually just ended the race for a minor wreck. Nevertheless Christian Eckes deserved the win, his 2nd this year. Now we move to the track everyone has been waiting for 25+ years to race at, North Wilkesboro. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 2 based on the 2023 point standings, 3 based on 2023 stats, and 3 based on Short track stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 as well as ranking through 9 races since the Playoffs started in 2016. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2022/23 Short track (under 1 mile) statistics and the empty North Wilkesboro statistics.
1st in Points – Zane Smith
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 9.67 | 3rd of 32 | 27th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | T1st of 32 | T1st of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 75.31% | 8th of 32 | 76th of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 104.9 | 2nd of 32 | 20th of 255‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T1st of 84 | T6th of 581 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 84 | T3rd of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T1st of 84 | T8th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 5 | 1st of 84 | T3rd of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 84 | T5th of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T3rd of 84 | T35th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 32 | T1st of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T6th of 84 | T30th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 13 | T1st of 84 | T19th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 84 | 3rd of 84 | 20th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 11 | 2nd of 84 | T6th of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Poles
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 5.2(3rd), 82.26% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 103.26(8th), Best 2nd, Worst 9th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 10.09% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 3 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 4.4 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Zane Smith is notable because he is 1st in points. Last week Smith had a terrible race as he ran 6 laps in the Top 15, wrecked around lap 100 and finished 22nd. This hurt Smith’s stats a lot as his Avg. Finish is now 9.67, his Avg. Driver Rating fell 7 points to 104.9, and his Laps in Top15% fell from 87% to 75%. The good thing is that he has still ran every lap this year and his 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 3 Top 2’s, 5 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s and 13 Stage T10’s still rank 1st or T1st this year. These stats may only get better as this weekend is a Short track. Since the start of 2022 there has been 5 Short track races and in them Smith has the 3rd best Avg. Finish at 5.2 with the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating at 103.26. In addition he’s also led 10% of the laps he’s run while getting 3 Top 3’s, 1 Stage Win, and a worst finish of just 9th. However, even with all this success he has 0 Wins in those races. As for North Wilkesboro, much like everyone in the field, Smith has never raced there so there is no track history to speak of. With all the data we have available it seems Smith will have a great run this weekend and will finish Top 10 for sure and probably Top 5, but with all the Cup drivers in the field I’ll stop short of saying he contends for the win.
Zane Smith is notable because he is 1st in points. Last week Smith had a terrible race as he ran 6 laps in the Top 15, wrecked around lap 100 and finished 22nd. This hurt Smith’s stats a lot as his Avg. Finish is now 9.67, his Avg. Driver Rating fell 7 points to 104.9, and his Laps in Top15% fell from 87% to 75%. The good thing is that he has still ran every lap this year and his 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 3 Top 2’s, 5 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s and 13 Stage T10’s still rank 1st or T1st this year. These stats may only get better as this weekend is a Short track. Since the start of 2022 there has been 5 Short track races and in them Smith has the 3rd best Avg. Finish at 5.2 with the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating at 103.26. In addition he’s also led 10% of the laps he’s run while getting 3 Top 3’s, 1 Stage Win, and a worst finish of just 9th. However, even with all this success he has 0 Wins in those races. As for North Wilkesboro, much like everyone in the field, Smith has never raced there so there is no track history to speak of. With all the data we have available it seems Smith will have a great run this weekend and will finish Top 10 for sure and probably Top 5, but with all the Cup drivers in the field I’ll stop short of saying he contends for the win.
1st in Owner Points – William Byron
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 3.5 | – of 32 | – of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | – of 32 | – of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 100% | – of 32 | – of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 111.7 | – of 32 | – of 255‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 84 | T49th of 581 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 84 | T39th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T13th of 84 | T87th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T8th of 84 | T58th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T9th of 84 | T61st of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T17th of 84 | T116th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | – of 32 | – of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T6th of 84 | T30th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 4 | T16th of 84 | T105th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 0 | T27th of 84 | T173rd of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T10th of 84 | T53rd of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes of races he’s run (active streak)
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 1.0(1st), 71.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 129.6(1st), Best 1st, Worst 1st, Laps Completed 100%, Led 47.0% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
William Byron is notable because of his 2022/23 Short track stats. At Darlington Byron ran all 158 laps in the Top 15 and finished 4th. This was only Byron’s 2nd race this year but it’s still pretty impressive that he has ran all 308 laps he’s ran in the Top 15. In the two races he has finishes of 3rd and 4th with a 111.7 Avg. Driver Rating, 1 Stage Win, and a Top 10 in all 4 stages. What’s even better than the stats this year for Byron are his Truck Short track stats since the start of 2022. Well, okay, he’s only had one race on a Short track in that span but in that race he ran 71% of his laps in the Top 15, led 47% of the race, had the best Driver Rating at 129.6, and won the race. The only thing that Byron didn’t do in the race was finish in the Top 10 of any stages, but when you’re not getting Stage Pts who cares. That’s all the useful data that is available for Byron and as you see it’s not much. With that said I still expect Byron to spend all day in the Top 15 and be contending for the win at the end of the race, possibly winning, but for sure finishing in the Top 5.
William Byron is notable because of his 2022/23 Short track stats. At Darlington Byron ran all 158 laps in the Top 15 and finished 4th. This was only Byron’s 2nd race this year but it’s still pretty impressive that he has ran all 308 laps he’s ran in the Top 15. In the two races he has finishes of 3rd and 4th with a 111.7 Avg. Driver Rating, 1 Stage Win, and a Top 10 in all 4 stages. What’s even better than the stats this year for Byron are his Truck Short track stats since the start of 2022. Well, okay, he’s only had one race on a Short track in that span but in that race he ran 71% of his laps in the Top 15, led 47% of the race, had the best Driver Rating at 129.6, and won the race. The only thing that Byron didn’t do in the race was finish in the Top 10 of any stages, but when you’re not getting Stage Pts who cares. That’s all the useful data that is available for Byron and as you see it’s not much. With that said I still expect Byron to spend all day in the Top 15 and be contending for the win at the end of the race, possibly winning, but for sure finishing in the Top 5.
2nd in Points – Ty Majeski
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.11 | 4th of 32 | T37th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.64% | 14th of 32 | T94th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 76.81% | 4th of 32 | 60th of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 96.56 | 5th of 32 | 38th of 255‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 84 | T49th of 581 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 84 | T39th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T5th of 84 | T34th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T4th of 84 | T30th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 84 | T5th of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | 2nd of 84 | T15th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 32 | T1st of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T6th of 84 | T30th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 13 | T1st of 84 | T19th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 87 | 2nd of 84 | T14th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 1 | T7th of 84 | T36th of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 5.4(5th), 93.58% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 113.02(4th), Best 1st, Worst 11th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 19.27% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 4.9 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Ty Majeski is notable because of how he has done on Short tracks in 2022/23. Majeski, like Zane Smith above, is glad that Darlington is over. In the race he had power steering issues from the start causing him to run 1 lap in the Top 15 and finish 31st. This caused his Avg. Finish to go from 2nd best to 4th best at 10.11, his Laps in Top15% to drop from 89% to 77%, and his Avg. Driver Rating to drop over 6 points to 96.56. The nice thing for Majeski is that his worst 2023 Rank above, other than Completed Laps%, is T8th, but unfortunately that is in the Win category where he has 0. He does, however, have 5 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 13 Stage T10’s, and 87 Stage Pts. These stats may get better after this weekend as Majeski has a 5.4 Avg. Finish with 1 Win and a 113.02 Avg. Driver Rating in the last 5 Short track races. Even better is that he has ran 93.58% of his laps in the Top 15 in the 5 races with a worst finish of 11th, 4 Top 10’s, 2 Stage Wins, and 4.9 Stage Pts Per Stage. The data suggests that this weekend will be a good race for Majeski. Therefore, I expect Majeski to run well all race, get a decent amount of Stage Pts, and finish somewhere in the Top 10.
Ty Majeski is notable because of how he has done on Short tracks in 2022/23. Majeski, like Zane Smith above, is glad that Darlington is over. In the race he had power steering issues from the start causing him to run 1 lap in the Top 15 and finish 31st. This caused his Avg. Finish to go from 2nd best to 4th best at 10.11, his Laps in Top15% to drop from 89% to 77%, and his Avg. Driver Rating to drop over 6 points to 96.56. The nice thing for Majeski is that his worst 2023 Rank above, other than Completed Laps%, is T8th, but unfortunately that is in the Win category where he has 0. He does, however, have 5 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 13 Stage T10’s, and 87 Stage Pts. These stats may get better after this weekend as Majeski has a 5.4 Avg. Finish with 1 Win and a 113.02 Avg. Driver Rating in the last 5 Short track races. Even better is that he has ran 93.58% of his laps in the Top 15 in the 5 races with a worst finish of 11th, 4 Top 10’s, 2 Stage Wins, and 4.9 Stage Pts Per Stage. The data suggests that this weekend will be a good race for Majeski. Therefore, I expect Majeski to run well all race, get a decent amount of Stage Pts, and finish somewhere in the Top 10.
3rd in Points – Corey Heim
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 9.44 | 2nd of 32 | T24th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.22% | 15th of 32 | 114th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 79.82% | 3rd of 32 | 49th of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 104.4 | 3rd of 32 | 22nd of 255‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T3rd of 84 | T17th of 581 |
| Poles | 1 | T3rd of 84 | T10th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T3rd of 84 | T16th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T4th of 84 | T30th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T3rd of 84 | T33rd of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 7 | 1st of 84 | T9th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T11th of 32 | T64th of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T2nd of 84 | T16th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 10 | 6th of 84 | T48th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 71 | 4th of 84 | T28th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 7 | 3rd of 84 | T17th of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 5.25(4th), 92.32% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 111.35(5th), Best 1st, Worst 10th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 10.5% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 4.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Corey Heim is notable because his stats are really good in 2023. At Darlington Heim almost made a questionable strategy call pay off near the end of the race, but alas he ended up 8th. This may have broken his 2 race Top 2 streak but it extended his Top 10 streak to 3. More things this race helped was his Avg. Finish, now ranks 2nd at 9.44, his Avg. Driver Rating, now ranks 3rd at 104.4, and his Top 10’s, now has 7 the most of any driver this year. More stats from his 2023 season are that he’s ran 80% of his laps in the Top 15, has 1 Win, 3 Top 5’s, and 2 Stage Wins. In addition he has 10 Stage T10’s and the 4th most Stage Pts at 71. As far as his Short track stats he’s ran in 4 Truck Short track races Heim since the start of 2022. In these races he has a 5.25 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 5’s and a worst finish of 10th. Furthermore he has a 111.35 Avg. Driver Rating, ranks 5th, has led 10.5% of the laps he’s ran, 2 Stage Wins, and he’s gotten 4.75 Stage Pts Per Stage. Based on this data Heim has been good this year and on Short tracks as well implying he will do good this weekend. In all I see Heim doing well and battling for a Top 5 finish, finishing between 4th and 12th.
Corey Heim is notable because his stats are really good in 2023. At Darlington Heim almost made a questionable strategy call pay off near the end of the race, but alas he ended up 8th. This may have broken his 2 race Top 2 streak but it extended his Top 10 streak to 3. More things this race helped was his Avg. Finish, now ranks 2nd at 9.44, his Avg. Driver Rating, now ranks 3rd at 104.4, and his Top 10’s, now has 7 the most of any driver this year. More stats from his 2023 season are that he’s ran 80% of his laps in the Top 15, has 1 Win, 3 Top 5’s, and 2 Stage Wins. In addition he has 10 Stage T10’s and the 4th most Stage Pts at 71. As far as his Short track stats he’s ran in 4 Truck Short track races Heim since the start of 2022. In these races he has a 5.25 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 5’s and a worst finish of 10th. Furthermore he has a 111.35 Avg. Driver Rating, ranks 5th, has led 10.5% of the laps he’s ran, 2 Stage Wins, and he’s gotten 4.75 Stage Pts Per Stage. Based on this data Heim has been good this year and on Short tracks as well implying he will do good this weekend. In all I see Heim doing well and battling for a Top 5 finish, finishing between 4th and 12th.
4th in Points – Ben Rhodes
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.89 | 6th of 32 | T50th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.91% | T3rd of 32 | T17th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 76.46% | 5th of 32 | 67th of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 91.01 | 7th of 32 | 60th of 255‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 84 | T49th of 581 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 84 | T39th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T13th of 84 | T87th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T8th of 84 | T58th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T9th of 84 | T61st of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T3rd of 84 | T35th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 32 | T1st of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T12th of 84 | T62nd of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 12 | T3rd of 84 | T30th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 66 | 5th of 84 | T35th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T10th of 84 | T53rd of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 9.8(12th), 62.41% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 95.94(9th), Best 2nd, Worst 18th, Laps Completed 99.8%, Led 4.8% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 4.7 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Ben Rhodes is notable because he is 4th in points. At Darlington Rhodes was another notable driver that struggled and ending up finishing outside the Top 15 in 18th. This raised his Avg. Finish to 10.89 on the year with just 2 Top 5’s and a 91.01 Avg. Driver Rating that ranks 7th best. However, the stats aren’t all that bad as he also has 5 Top 10’s, 12 Stage T10’s, and 66 Stage Pts that all rank 5th or better. The unfortunate thing for Rhodes is that this weekend is a Short track and his Short track stats since the start of 2022 aren’t great. In the 5 races Rhodes has 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s/15’s, and his Avg. Finish is only 12th best at 9.8. In addition he’s ran just 62.41% of his laps in the Top 15 and has led just 4.8% of his laps. However, his stats are good in one category in these 5 races, stages. In the 10 stages Rhodes has 1 Stage Win and he’s gotten 4.7 Stage Pts Per Stage. Looking at the stats it’s pretty easy to see why I think Rhodes will finish this weekend either 6th-10th or outside the Top 15, but based on his latest runs I will say outside the Top 15 is most likely.
Ben Rhodes is notable because he is 4th in points. At Darlington Rhodes was another notable driver that struggled and ending up finishing outside the Top 15 in 18th. This raised his Avg. Finish to 10.89 on the year with just 2 Top 5’s and a 91.01 Avg. Driver Rating that ranks 7th best. However, the stats aren’t all that bad as he also has 5 Top 10’s, 12 Stage T10’s, and 66 Stage Pts that all rank 5th or better. The unfortunate thing for Rhodes is that this weekend is a Short track and his Short track stats since the start of 2022 aren’t great. In the 5 races Rhodes has 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s/15’s, and his Avg. Finish is only 12th best at 9.8. In addition he’s ran just 62.41% of his laps in the Top 15 and has led just 4.8% of his laps. However, his stats are good in one category in these 5 races, stages. In the 10 stages Rhodes has 1 Stage Win and he’s gotten 4.7 Stage Pts Per Stage. Looking at the stats it’s pretty easy to see why I think Rhodes will finish this weekend either 6th-10th or outside the Top 15, but based on his latest runs I will say outside the Top 15 is most likely.
5th in Points – Christian Eckes
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.56 | 12th of 32 | T104th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 89.29% | 22nd of 32 | 167th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 76.19% | 6th of 32 | 69th of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 103.38 | 4th of 32 | 24th of 255‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T1st of 84 | T6th of 581 |
| Poles | 1 | T3rd of 84 | T10th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T3rd of 84 | T16th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T2nd of 84 | T14th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T3rd of 84 | T33rd of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 4 | T6th of 84 | T66th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T29th of 32 | T212th of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | 1st of 84 | T7th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | 5th of 84 | T41st of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 89 | 1st of 84 | 13th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 14 | 1st of 84 | T4th of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 11.8(16th), 92.66% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 95.42(10th), Best 8th, Worst 16th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4.2 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Christian Eckes is notable because of how good his 2023 season has been. Last week Eckes ran all 158 laps in the Top 15, led over half the race, and came home with his 2nd win of the season. The unfortunate news for Eckes is that this race was only his 4th Top 10 this year and only improved his Avg. Finish to a mediocre 14.56, 12th best this year. Furthermore he also has as many Top 5’s as he does DNF’s (3). However, he has been good this year during races as his 103.38 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th and his 4 Stage Wins, 89 Stage Pts, and 14 Playoff Pts are all most this year of any driver. Sadly that’s the last of the good news for Eckes in this article as his last 5 Short track stats are even worst than Ben Rhodes above. His best finish is 8th, but his worst is only 16th too, his Avg. Finish is 11.8, and he hasn’t led a single lap in the 5 races. The only sniff of good news is that he’s ran 92.66% of his laps in the Top 15, he’s completed every lap, and he’s gotten 4.2 Stage Pts Per Stage. With the up and down season that Eckes has had this year I think he either finishes Top 5 or outside the Top 15, and based on his Short track stats (and the amount of Cup guys in the field) I’m saying he ends up out of the Top 15.
Christian Eckes is notable because of how good his 2023 season has been. Last week Eckes ran all 158 laps in the Top 15, led over half the race, and came home with his 2nd win of the season. The unfortunate news for Eckes is that this race was only his 4th Top 10 this year and only improved his Avg. Finish to a mediocre 14.56, 12th best this year. Furthermore he also has as many Top 5’s as he does DNF’s (3). However, he has been good this year during races as his 103.38 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th and his 4 Stage Wins, 89 Stage Pts, and 14 Playoff Pts are all most this year of any driver. Sadly that’s the last of the good news for Eckes in this article as his last 5 Short track stats are even worst than Ben Rhodes above. His best finish is 8th, but his worst is only 16th too, his Avg. Finish is 11.8, and he hasn’t led a single lap in the 5 races. The only sniff of good news is that he’s ran 92.66% of his laps in the Top 15, he’s completed every lap, and he’s gotten 4.2 Stage Pts Per Stage. With the up and down season that Eckes has had this year I think he either finishes Top 5 or outside the Top 15, and based on his Short track stats (and the amount of Cup guys in the field) I’m saying he ends up out of the Top 15.
6th in Points – Grant Enfinger
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.67 | 5th of 32 | T44th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.91% | T3rd of 32 | T17th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 81.33% | 2nd of 32 | 43rd of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 93.03 | 6th of 32 | 50th of 255‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T3rd of 84 | T17th of 581 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 84 | T39th of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T5th of 84 | T34th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T8th of 84 | T58th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T3rd of 84 | T33rd of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 4 | T6th of 84 | T66th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 32 | T1st of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T12th of 84 | T62nd of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 12 | T3rd of 84 | T30th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 58 | 6th of 84 | T46th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 5 | 5th of 84 | T23rd of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 6.2(6th), 85.12% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 103.54(7th), Best 1st, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 1.33% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4.3 Stage Pts Per Stage
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Grant Enfinger is notable because of how he’s run in the last 5 Truck Short track races. At Darlington Enfinger ran a good race ending with the 5th best Driver Rating at 101.3, but he was involved in the BS last caution so he ended up 14th. This now has his Avg. Finish at 10.67, ranks 5th, and his Avg. Driver Rating at 93.03, ranks 6th. In addition to these stats he has 1 Win, which is his only Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, and 4 Top 10’s with 12 Stage T10’s and 58 Stage Pts. However, the best stat for Enfinger is that he’s ran 81.33% of his laps in the Top 15, 2nd best among driver with 5+ Truck starts this year. Better yet is the stats Enfinger has in his last 5 Short track starts. In these races he’s ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15, has gotten 4.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, and has a 103.54 Avg. Driver Rating. As far as finishes go in these races Enfinger has a 6.2 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, and a worst finish of 14th. All the stats point to Enfinger having a good run this weekend at North Wilkesboro, but due to the Cup talent I think he’ll get a few Stage Pts and end up between 7th and 15th.
Grant Enfinger is notable because of how he’s run in the last 5 Truck Short track races. At Darlington Enfinger ran a good race ending with the 5th best Driver Rating at 101.3, but he was involved in the BS last caution so he ended up 14th. This now has his Avg. Finish at 10.67, ranks 5th, and his Avg. Driver Rating at 93.03, ranks 6th. In addition to these stats he has 1 Win, which is his only Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, and 4 Top 10’s with 12 Stage T10’s and 58 Stage Pts. However, the best stat for Enfinger is that he’s ran 81.33% of his laps in the Top 15, 2nd best among driver with 5+ Truck starts this year. Better yet is the stats Enfinger has in his last 5 Short track starts. In these races he’s ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15, has gotten 4.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, and has a 103.54 Avg. Driver Rating. As far as finishes go in these races Enfinger has a 6.2 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, and a worst finish of 14th. All the stats point to Enfinger having a good run this weekend at North Wilkesboro, but due to the Cup talent I think he’ll get a few Stage Pts and end up between 7th and 15th.
9th in Points – Nick Sanchez
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 9 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.11 | 10th of 32 | 100th of 255 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.17% | 12th of 32 | 86th of 255 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 66.11% | 11th of 32 | 102nd of 255 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 88.37 | 8th of 32 | 73rd of 255‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T8th of 84 | T49th of 581 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 84 | T3rd of 581 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T5th of 84 | T34th of 581 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T8th of 84 | T58th of 581 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T13th of 84 | T95th of 581 |
| Top 10’s | 3 | T11th of 84 | T89th of 581 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T19th of 32 | T138th of 255 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T2nd of 84 | T16th of 512* |
| Stage T10s | 7 | T12th of 84 | T75th of 512* |
| Stage Pts | 37 | T9th of 84 | T68th of 512* |
| Playoff Pts² | 2 | 6th of 84 | T30th of 512* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 43% of races thru 9 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2022/23 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Short track start, 61 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 11th(14th), 66.94% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 79.3(18th), Best 11th, Worst 11th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s
- North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 1996 North Wilkesboro Race
- did not race
- Notable North Wilkesboro Statistics
- 0 Races
Outlook
Nick Sanchez is notable because of his 2023 stats. At Darlington Sanchez had a little help from Mario Andretti in making a great save during Stage 2 and ended up finishing 11th. This improved his Avg. Finish to 14.11 and his race as a whole helped improve his Avg. Driver Rating to 88.37, both of which are impressive for a rookie. In addition he has 2 Poles and 1 Top 2, but he only has 3 Top 10’s with just 66.11% of his laps run in the Top 15. Furthermore he only has 7 Stage T10’s in the 18 stages, but he has made the most of them as he has 2 Stage Wins and 37 Stage Pts. In Sanchez’s only Short track start in the Truck series he finished 11th with a 79.3 Driver Rating. Adding to this he only ran 67% of his laps in the Top 15 and he got 0 Stage Pts. That is all the data we have on Sanchez and it’s really not much to make any sort of confident prediction, but with that said I’ll do my best. I think Sanchez’s inexperience hinders him a bit and causes him to run most of the race out of the Top 15 but in the end I believe he ends up finishing 10th-20th.
Nick Sanchez is notable because of his 2023 stats. At Darlington Sanchez had a little help from Mario Andretti in making a great save during Stage 2 and ended up finishing 11th. This improved his Avg. Finish to 14.11 and his race as a whole helped improve his Avg. Driver Rating to 88.37, both of which are impressive for a rookie. In addition he has 2 Poles and 1 Top 2, but he only has 3 Top 10’s with just 66.11% of his laps run in the Top 15. Furthermore he only has 7 Stage T10’s in the 18 stages, but he has made the most of them as he has 2 Stage Wins and 37 Stage Pts. In Sanchez’s only Short track start in the Truck series he finished 11th with a 79.3 Driver Rating. Adding to this he only ran 67% of his laps in the Top 15 and he got 0 Stage Pts. That is all the data we have on Sanchez and it’s really not much to make any sort of confident prediction, but with that said I’ll do my best. I think Sanchez’s inexperience hinders him a bit and causes him to run most of the race out of the Top 15 but in the end I believe he ends up finishing 10th-20th.
