Last week at Kansas there was no shortage of drama, but the driver that ended up in victory lane was Denny Hamlin. This week it’s another Intermediate track where there will be lots of cool throwback schemes, and hopefully one of them ends up in victory lane at the end of the race. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 1 based on the 2023 point standings, 2 based on 2023 stats, 2 based on Intermediate track stats, 1 based on the last Darlington race and 2 based on their overall Darlington stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 with ranking through 12 races since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Intermediate track (1.3-1.5 miles) statistics and Darlington 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 – Ross Chastain
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.58 | 2nd of 37 | 77th of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.97% | 3rd of 37 | T9th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.98% | 5th of 37 | 108th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 92.8 | 4th of 37 | 139th of 797‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T10th of 52 | T160th of 1100 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 52 | T145th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T7th of 52 | T122nd of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T2nd of 52 | T58th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 52 | T40th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | T2nd of 52 | T110th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 37 | T1st of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | 2nd of 52 | T8th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 15 | T2nd of 52 | T26th of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 99 | 2nd of 52 | 22nd of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 4 | T10th of 52 | T57th of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 (active streak)
- 2023 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 8.5(8th), 95.35% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 102.15(7th), Best 5th, Worst 12th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.56% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 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, 3.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 20th, Started 12th, Led 1 lap (0.27%), Finished 6th in Stage 1, ran 159 Laps in Top15 (43.44% of laps he ran), had 88.8 Driver Rating (ranked 10th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 7 Races
- 21.86 Avg. Finish (Ranks 26th)
- Best Finish: 3rd, Worst: 30th
- Completed 94.96% of laps (% ranks 22nd)
- 33.71% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 20th)
- 70.33 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 18th)
- Led 1.65% of laps he’s run (% ranks 12th)
- 0 Top 2’s
- 1 Top 3, 14.29% (% ranks 11th)
- 1 Top 10, 14.29% (% ranks 18th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 28.57% (% ranks 22nd)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 57.14% (% ranks 28th)
- 1 DNF, 14.29% (% ranks T27th)
- 1 Stage Win, 7.14% (% ranks 5th)
- 2.43 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 11th)
Outlook
Ross Chastain is notable because he is 1st in points. Last week, before the punch heard round the world, Chastain ran a good race finishing P5. This was his 2nd straight Top 5 and his series lead tying 5th Top 5 this year. In addition the following stats rank 2nd or T2nd this year: his 11.58 Avg. Finish, 3 Top 3’s, 6 Top 10’s, 4 Stage Wins, 15 Stage T10’s, and 99 Stage Pts. Adding to this impressive plethora of stats his 92.8 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th and his 73.98 Laps in Top15% ranks 5th. However, this week is an Intermediate track where Chastain has been not bad, but not great. In the 2 races this year he has an Avg. Finish of 8.5, 8th best, with a 102.15 Avg. Driver Rating, 7th best. The nice thing is he is coming off a Top 5 at an Intermediate last week and in the 2 races he’s ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15. This weekend, however, is Darlington where Chastain finished 20th last Fall after an issue halfway through the race had him run only 43% of his laps in the Top 15. The good news is he finished 6th in Stage 1 and his 88.8 Driver Rating was 10th best. Still, Chastain hasn’t ran well here in his career sporting a 21.86 Avg. Finish in 7 races with 1 Top 10, a 3rd in 2021. Moreover he has 4 finishes out of the Top 20, a 70.33 Avg. Driver Rating, and has ran only 34% of his laps in the Top 15. Chastain may have speed this weekend but based on these stats I see a tough finish for him, probably finishing somewhere between 8th and 20th.
Ross Chastain is notable because he is 1st in points. Last week, before the punch heard round the world, Chastain ran a good race finishing P5. This was his 2nd straight Top 5 and his series lead tying 5th Top 5 this year. In addition the following stats rank 2nd or T2nd this year: his 11.58 Avg. Finish, 3 Top 3’s, 6 Top 10’s, 4 Stage Wins, 15 Stage T10’s, and 99 Stage Pts. Adding to this impressive plethora of stats his 92.8 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th and his 73.98 Laps in Top15% ranks 5th. However, this week is an Intermediate track where Chastain has been not bad, but not great. In the 2 races this year he has an Avg. Finish of 8.5, 8th best, with a 102.15 Avg. Driver Rating, 7th best. The nice thing is he is coming off a Top 5 at an Intermediate last week and in the 2 races he’s ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15. This weekend, however, is Darlington where Chastain finished 20th last Fall after an issue halfway through the race had him run only 43% of his laps in the Top 15. The good news is he finished 6th in Stage 1 and his 88.8 Driver Rating was 10th best. Still, Chastain hasn’t ran well here in his career sporting a 21.86 Avg. Finish in 7 races with 1 Top 10, a 3rd in 2021. Moreover he has 4 finishes out of the Top 20, a 70.33 Avg. Driver Rating, and has ran only 34% of his laps in the Top 15. Chastain may have speed this weekend but based on these stats I see a tough finish for him, probably finishing somewhere between 8th and 20th.
2nd in Points – Christopher Bell
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.58 | 5th of 37 | T100th of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 93.1% | 32nd of 37 | T549th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.86% | 6th of 37 | 109th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 90.73 | 7th of 37 | 161st of 797‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T4th of 52 | T57th of 1100 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 52 | T145th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T7th of 52 | T122nd of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T2nd of 52 | T58th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 52 | T40th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 8 | 1st of 52 | T33rd of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T27th of 37 | T660th of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T13th of 52 | T78th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 14 | T4th of 52 | T34th of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 67 | 7th of 52 | T54th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 5 | T7th of 52 | T43rd of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 20.5(23rd), 91.59% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 89.2(9th), Best 5th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 79.55%, Led 0.7% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 5th, Started 2nd, Led 0 laps, Finished 4th in Stage 1 and 6th in Stage 2, ran 367 Laps in Top15 (100% of laps he ran), had 109.3 Driver Rating (ranked 4th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 7 Races
- 16.29 Avg. Finish (Ranks 13th)
- Best Finish: 5th, Worst: 34th
- Completed 99.09% of laps (% ranks T13th)
- 57.06% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 13th)
- 79.66 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 13th)
- Led 0.74% of laps he’s run (% ranks 14th)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 1 Top 5, 14.29% (% ranks T15th)
- 2 Top 10’s, 28.57% (% ranks 14th)
- 4 Top 15’s, 57.14% (% ranks 13th)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 28.57% (% ranks 15th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2.71 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 8th)
Outlook
Christopher Bell is notable because of how good his 2023 stats are. In Kansas Bell, like all Toyota’s, was fast but he ended up wrecking at the end of Stage 2 and finished 36th. The result hurt his Avg. Finish, now ranks 5th at 12.58, and his Avg. Driver Rating, now ranks 7th at 90.73, but the laps he ran helped his Laps in Top15% as it now ranks 6th at 73.86. This race was typical of Bell this year as he has 1 Win with 5 Top 5’s and 8 Top 10’s, but 3 of his 4 finishes out of the Top 10 are DNF’s. Since this race was an Intermediate track it also hurt his stats on these tracks this year as in the 2 races he’s finished 5th and 36th which is a 20.5 Avg. Finish. However, the better stats to look at are that he’s spent 91.59% of his laps in the Top 15 and his Avg. Driver Rating is 89.9, 9th best. In addition he has 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, but also led just 0.7% of his laps. At Darlington last Fall Bell ended up in 5th, ran all 367 laps in the Top 15, finished 4th in Stage 1, and 6th in Stage 2 leading to a 109.3 Driver Rating, 4th best of the race. This was Bell’s 7th race here and was his 1st Top 5, 2nd Top 10 and improved his Avg. Finish to 16.29. Unfortunately he also has 2 finishes out of the Top 20 with 0 DNF’s and just a 79.66 Avg. Driver Rating. These Darlington stats muddy the water a bit but in all I think Bell runs Top 15 most the race and ends up finishing with either a Top 10, or a DNF.
Christopher Bell is notable because of how good his 2023 stats are. In Kansas Bell, like all Toyota’s, was fast but he ended up wrecking at the end of Stage 2 and finished 36th. The result hurt his Avg. Finish, now ranks 5th at 12.58, and his Avg. Driver Rating, now ranks 7th at 90.73, but the laps he ran helped his Laps in Top15% as it now ranks 6th at 73.86. This race was typical of Bell this year as he has 1 Win with 5 Top 5’s and 8 Top 10’s, but 3 of his 4 finishes out of the Top 10 are DNF’s. Since this race was an Intermediate track it also hurt his stats on these tracks this year as in the 2 races he’s finished 5th and 36th which is a 20.5 Avg. Finish. However, the better stats to look at are that he’s spent 91.59% of his laps in the Top 15 and his Avg. Driver Rating is 89.9, 9th best. In addition he has 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, but also led just 0.7% of his laps. At Darlington last Fall Bell ended up in 5th, ran all 367 laps in the Top 15, finished 4th in Stage 1, and 6th in Stage 2 leading to a 109.3 Driver Rating, 4th best of the race. This was Bell’s 7th race here and was his 1st Top 5, 2nd Top 10 and improved his Avg. Finish to 16.29. Unfortunately he also has 2 finishes out of the Top 20 with 0 DNF’s and just a 79.66 Avg. Driver Rating. These Darlington stats muddy the water a bit but in all I think Bell runs Top 15 most the race and ends up finishing with either a Top 10, or a DNF.
3rd in Points – Martin Truex Jr.
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.92 | 3rd of 37 | 81st of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | T1st of 37 | T1st of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 70.66% | 7th of 37 | 137th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 91.63 | 5th of 37 | 154th of 797‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T4th of 52 | T57th of 1100 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 52 | T145th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T7th of 52 | T122nd of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T9th of 52 | T110th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T13th of 52 | T200th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T8th of 52 | T176th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 37 | T1st of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T13th of 52 | T78th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 13 | T6th of 52 | T41st of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 60 | 9th of 52 | 60th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 5 | T7th of 52 | T43rd of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 (active streak)
- 2023 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 7.5(7th), 97.77% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 114.0(4th), Best 7th, Worst 8th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 15.24% 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, 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 31st (water pump), Started 17th, Led 48 laps (21.25%), Finished 5th in Stage 1 and 2nd in Stage 2, ran 314 Laps in Top15 (93.45% of laps he ran), had 98.8 Driver Rating (ranked 8th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 21 Races
- 12.38 Avg. Finish (Ranks 7th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 31st
- Completed 99.09% of laps (% ranks T13th)
- 76.09% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 9th)
- 103.33 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 10.58% of laps he’s run (% ranks 4th)
- 2 Wins, 9.52% (% ranks 5th)
- 4 Top 5’s, 19.05% (% ranks 13th)
- 10 Top 10’s, 47.62% (% ranks 9th)
- 16 Top 15’s, 76.19% (% ranks 5th)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 19.05% (% ranks 8th)
- 2 DNF’s, 9.52% (% ranks 21st)
- 6 Stage Wins, 30.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 16 Stage T10’s, 80.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 6.5 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Outlook
Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 statistics. Last week Truex had a strong car to start the race but faded near the end to finish 8th. However, this was Truex’s 5th Top 10 this year and his 2nd straight. In addition he has 1 Win, 2 Top 3’s, an 11.92 Avg. Finish, and a 91.63 Avg. Driver Rating. These along with all of his other 2023 Ranks above are 10th or better, except his 0 Stage Wins that rank 13th, showing that Truex is among the 10 best drivers thru 12 races this year. What’s more is that Truex’s 7.5 Avg. Finish on Intermediates this year ranks 7th best and his 114.0 Avg. Driver Rating is even better at 4th best. Furthermore he’s ran 97.77% of his laps in the Top 15, led 15.24% of his laps, and has gotten 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage in the 2 races. Last year at Darlington Truex ran a strong race running 93.45% of his laps in the Top 15 and leading 21.25% of his laps, but he ended up finishing 31st due to a water pump failure. Even with this he still had the 8th best Driver Rating in the race at 98.8. This was only the 4th time Truex finished outside the Top 20 here in 21 races, and only his 2nd DNF. In all he has 2 Wins with only 4 Top 5’s, but he does have 10 Top 10’s and 16 Top 15’s leading to a 12.38 Avg. Finish. However his Avg. Driver Rating here is a stellar 103.33, ranking 3rd here among active drivers. Taking the stats altogether I see Truex running up front all day and finishing anywhere in the Top 10 this weekend.
Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 statistics. Last week Truex had a strong car to start the race but faded near the end to finish 8th. However, this was Truex’s 5th Top 10 this year and his 2nd straight. In addition he has 1 Win, 2 Top 3’s, an 11.92 Avg. Finish, and a 91.63 Avg. Driver Rating. These along with all of his other 2023 Ranks above are 10th or better, except his 0 Stage Wins that rank 13th, showing that Truex is among the 10 best drivers thru 12 races this year. What’s more is that Truex’s 7.5 Avg. Finish on Intermediates this year ranks 7th best and his 114.0 Avg. Driver Rating is even better at 4th best. Furthermore he’s ran 97.77% of his laps in the Top 15, led 15.24% of his laps, and has gotten 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage in the 2 races. Last year at Darlington Truex ran a strong race running 93.45% of his laps in the Top 15 and leading 21.25% of his laps, but he ended up finishing 31st due to a water pump failure. Even with this he still had the 8th best Driver Rating in the race at 98.8. This was only the 4th time Truex finished outside the Top 20 here in 21 races, and only his 2nd DNF. In all he has 2 Wins with only 4 Top 5’s, but he does have 10 Top 10’s and 16 Top 15’s leading to a 12.38 Avg. Finish. However his Avg. Driver Rating here is a stellar 103.33, ranking 3rd here among active drivers. Taking the stats altogether I see Truex running up front all day and finishing anywhere in the Top 10 this weekend.
4th in Points – Denny Hamlin
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.33 | 4th of 37 | 93rd of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | T1st of 37 | T1st of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 84.73% | 1st of 37 | 24th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 96.41 | 2nd of 37 | T95th of 797‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T4th of 52 | T57th of 1100 |
| Poles | 1 | T4th of 52 | T42nd of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T7th of 52 | T122nd of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T11th of 52 | T185th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | T6th of 52 | T137th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T8th of 52 | T176th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 37 | T1st of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T3rd of 52 | T20th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 16 | 1st of 52 | T18th of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 91 | 3rd of 52 | T30th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 7 | T4th of 52 | T25th of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 (active streak)
- 2023 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 6.0(5th), 97.96% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 120.65(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 11th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 8.18% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 2nd, Started 11th, Led 6 laps (1.63%), Finished 2nd in Stage 1, ran 366 Laps in Top15 (99.73% of laps he ran), had 117.6 Driver Rating (ranked 1st)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 21 Races
- 7.48 Avg. Finish (Ranks 1st)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 29th
- Completed 99.84% of laps (% ranks 6th)
- 90.32% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 1st)
- 108.1 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 1st)
- Led 10.81% of laps he’s run (% ranks 3rd)
- 4 Wins, 19.05% (% ranks 2nd)
- 8 Top 2’s, 38.1% (% ranks 1st)
- 12 Top 5’s, 57.14% (% ranks 1st)
- 16 Top 10’s, 76.19% (% ranks 1st)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 9.52% (% ranks 4th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Stage Win, 5.0% (% ranks T6th)
- 18 Stage T10’s, 90.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 6.1 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Outlook
Denny Hamlin is notable because of his career Darlington stats. Last week Hamlin muscled his way to the lead, putting Kyle Larson in the wall on the last lap to pull out the win. The win was only his 1st Top 3, 3rd Top 5, and 5th Top 10 finish this year. However, Hamlin still has the 4th best Avg. Finish at 12.33, the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating at 96.41, and his 84.73 Laps in Top15% is the best this year. Furthermore he’s one of only two drivers to run every lap this year and his 16 Stage T10’s are the most this year too. This race put Hamlin on a 2 race Top 5 streak and when seeing his Avg. Finish in the 2 Intermediate races this year is 6.0 it’s easy to think a 3rd straight Top 5 is in the offing. In addition he’s ran 98% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 120.65 Avg. Driver Rating, 1 Stage Win, and 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. Even better for Hamlin is that he finished 2nd in the last Darlington race leading 6 laps and he ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15. In it’s entirety his race gave him a 117.6 Driver Rating as well, the best of any driver that night. This is typical of Hamlin here as in 21 races his Avg. Finish is a whopping 7.48 with 4 Wins and 8 Top 2’s. In addition his 90.32 Laps ran in Top15%, 108.1 Avg. Driver Rating, 57.14 Top5%, 76.19 Top10%, and 90.0 Stage T10% all are best among active drivers. These stats make it hard to deny that Hamlin is a shoe-in for a Top 5 and will be a factor late for the win.
Denny Hamlin is notable because of his career Darlington stats. Last week Hamlin muscled his way to the lead, putting Kyle Larson in the wall on the last lap to pull out the win. The win was only his 1st Top 3, 3rd Top 5, and 5th Top 10 finish this year. However, Hamlin still has the 4th best Avg. Finish at 12.33, the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating at 96.41, and his 84.73 Laps in Top15% is the best this year. Furthermore he’s one of only two drivers to run every lap this year and his 16 Stage T10’s are the most this year too. This race put Hamlin on a 2 race Top 5 streak and when seeing his Avg. Finish in the 2 Intermediate races this year is 6.0 it’s easy to think a 3rd straight Top 5 is in the offing. In addition he’s ran 98% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 120.65 Avg. Driver Rating, 1 Stage Win, and 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. Even better for Hamlin is that he finished 2nd in the last Darlington race leading 6 laps and he ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15. In it’s entirety his race gave him a 117.6 Driver Rating as well, the best of any driver that night. This is typical of Hamlin here as in 21 races his Avg. Finish is a whopping 7.48 with 4 Wins and 8 Top 2’s. In addition his 90.32 Laps ran in Top15%, 108.1 Avg. Driver Rating, 57.14 Top5%, 76.19 Top10%, and 90.0 Stage T10% all are best among active drivers. These stats make it hard to deny that Hamlin is a shoe-in for a Top 5 and will be a factor late for the win.
8th in Points – Kyle Larson
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.83 | 16th of 37 | T273rd of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 94.18% | 30th of 37 | T499th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 69.09% | 9th of 37 | 151st of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 94.88 | 3rd of 37 | 116th of 797‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T1st of 52 | T23rd of 1100 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 52 | T13th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 4 | 1st of 52 | T11th of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | 1st of 52 | T26th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 52 | T40th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T8th of 52 | T176th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T34th of 37 | T780th of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T3rd of 52 | T20th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 14 | T4th of 52 | T34th of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 83 | 4th of 52 | T39th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 12 | 2nd of 52 | T9th of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 2.0(T1st), 92.19% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 121.35(2nd), Best 2nd, Worst 2nd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 27.51% 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, 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 12th, Started 7th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 146 Laps in Top15 (39.78% of laps he ran), had 78.5 Driver Rating (ranked 14th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 10 Races
- 9.2 Avg. Finish (Ranks 2nd)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 36th
- Completed 94.84% of laps (% ranks 23rd)
- 82.82% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 3rd)
- 105.95 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 2nd)
- Led 20.5% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 0 Wins
- 3 Top 2’s, 30.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5 Top 3’s, 50.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 7 Top 10’s, 70.0% (% ranks T2nd)
- 9 Top 15’s, 90.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 10.0% (% ranks 5th)
- 1 DNF, 10.0% (% ranks T22nd)
- 3 Stage Wins, 21.43% (% ranks 2nd)
- 10 Stage T10’s, 71.43% (% ranks 4th)
- 5.86 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Outlook
Kyle Larson is notable because of how he’s done at Darlington in his 10 career starts. At Kansas Larson was spun twice by Toyota’s, once early in the race and once late, but he still ended up 2nd. After this race Larson’s 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 4 Top 2’s, 4 Top 3’s, and 5 Top 5’s either rank 1st or T1st. Unfortunately he also has 4 DNF’s which makes his Avg. Finish a disappointing 16.83, 16th best, but his Avg. Driver Rating is still an impressive 94.88, 3rd best. What’s even better are Larson’s Intermediate stats. In the 2 races this year he’s finished 2nd both times with a 121.35 Avg. Driver Rating, 2nd best, and he’s ran 92.19% of his laps in the Top 15. In addition he’s led 27.51% of his laps at Intermediate tracks this year and has gotten 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage. Last Fall at Darlington Larson had a disappointing race running only 40% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to a 12th place finish and just the 14th best Driver Rating at 78.5. This is atypical of Larson at Darlington as in his 10 starts he has a 9.2 Avg. Finish with a 105.95 Avg. Driver Rating, 3 Top 2’s, 5 Top 3’s and only one finish (a DNF) out of the Top 15. In addition 82.82% of his laps have been run in the Top 15, he’s led 20.5% of his laps, and he’s gotten 5.86 Stage Pts Per Stage. All told Larson will be a force to reckon with this weekend battling up front all day, if nothing goes wrong. In the end I think he finishes with another Top 5 and possibly gets his first win here.
Kyle Larson is notable because of how he’s done at Darlington in his 10 career starts. At Kansas Larson was spun twice by Toyota’s, once early in the race and once late, but he still ended up 2nd. After this race Larson’s 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 4 Top 2’s, 4 Top 3’s, and 5 Top 5’s either rank 1st or T1st. Unfortunately he also has 4 DNF’s which makes his Avg. Finish a disappointing 16.83, 16th best, but his Avg. Driver Rating is still an impressive 94.88, 3rd best. What’s even better are Larson’s Intermediate stats. In the 2 races this year he’s finished 2nd both times with a 121.35 Avg. Driver Rating, 2nd best, and he’s ran 92.19% of his laps in the Top 15. In addition he’s led 27.51% of his laps at Intermediate tracks this year and has gotten 5.25 Stage Pts Per Stage. Last Fall at Darlington Larson had a disappointing race running only 40% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to a 12th place finish and just the 14th best Driver Rating at 78.5. This is atypical of Larson at Darlington as in his 10 starts he has a 9.2 Avg. Finish with a 105.95 Avg. Driver Rating, 3 Top 2’s, 5 Top 3’s and only one finish (a DNF) out of the Top 15. In addition 82.82% of his laps have been run in the Top 15, he’s led 20.5% of his laps, and he’s gotten 5.86 Stage Pts Per Stage. All told Larson will be a force to reckon with this weekend battling up front all day, if nothing goes wrong. In the end I think he finishes with another Top 5 and possibly gets his first win here.
9th in Points – William Byron
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.33 | 11th of 37 | T169th of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.54% | 18th of 37 | 280th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 75.68% | 4th of 37 | 95th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 101.37 | 1st of 37 | 56th of 797‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T1st of 52 | T23rd of 1100 |
| Poles | 2 | T1st of 52 | T13th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T4th of 52 | T62nd of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T2nd of 52 | T58th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T1st of 52 | T40th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | T2nd of 52 | T110th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T19th of 37 | T463rd of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 6 | 1st of 52 | T1st of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 15 | T2nd of 52 | T26th of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 110 | 1st of 52 | T14th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 16 | 1st of 52 | 5th of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 Wins
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 2023 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 2.0(T1st), 75.46% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 128.15(1st), Best 1st, Worst 3rd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 34.57% 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, 2 Stage Wins, 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 8th, Started 3rd, Led 50 laps (13.62%), Finished 1st in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2, ran 366 Laps in Top15 (99.73% of laps he ran), had 113.3 Driver Rating (ranked 3rd)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 9 Races
- 18.56 Avg. Finish (Ranks 19th)
- Best Finish: 4th, Worst: 35th
- Completed 92.4% of laps (% ranks T30th)
- 80.22% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 6th)
- 89.0 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 10th)
- Led 2.85% of laps he’s run (% ranks 11th)
- 1 Pole, 11.11% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 2 Top 5’s, 22.22% (% ranks 12th)
- 5 Top 15’s, 55.56% (% ranks 14th)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 44.44% (% ranks 22nd)
- 2 DNF’s, 22.22% (% ranks T32nd)
- 2 Stage Wins, 11.11% (% ranks 3rd)
- 3.22 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 7th)
Outlook
William Byron is notable because of how he’s done in the 2 Intermediate races this year. Byron had an up and down day at Kansas as he had a fast car but had to fight back from early damage to end up 3rd at the end of the day. This was his first Top 3 this year that wasn’t a Win, but was his 5th Top 5 and 6th Top 10 as well. This was also his 3rd straight Top 10 and he now has a 14.33 Avg. Finish, 11th best. In addition he’s got the best Avg. Driver Rating this year at 101.37, the most Stage Wins this year (and tied most thru 12 races all-time) at 6, and the most Stage Pts this year at 110. What’s even better is Byron’s 2023 Intermediate stats where he’s finished 1st and 3rd with the best Avg. Driver Rating in the 2 races at 128.15. Additionally he’s led 34.57% of his laps even though he’s only ran 75.46% of his laps in the Top 15. As if that’s not good enough he also has 2 Stage Wins and 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. His last Darlington race wasn’t bad either as he finished 8th with the 3rd best Driver Rating at 113.3. This along with his 50 laps led, 366 laps run in the Top 15, and Stage 1 win show just how good he was all race. This is not the case in his 9 races here at Darlington as Byron has an 18.56 Avg. Finish with an 89.0 Driver Rating, only 2 Top 5’s, and more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than in the Top 10 (3). With all these stats combined I see Byron running strong this weekend, either finishing 1st-4th or out of the Top 15.
William Byron is notable because of how he’s done in the 2 Intermediate races this year. Byron had an up and down day at Kansas as he had a fast car but had to fight back from early damage to end up 3rd at the end of the day. This was his first Top 3 this year that wasn’t a Win, but was his 5th Top 5 and 6th Top 10 as well. This was also his 3rd straight Top 10 and he now has a 14.33 Avg. Finish, 11th best. In addition he’s got the best Avg. Driver Rating this year at 101.37, the most Stage Wins this year (and tied most thru 12 races all-time) at 6, and the most Stage Pts this year at 110. What’s even better is Byron’s 2023 Intermediate stats where he’s finished 1st and 3rd with the best Avg. Driver Rating in the 2 races at 128.15. Additionally he’s led 34.57% of his laps even though he’s only ran 75.46% of his laps in the Top 15. As if that’s not good enough he also has 2 Stage Wins and 5.0 Stage Pts Per Stage. His last Darlington race wasn’t bad either as he finished 8th with the 3rd best Driver Rating at 113.3. This along with his 50 laps led, 366 laps run in the Top 15, and Stage 1 win show just how good he was all race. This is not the case in his 9 races here at Darlington as Byron has an 18.56 Avg. Finish with an 89.0 Driver Rating, only 2 Top 5’s, and more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than in the Top 10 (3). With all these stats combined I see Byron running strong this weekend, either finishing 1st-4th or out of the Top 15.
18th in Points – Bubba Wallace
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 18.25 | 19th of 37 | T338th of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.92% | T21st of 37 | T325th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 54.06% | 14th of 37 | 260th of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 73.75 | 17th of 37 | 352nd of 797‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T10th of 52 | T160th of 1100 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 52 | T145th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T15th of 52 | T255th of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 0 | T18th of 52 | T327th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T13th of 52 | T200th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 3 | T19th of 52 | T310th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T34th of 37 | T780th of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T13th of 52 | T78th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 5 | T18th of 52 | T122nd of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 23 | T22nd of 52 | T125th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T17th of 52 | T93rd of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 4.0(4th), 98.51% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 107.55(6th), Best 4th, Worst 4th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 1.67% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 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, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 9th, Started 8th, Led 4 laps (1.09%), Finished 10th in Stage 1, ran 336 Laps in Top15 (91.55% of laps he ran), had 86.7 Driver Rating (ranked 12th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 9 Races
- 22.56 Avg. Finish (Ranks 29th)
- Best Finish: 9th, Worst: 38th
- Completed 93.39% of laps (% ranks 28th)
- 25.65% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 23rd)
- 61.73 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 23rd)
- Led 0.26% of laps he’s run (% ranks 18th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 1 Top 10, 11.11% (% ranks 21st)
- 1 Top 15, 11.11% (% ranks 30th)
- 7 finishes outside Top 20, 77.78% (% ranks 32nd)
- 2 DNF’s, 22.22% (% ranks T32nd)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2 Stage T10’s, 11.11% (% ranks 20th)
Outlook
Bubba Wallace is notable because of how he’s done on Intermediate tracks this year. At Kansas Wallace ran almost all race in the Top 15 and ended up in 4th. This tied Wallace’s best finish of the year but was only his 2nd Top 5 this year also. What’s worse is that he has more DNF’s (4) than Top 10’s (3) and his 18.25 Avg. Finish is 19th best this year. Additionally he’s only ran 54% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 73.75 Avg. Driver Rating, and has accumulated just 23 Stage Pts. The good news is that both of his Top 5’s have come in the two Intermediate races this year, and he’s ran 98.51% of his laps in the Top 15 (most of any driver). Additionally he has a 107.55 Avg. Driver Rating but also just 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage while leading just 1.67% of the laps he’s run. This is all better than the last Darlington race where Wallace finished 9th, led 4 laps, and ran 91.55% of his laps in the Top 15. Despite all this he only got 1 Stage Pt and his 86.7 Avg. Driver Rating was just 12th best that night. However, this was by far Wallace’s best race at Darlington and is his only Top 15 finish here in 9 starts, with 7 finishes being out of the Top 20. Overall he has a 22.56 Avg. Finish here with a 61.73 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s only 25.65% of his laps here in the Top 15. Wallace may have been good at Intermediate races so far this year, but Darlington is a different beast for him. For that reason I see him struggling this weekend to a finish out of the Top 10.
Bubba Wallace is notable because of how he’s done on Intermediate tracks this year. At Kansas Wallace ran almost all race in the Top 15 and ended up in 4th. This tied Wallace’s best finish of the year but was only his 2nd Top 5 this year also. What’s worse is that he has more DNF’s (4) than Top 10’s (3) and his 18.25 Avg. Finish is 19th best this year. Additionally he’s only ran 54% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 73.75 Avg. Driver Rating, and has accumulated just 23 Stage Pts. The good news is that both of his Top 5’s have come in the two Intermediate races this year, and he’s ran 98.51% of his laps in the Top 15 (most of any driver). Additionally he has a 107.55 Avg. Driver Rating but also just 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage while leading just 1.67% of the laps he’s run. This is all better than the last Darlington race where Wallace finished 9th, led 4 laps, and ran 91.55% of his laps in the Top 15. Despite all this he only got 1 Stage Pt and his 86.7 Avg. Driver Rating was just 12th best that night. However, this was by far Wallace’s best race at Darlington and is his only Top 15 finish here in 9 starts, with 7 finishes being out of the Top 20. Overall he has a 22.56 Avg. Finish here with a 61.73 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s only 25.65% of his laps here in the Top 15. Wallace may have been good at Intermediate races so far this year, but Darlington is a different beast for him. For that reason I see him struggling this weekend to a finish out of the Top 10.
24th in Points – Erik Jones
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 12 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 20.5 | 25th of 37 | T415th of 842 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.92% | T21st of 37 | T325th of 842 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 20.63% | 29th of 37 | 483rd of 797‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 60.38 | 26th of 37 | 503rd of 797‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T10th of 52 | T160th of 1100 |
| Poles | 0 | T7th of 52 | T145th of 1100 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T15th of 52 | T255th of 1100 |
| Top 3’s | 0 | T18th of 52 | T327th of 1100 |
| Top 5’s | 0 | T23rd of 52 | T435th of 1100 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T24th of 52 | T389th of 1100 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T19th of 37 | T463rd of 842 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T13th of 52 | T78th of 361* |
| Stage T10s | 2 | T28th of 52 | T161st of 361* |
| Stage Pts | 10 | 28th of 52 | T156th of 361* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T17th of 52 | T93rd of 361* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 12 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 Intermediate Track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate track start, 39 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 20.0(T21st), 31.84% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 59.95(23rd), Best 19th, Worst 21st, Laps Completed 99.81%, 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, 1.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2022 Fall Darlington Race
- Finished 1st, Started 15th, Led 23 laps (6.27%), Finished 8th in Stage 1 and 9th in Stage 2, ran 364 Laps in Top15 (99.18% of laps he ran), had 107.5 Driver Rating (ranked 6th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year)
- 10 Races
- 10.7 Avg. Finish (Ranks 3rd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 32nd
- Completed 95.87% of laps (% ranks 21st)
- 81.22% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 4th)
- 93.61 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 8th)
- Led 4.19% of laps he’s run (% ranks 10th)
- 2 Wins, 20.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 5 Top 5’s, 50.0% (% ranks T2nd)
- 7 Top 10’s, 70.0% (% ranks T2nd)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 20.0% (% ranks T9th)
- 2 DNF’s, 20.0% (% ranks T30th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 12 Stage T10’s, 60.0% (% ranks T6th)
- 2.65 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 9th)
Outlook
Erik Jones is notable because of his performance in the last Darlington race. At Kansas Jones struggled all day to a 21st place finish. This is the story of his season, struggle, as he has a 20.5 Avg. Finish, 25th best, with just 2 Top 10’s and 2 Stage T10’s. Additionally he’s only ran 20.63% of his laps in the Top 15 and his terrible 60.38 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 26th best this year. Worse yet is that he hasn’t had success on Intermediate tracks either as he has finishes of 19th and 21st in the 2 races. What’s more, he’s only ran 32% of his laps in the Top 15, his Avg. Driver Rating is just 59.95, and he has 1 DNF. The only bit of good news is that Jones has 1.75 Stage Pts Per Stage in the 2 races. Now to the reason he’s on this list, the 2022 Fall Darlington race. In the race Jones ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15, finished 8th in Stage 1, 9th in Stage 2, had the 6th best Driver Rating at 107.5, and finished 1st. Even better is that he led 23 laps in the race, holding off Denny Hamlin for a lot of those. Actually Jones has been good at Darlington for his entire Cup career as in 10 races he has a 10.7 Avg. Finish with 2 Wins, 5 Top 5’s, and 7 Top 10’s. Additionally he has a 93.61 Avg. Driver Rating, ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, and his only finishes out of the Top 20 are DNF’s. However, this is a new year and I think Jones uncharacteristically struggles this weekend to a finish outside the Top 15, but a Top 10 wouldn’t surprise me too much either.
Erik Jones is notable because of his performance in the last Darlington race. At Kansas Jones struggled all day to a 21st place finish. This is the story of his season, struggle, as he has a 20.5 Avg. Finish, 25th best, with just 2 Top 10’s and 2 Stage T10’s. Additionally he’s only ran 20.63% of his laps in the Top 15 and his terrible 60.38 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 26th best this year. Worse yet is that he hasn’t had success on Intermediate tracks either as he has finishes of 19th and 21st in the 2 races. What’s more, he’s only ran 32% of his laps in the Top 15, his Avg. Driver Rating is just 59.95, and he has 1 DNF. The only bit of good news is that Jones has 1.75 Stage Pts Per Stage in the 2 races. Now to the reason he’s on this list, the 2022 Fall Darlington race. In the race Jones ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15, finished 8th in Stage 1, 9th in Stage 2, had the 6th best Driver Rating at 107.5, and finished 1st. Even better is that he led 23 laps in the race, holding off Denny Hamlin for a lot of those. Actually Jones has been good at Darlington for his entire Cup career as in 10 races he has a 10.7 Avg. Finish with 2 Wins, 5 Top 5’s, and 7 Top 10’s. Additionally he has a 93.61 Avg. Driver Rating, ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, and his only finishes out of the Top 20 are DNF’s. However, this is a new year and I think Jones uncharacteristically struggles this weekend to a finish outside the Top 15, but a Top 10 wouldn’t surprise me too much either.
