Last week at the Indy Road Course Michael McDowell held off Chase Elliott for his first victory of the season and clinched a spot into the Cup Series Playoffs. This week we go to another Road Course, Watkins Glen, where another driver could clinch with a win, or 2 drivers could clinch with points. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 1 based on the 2023 point standings, 2 based on 2023 stats, 2 based on Road Course stats, 1 based on the last Watkins Glen race and 2 based on their overall Watkins Glen stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 and ranking through 24 races since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Road Course (right and left turns) statistics and Watkins Glen statistics.
1st in Points – Martin Truex Jr.
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.08 | 1st of 35 | T37th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.72% | 1st of 35 | 20th of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 77.52% | 2nd of 35 | 63rd of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 100.73 | 1st of 35 | 51st of 773‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd of 62 | T36th of 1322 |
| Poles | 1 | T6th of 62 | T94th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T1st of 62 | T41st of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 8 | 1st of 62 | T24th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 9 | 2nd of 62 | T53rd of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 14 | 1st of 62 | T59th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T74th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 5 | T2nd of 62 | T13th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 33 | 1st of 62 | T14th of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 193 | 2nd of 62 | T21st of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 20 | 2nd of 62 | T14th of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Cup Series)
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 14.25(11th), 81.98% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 97.48(6th), Best 1st, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.71%, Led 14.83% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 23rd, Started 25th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 15 Laps in Top15 (16.67% of laps he ran), had 58.7 Driver Rating (ranked 26th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 16 Races
- 10.94 Avg. Finish (Ranks 7th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 28th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 72.75% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 5th)
- 99.27 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 4.79% of laps he’s run (% ranks 7th)
- 1 Win, 6.25% (% ranks T6th)
- 5 Top 3’s, 31.25% (% ranks 3rd)
- 7 Top 5’s, 43.75% (% ranks 3rd)
- 12 Top 15’s, 75.0% (% ranks T9th)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T14th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 2 Stage Wins, 20.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 7 Stage T10’s, 70.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 6.1 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Main Points & Outlook
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 stats thru 24 races
– At the Indy Road Course Truex ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished with his 5th straight Top 10, coming home P7
– He has the longest active Top 10 streak in the Cup Series
– All but one of his 2023 Ranks above is 1st or 2nd, the only one that isn’t is his 1 Pole that ranks T6th
– Some of his stats that rank 1st this year are his 11.08 Avg. Finish, 100.73 Avg. Driver Rating, 8 Top 3’s, 14 Top 10’s, and 33 Stage T10’s
– His 99.72 Completed Laps% is best this year and 20th best thru 24 races since 2004
– In the 4 Road Course races this year he has a 14.25 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 2 Top 10’s, and 1 finish out of the Top 20
– In the 4 races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating (97.48), and has led 15% of the laps he’s run
– Last year at Watkins Glen Truex ran only 17% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to the 26th best Driver Rating (58.7) and a 23rd place finish
– This was his 4th finish out of the Top 20 in his 16 Cup races at Watkins Glen
– In the 16 races he has 1 Win, 5 Top 3’s, a 99.27 Avg. Driver Rating, and a 10.94 Avg. Finish
– In 10 stages here he has 2 Stage Wins, 7 Stage T10’s, and 6.1 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
When looking at Truex’s 2023 stats it seems he’s a shoe-in for a good run, but his 2023 Road Course stats say a good finish may not be there. Even worse is his run last year at Watkins Glen was atrocious, but he’s done well here at Watkins Glen in his career. All of this put together I think Truex has a good run this weekend and finishes between 1st and 7th, but if he doesn’t then it’s outside the Top 20.
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 stats thru 24 races
– At the Indy Road Course Truex ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished with his 5th straight Top 10, coming home P7
– He has the longest active Top 10 streak in the Cup Series
– All but one of his 2023 Ranks above is 1st or 2nd, the only one that isn’t is his 1 Pole that ranks T6th
– Some of his stats that rank 1st this year are his 11.08 Avg. Finish, 100.73 Avg. Driver Rating, 8 Top 3’s, 14 Top 10’s, and 33 Stage T10’s
– His 99.72 Completed Laps% is best this year and 20th best thru 24 races since 2004
– In the 4 Road Course races this year he has a 14.25 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 2 Top 10’s, and 1 finish out of the Top 20
– In the 4 races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating (97.48), and has led 15% of the laps he’s run
– Last year at Watkins Glen Truex ran only 17% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to the 26th best Driver Rating (58.7) and a 23rd place finish
– This was his 4th finish out of the Top 20 in his 16 Cup races at Watkins Glen
– In the 16 races he has 1 Win, 5 Top 3’s, a 99.27 Avg. Driver Rating, and a 10.94 Avg. Finish
– In 10 stages here he has 2 Stage Wins, 7 Stage T10’s, and 6.1 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
When looking at Truex’s 2023 stats it seems he’s a shoe-in for a good run, but his 2023 Road Course stats say a good finish may not be there. Even worse is his run last year at Watkins Glen was atrocious, but he’s done well here at Watkins Glen in his career. All of this put together I think Truex has a good run this weekend and finishes between 1st and 7th, but if he doesn’t then it’s outside the Top 20.
2nd in Points – Denny Hamlin
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.21 | 2nd of 35 | T70th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.12% | 23rd of 35 | T333rd of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 81.96% | 1st of 35 | 27th of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 97.06 | 3rd of 35 | 91st of 773‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T4th of 62 | T64th of 1322 |
| Poles | 3 | T1st of 62 | T20th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 4 | T4th of 62 | T67th of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | T2nd of 62 | T55th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 8 | T3rd of 62 | T75th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 11 | T5th of 62 | T160th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T10th of 35 | T211th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 5 | T2nd of 62 | T13th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 30 | 2nd of 62 | T26th of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 190 | 3rd of 62 | 24th of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 15 | 4th of 62 | T23rd of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 20.5(22nd), 58.1% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.83(15th), Best 11th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 94.78%, Led 12.54% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 2 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 2 Stage Wins, 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 20th, Started 22nd, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 4 Laps in Top15 (4.44% of laps he ran), had 48.8 Driver Rating (ranked 28th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 16 Races
- 15.81 Avg. Finish (Ranks 16th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 37th
- Completed 94.45% of laps (% ranks 34th)
- 66.89% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 8th)
- 89.01 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 10th)
- Led 1.32% of laps he’s run (% ranks 14th)
- 1 Win, 6.25% (% ranks T6th)
- 1 Pole, 6.25% (% ranks 4th)
- 3 Top 3’s, 18.75% (% ranks 8th)
- 8 Top 10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T11th)
- 9 Top 15’s, 56.25% (% ranks 14th)
- 5 finishes outside Top 20, 31.25% (% ranks 17th)
- 3 DNF’s, 18.75% (% ranks 33rd)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 6 Stage T10’s, 60.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 3.9 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 6th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Denny Hamlin is notable because he’s 2nd in points
– Last week Hamlin used strategy to collect a Stage Win, but at the end of the day he found himself in 19th
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better including all of his stage stats (5 Stage Wins, 30 Stage T10’s, 190 Stage Pts)
– His 81.96 Laps in Top15% and 3 Poles are tied best or best in the 2023 Ranks above
– Only his 2 DNF’s and 96.12 Completed Laps% are worse than T5th in the 2023 Ranks above
– His best Road Course finish in 4 races this year is 11th and overall he has a 20.5 Avg. Finish with just 1 Top 15
– In the Road Course races he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, has 2 Poles, and only his only finish out of the Top 20 was a DNF
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Hamlin ran only 4 laps in the Top 15, had the 28th best Driver Rating (48.8), and finished 20th
– In 16 career Cup races at Watkins Glen he has 1 Win, 3 Top 3’s, 8 Top 10’s, and a 15.81 Avg. Finish
– He’s only ran 67% of his laps here in the Top 15, has 3 DNF’s, and has led just 1.32% of his laps run
– In 10 stages at Watkins Glen he’s gotten 6 Stage T10’s and 3.9 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Hamlin’s 2023 stats aren’t half bad and have gotten better as the year has gone on, but his 2023 Road Course stats are just bad. The only good news for him is that he’s ran decent in his career at Watkins Glen and has led a good chunk of his Road Course laps this year. Other than this Road Course have been a struggle for Hamlin of recent and for that reason I see him finishing between 10th and 20th this weekend.
– Denny Hamlin is notable because he’s 2nd in points
– Last week Hamlin used strategy to collect a Stage Win, but at the end of the day he found himself in 19th
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better including all of his stage stats (5 Stage Wins, 30 Stage T10’s, 190 Stage Pts)
– His 81.96 Laps in Top15% and 3 Poles are tied best or best in the 2023 Ranks above
– Only his 2 DNF’s and 96.12 Completed Laps% are worse than T5th in the 2023 Ranks above
– His best Road Course finish in 4 races this year is 11th and overall he has a 20.5 Avg. Finish with just 1 Top 15
– In the Road Course races he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, has 2 Poles, and only his only finish out of the Top 20 was a DNF
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Hamlin ran only 4 laps in the Top 15, had the 28th best Driver Rating (48.8), and finished 20th
– In 16 career Cup races at Watkins Glen he has 1 Win, 3 Top 3’s, 8 Top 10’s, and a 15.81 Avg. Finish
– He’s only ran 67% of his laps here in the Top 15, has 3 DNF’s, and has led just 1.32% of his laps run
– In 10 stages at Watkins Glen he’s gotten 6 Stage T10’s and 3.9 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Hamlin’s 2023 stats aren’t half bad and have gotten better as the year has gone on, but his 2023 Road Course stats are just bad. The only good news for him is that he’s ran decent in his career at Watkins Glen and has led a good chunk of his Road Course laps this year. Other than this Road Course have been a struggle for Hamlin of recent and for that reason I see him finishing between 10th and 20th this weekend.
3rd in Points – William Byron
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.54 | 5th of 35 | T129th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.08% | 24th of 35 | T339th of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.26% | 3rd of 35 | 105th of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 97.2 | 2nd of 35 | 88th of 773‡ |
| Wins | 4 | 1st of 62 | T14th of 1322 |
| Poles | 3 | T1st of 62 | T20th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T1st of 62 | T41st of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | T2nd of 62 | T55th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 8 | T3rd of 62 | T75th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 11 | T5th of 62 | T160th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T20th of 35 | T396th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 7 | 1st of 62 | T6th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 29 | T3rd of 62 | T32nd of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 206 | 1st of 62 | T14th of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 27 | 1st of 62 | T8th of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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 (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 11.5(7th), 55.94% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 88.38(10th), Best 5th, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 8.12% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.13 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 22nd, Started 4th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 20 Laps in Top15 (22.22% of laps he ran), had 52.3 Driver Rating (ranked 27th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 14.25 Avg. Finish (Ranks 14th)
- Best Finish: 6th, Worst: 22nd
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 61.94% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 13th)
- 79.38 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 16th)
- Led 0.00% of laps he’s run
- 0 Top 5’s
- 2 Top 10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T11th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 50.0% (% ranks T15th)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 50.0% (% ranks T22nd)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks T10th)
Main Points & Outlook
– William Byron is notable because of his stats this year thru 24 races
– Byron had to start last at the Indy Road Course which caused him to only run 12 laps in the Top 15, but he made his way up to 14th by the finish
– 8 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 1st or 2nd, including his 97.2 Avg. Driver Rating, 4 Wins, 6 Top 3’s, 7 Stage Wins, and 206 Stage Pts
– Only 2 of his 2023 Ranks above are worse than T5th (3 DNF’s and 96.08 Completed Laps%)
– His 4 Wins, 7 Stage Wins, 206 Stage Pts, and 27 Playoff Pts all rank T14th or better thru 24 races since 2004
– He’s finished all 4 Road Course races this year in the Top 15, but has finished only 1 in the Top 10
– In the 4 races he has an 11.5 Avg. Finish, an 88.38 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s led 8.12% of the laps he’s run
– On Road Courses this year he’s ran only 56% of his laps in the Top 15 and has just 2.13 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Watkins Glen last year Byron ran only 22% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 27th best Driver Rating (52.3), and finished 22nd
– This was his 4th Watkins Glen race in the Cup Series and his 2nd finish out of the Top 20
– In his 4 races he has 2 Top 10’s, a best of 6th, a 79.38 Avg. Driver Rating, and a 14.25 Avg. Finish
Outlook for this weekend
This year started off so good for Byron, but his 2023 stats have dwindled in the last couple weeks. Furthermore his Road Course stats this year imply decent runs but not spectacular as he has only 1 Top 10. Then there is his Watkins Glen stats that suggest either Top 10 or out of the Top 20. None of his stats above are all that supportive of a great run and thus I see him finishing between 8th and 12th.
– William Byron is notable because of his stats this year thru 24 races
– Byron had to start last at the Indy Road Course which caused him to only run 12 laps in the Top 15, but he made his way up to 14th by the finish
– 8 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 1st or 2nd, including his 97.2 Avg. Driver Rating, 4 Wins, 6 Top 3’s, 7 Stage Wins, and 206 Stage Pts
– Only 2 of his 2023 Ranks above are worse than T5th (3 DNF’s and 96.08 Completed Laps%)
– His 4 Wins, 7 Stage Wins, 206 Stage Pts, and 27 Playoff Pts all rank T14th or better thru 24 races since 2004
– He’s finished all 4 Road Course races this year in the Top 15, but has finished only 1 in the Top 10
– In the 4 races he has an 11.5 Avg. Finish, an 88.38 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s led 8.12% of the laps he’s run
– On Road Courses this year he’s ran only 56% of his laps in the Top 15 and has just 2.13 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Watkins Glen last year Byron ran only 22% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 27th best Driver Rating (52.3), and finished 22nd
– This was his 4th Watkins Glen race in the Cup Series and his 2nd finish out of the Top 20
– In his 4 races he has 2 Top 10’s, a best of 6th, a 79.38 Avg. Driver Rating, and a 14.25 Avg. Finish
Outlook for this weekend
This year started off so good for Byron, but his 2023 stats have dwindled in the last couple weeks. Furthermore his Road Course stats this year imply decent runs but not spectacular as he has only 1 Top 10. Then there is his Watkins Glen stats that suggest either Top 10 or out of the Top 20. None of his stats above are all that supportive of a great run and thus I see him finishing between 8th and 12th.
5th in Points – Kyle Larson
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.17 | T10th of 35 | T210th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.23% | 27th of 35 | T394th of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 69.04% | 7th of 35 | 148th of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 92.38 | 4th of 35 | 141st of 773‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T4th of 62 | T64th of 1322 |
| Poles | 2 | T3rd of 62 | T44th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 4 | T4th of 62 | T67th of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 5 | 6th of 62 | T90th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 10 | 1st of 62 | T35th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 12 | T3rd of 62 | T116th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 6 | T33rd of 35 | T731st of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 3 | T6th of 62 | T36th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 28 | 5th of 62 | T40th of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 161 | 5th of 62 | T45th of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 13 | 5th of 62 | T31st of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 8.5(5th), 79.71% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 95.73(7th), Best 4th, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 1st, Started 2nd, Led 5 laps (5.56%), Finished 8th in Stage 2, ran 78 Laps in Top15 (86.67% of laps he ran), had 112.0 Driver Rating (ranked 4th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 8 Races
- 10.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 6th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 29th
- Completed 99.86% of laps (% ranks 15th)
- 72.46% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 6th)
- 97.23 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 4th)
- Led 5.29% of laps he’s run (% ranks 6th)
- 2 Wins, 25.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 3 Top 5’s, 37.5% (% ranks 6th)
- 5 Top 10’s, 62.5% (% ranks T7th)
- 6 Top 15’s, 75.0% (% ranks T9th)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T14th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 6 Stage T10’s, 60.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 3.3 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 8th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Kyle Larson is notable because of his race here at Watkins Glen last year
– At the Indy Road Course Larson ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished 8th
– He’s on a 2 race Top 10 streak
– Only 3 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better (2 Poles, 10 Top 5’s, 12 Top 10’s)
– He has more DNF’s (6) this year than he has Top 3’s (5)
– In the 2023 Ranks above his 15.17 Avg. Finish ranks T10th and his 92.68 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th
– In 4 Road Course races this year he has 3 Top 10’s, a worst finish of only 14th, a best finish of only 4th, and an 8.5 Avg. Finish
– He’s led 0 laps in the 4 races, has ran 80% of his laps in the Top 15, and has a 95.73 Avg. Driver Rating
– Larson led 5 laps, ran 87% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 4th best Driver Rating, and won the 2022 Watkins Glen race
– This was his 2nd win in 8 Cup starts at Watkins Glen
– In his 8 starts here he has 5 Top 10’s, 2 finishes out of the Top 15, a 10.5 Avg. Finish, and a 97.23 Avg. Driver Rating
– In his career at Watkins Glen he’s ran 72.46% of his laps in the Top 15, led 5% of his laps, has 6 Stage T10’s, and 3.3 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Larson’s 2023 stats imply that he’s run well but hasn’t always finished well. However, his Road Course stats this year are decent and his 2022 Watkins Glen race plus his career Watkins Glen stats are pretty good. Therefore, this weekend I see Larson running well and finishing somewhere in the Top 10.
– Kyle Larson is notable because of his race here at Watkins Glen last year
– At the Indy Road Course Larson ran 95% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished 8th
– He’s on a 2 race Top 10 streak
– Only 3 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better (2 Poles, 10 Top 5’s, 12 Top 10’s)
– He has more DNF’s (6) this year than he has Top 3’s (5)
– In the 2023 Ranks above his 15.17 Avg. Finish ranks T10th and his 92.68 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 4th
– In 4 Road Course races this year he has 3 Top 10’s, a worst finish of only 14th, a best finish of only 4th, and an 8.5 Avg. Finish
– He’s led 0 laps in the 4 races, has ran 80% of his laps in the Top 15, and has a 95.73 Avg. Driver Rating
– Larson led 5 laps, ran 87% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 4th best Driver Rating, and won the 2022 Watkins Glen race
– This was his 2nd win in 8 Cup starts at Watkins Glen
– In his 8 starts here he has 5 Top 10’s, 2 finishes out of the Top 15, a 10.5 Avg. Finish, and a 97.23 Avg. Driver Rating
– In his career at Watkins Glen he’s ran 72.46% of his laps in the Top 15, led 5% of his laps, has 6 Stage T10’s, and 3.3 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Larson’s 2023 stats imply that he’s run well but hasn’t always finished well. However, his Road Course stats this year are decent and his 2022 Watkins Glen race plus his career Watkins Glen stats are pretty good. Therefore, this weekend I see Larson running well and finishing somewhere in the Top 10.
11th in Points – Kyle Busch
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.42 | 9th of 35 | T168th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 90.99% | 30th of 35 | 637th of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 59.5% | 13th of 35 | 233rd of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 81.75 | 12th of 35 | 271st of 773‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd of 62 | T36th of 1322 |
| Poles | 1 | T6th of 62 | T94th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T1st of 62 | T41st of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | T2nd of 62 | T55th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 8 | T3rd of 62 | T75th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 13 | 2nd of 62 | T82nd of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 5 | T30th of 35 | T663rd of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T10th of 62 | T58th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 18 | T11th of 62 | T92nd of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 105 | 12th of 62 | T82nd of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 17 | 3rd of 62 | T19th of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes (longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 11.25(6th), 70.26% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 85.98(11th), Best 2nd, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 99.42%, Led 4.96% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 32nd, Started 10th, Led 0 laps, Finished 9th in Stage 1 and 2nd in Stage 2, ran 44 Laps in Top15 (49.44% of laps he ran), had 82.4 Driver Rating (ranked 11th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 17 Races
- 10.47 Avg. Finish (Ranks 5th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 40th
- Completed 98.57% of laps (% ranks 25th)
- 75.86% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 3rd)
- 108.76 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 2nd)
- Led 16.34% of laps he’s run (% ranks 3rd)
- 2 Wins, 11.76% (% ranks 3rd)
- 2 Poles, 11.76% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5 Top 3’s, 29.41% (% ranks 4th)
- 13 Top 10’s, 76.47% (% ranks 4th)
- 14 Top 15’s, 82.35% (% ranks 6th)
- 3 finishes outside Top 20, 17.65% (% ranks 10th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Stage Win, 10.0% (% ranks T5th)
- 8 Stage T10’s, 80.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Kyle Busch is notable because of his stats at Watkins Glen in his 17 career Cup starts
– Busch ran 68% of his laps in the Top 15 last week, but late race issues caused him to finish 36th
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better including his 3 Wins, 5 Top 2’s, 6 Top 3’s, 8 Top 5’s, and 13 Top 10’s
– 7 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or worse including his 59.5 Laps in Top 15%, 81.75 Avg. Driver Rating, 2 Stage Wins, and 105 Stage Pts
– Earlier this year he had a 7 race Top 10 streak, the longest such streak in the Cup Series this year
– On Road Courses this year he has 2 Top 3’s and 3 Top 10’s in 4 races with an 85.98 Avg. Driver Rating
– In the 4 races he’s ran 70% of his laps in the Top 15, led 5% of his laps, and has gotten 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Last year at Watkins Glen Busch ran 49% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 11th best Driver Rating (82.4), got 11 Stage Pts, but finished 32nd after a late spin
– In 17 races at Watkins Glen he has a 10.47 Avg. Finish, 2 Wins, 5 Top 3’s, 13 Top 10’s, and a 108.76 Avg. Driver Rating
– 3 of his 4 finishes out of the Top 10 here have also been out of the Top 20
– He has the best Stage T10% here among active drivers at 80.0% and he’s accumulated 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
This year Busch’s stats say he’s done good at finishing but has done bad at running good in the race. Thankfully this weekend is a Road Course where he has ran and finished well for the most part, and even better is that this is Watkins Glen where Busch has done well for most of his Cup Series career. For these reasons I see Busch running well this weekend and as long as he can avoid issues I think he finishes in the Top 10 between 1st and 7th.
– Kyle Busch is notable because of his stats at Watkins Glen in his 17 career Cup starts
– Busch ran 68% of his laps in the Top 15 last week, but late race issues caused him to finish 36th
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T3rd or better including his 3 Wins, 5 Top 2’s, 6 Top 3’s, 8 Top 5’s, and 13 Top 10’s
– 7 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or worse including his 59.5 Laps in Top 15%, 81.75 Avg. Driver Rating, 2 Stage Wins, and 105 Stage Pts
– Earlier this year he had a 7 race Top 10 streak, the longest such streak in the Cup Series this year
– On Road Courses this year he has 2 Top 3’s and 3 Top 10’s in 4 races with an 85.98 Avg. Driver Rating
– In the 4 races he’s ran 70% of his laps in the Top 15, led 5% of his laps, and has gotten 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Last year at Watkins Glen Busch ran 49% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 11th best Driver Rating (82.4), got 11 Stage Pts, but finished 32nd after a late spin
– In 17 races at Watkins Glen he has a 10.47 Avg. Finish, 2 Wins, 5 Top 3’s, 13 Top 10’s, and a 108.76 Avg. Driver Rating
– 3 of his 4 finishes out of the Top 10 here have also been out of the Top 20
– He has the best Stage T10% here among active drivers at 80.0% and he’s accumulated 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
This year Busch’s stats say he’s done good at finishing but has done bad at running good in the race. Thankfully this weekend is a Road Course where he has ran and finished well for the most part, and even better is that this is Watkins Glen where Busch has done well for most of his Cup Series career. For these reasons I see Busch running well this weekend and as long as he can avoid issues I think he finishes in the Top 10 between 1st and 7th.
12th in Points – Tyler Reddick
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.96 | 16th of 35 | 300th of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.28% | 26th of 35 | T389th of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 70.43% | 5th of 35 | 132nd of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 90.01 | 5th of 35 | 169th of 773‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T7th of 62 | T117th of 1322 |
| Poles | 1 | T6th of 62 | T94th of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T7th of 62 | T94th of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | T7th of 62 | T118th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 7 | T6th of 62 | T107th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 10 | T10th of 62 | T196th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T74th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | 5th of 62 | T24th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 27 | 6th of 62 | T42nd of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 175 | 4th of 62 | 32nd of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 9 | 8th of 62 | T42nd of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 16.5(13th), 77.03% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 106.4(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 99.71%, Led 14.24% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 7th, Started 5th, Led 2 laps (2.22%), Finished 2nd in Stage 1, ran 55 Laps in Top15 (61.11% of laps he ran), had 88.2 Driver Rating (ranked 10th)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 2 Races
- 8.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 3rd)
- Best Finish: 7th, Worst: 10th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 59.44% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 15th)
- 87.7 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 12th)
- Led 1.11% of laps he’s run (% ranks 17th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 2 Top 10’s, 100% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 finishes outside Top 20, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2 Stage T10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T6th)
- 4.0 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks T4th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Tyler Reddick is notable because of his stats on Road Courses this year
– Reddick put a whole race together last week running 93% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to a 4th place finish
– 11 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T7th or better
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th, T6th, or T7th including his 3 Top 2’s, 4 Top 3’s, and 27 Stage T10’s
– His 16.96 Avg. Finish ranks 16th in the 2023 Ranks above, but his 90.01 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 5th
– His longest Top 5/10 streak this year is only 3 races
– In 4 Road Course races this year he only has a 16.5 Avg. Finish, but has the 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (106.4), 1 Win and 2 Top 5’s
– In the Road Course races this year he’s ran 77% of his laps in the Top 15, has led 14.24% of his laps, and has gotten 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Reddick finished 2nd in Stage 1, ran 61% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 10th best Driver Rating (88.2), and finished 7th
– This was his 2nd Cup race here at Watkins Glen and in the races he has finishes of 7th and 10th
– In his 2 career races here he has an 87.7 Avg. Driver Rating, has ran 59.44% of his laps in the Top 15, and only led 1.11% of his laps here
Outlook for this weekend
All of Reddick’s 2023 stats above point to one thing, he’s run a lot better than he’s finished all year long, especially on Road Courses. The good thing is that he’s ran decent and finished decent here at Watkins Glen in his Cup career. However he hasn’t been spectacular, still based on the stats I see Reddick doing well this weekend and coming home somewhere between 6th and 15th.
– Tyler Reddick is notable because of his stats on Road Courses this year
– Reddick put a whole race together last week running 93% of his laps in the Top 15 en route to a 4th place finish
– 11 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T7th or better
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th, T6th, or T7th including his 3 Top 2’s, 4 Top 3’s, and 27 Stage T10’s
– His 16.96 Avg. Finish ranks 16th in the 2023 Ranks above, but his 90.01 Avg. Driver Rating ranks 5th
– His longest Top 5/10 streak this year is only 3 races
– In 4 Road Course races this year he only has a 16.5 Avg. Finish, but has the 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (106.4), 1 Win and 2 Top 5’s
– In the Road Course races this year he’s ran 77% of his laps in the Top 15, has led 14.24% of his laps, and has gotten 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Reddick finished 2nd in Stage 1, ran 61% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 10th best Driver Rating (88.2), and finished 7th
– This was his 2nd Cup race here at Watkins Glen and in the races he has finishes of 7th and 10th
– In his 2 career races here he has an 87.7 Avg. Driver Rating, has ran 59.44% of his laps in the Top 15, and only led 1.11% of his laps here
Outlook for this weekend
All of Reddick’s 2023 stats above point to one thing, he’s run a lot better than he’s finished all year long, especially on Road Courses. The good thing is that he’s ran decent and finished decent here at Watkins Glen in his Cup career. However he hasn’t been spectacular, still based on the stats I see Reddick doing well this weekend and coming home somewhere between 6th and 15th.
15th in Points – Michael McDowell
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 17.96 | T18th of 35 | T341st of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.03% | 12th of 35 | T151st of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 32.37% | 21st of 35 | 407th of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 68.56 | 20th of 35 | 421st of 773‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T7th of 62 | T117th of 1322 |
| Poles | 0 | T14th of 62 | T233rd of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T12th of 62 | T207th of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T15th of 62 | T290th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T19th of 62 | T325th of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 6 | T18th of 62 | T340th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T74th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T12th of 62 | T77th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 13 | T17th of 62 | T111th of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 75 | 16th of 62 | 103rd of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 6 | 12th of 62 | T67th of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 6.75(3rd), 90.14% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 111.53(2nd), Best 1st, Worst 12th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 15.94% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 6.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 6th, Started 3rd, Led 14 laps (15.56%), Finished 8th in Stage 1 and 3rd in Stage 2, ran 88 Laps in Top15 (97.78% of laps he ran), had 119.3 Driver Rating (ranked 2nd)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 16 Races
- 25.77 Avg. Finish (Ranks 30th)
- Best Finish: 6th, Worst: 42nd
- Completed 77.22% of laps (% ranks 39th)
- 36.24% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 23rd)
- 61.72 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 23rd)
- Led 1.55% of laps he’s run (% ranks 13th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 1 Top 10, 7.69% (% ranks 20th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 15.38% (% ranks 25th)
- 7 finishes outside Top 20, 53.85% (% ranks 26th)
- 5 DNF’s, 38.46% (% ranks 38th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 3 Stage T10’s, 30.0% (% ranks T17th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Michael McDowell is notable because of his 2023 Road Course stats
– Last week at the Indy Road Course McDowell led 66% of the laps before winning his 2nd career Cup race and first of the season, clinching a spot in the playoffs
– He now has 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above being 16th or better including his 1 DNF, 1 Win, 75 Stage Pts, and 1 Stage Win
– His only 2023 Ranks above that are 20th or worse are his 68.56 Avg. Driver Rating and 32.37 Laps in Top15%
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 2 races
– In the 4 Road Course races this year he’s ran 90% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating (111.53), and the 3rd best Avg. Finish (6.75)
– In the 4 races he has 1 Win, 3 Top 10’s, and a worst finish of only 12th
– His 15.94 Laps Led% and 6.0 Stage Pts Per Stage on Road Courses this year are the best of any driver
– At Watkins Glen last year McDowell ran only 2 laps out of the Top 15, led 15.56% of his laps, and had the 2nd best Driver Rating (119.3); but he got shuffled back on late restarts to finish 6th
– This was his best finish and only Top 10 at Watkins Glen in his 16 starts here
– In 16 races here he’s gotten only 2 Top 15’s, has 7 finishes out of the Top 20, and a measly 25.77 Avg. Finish
– In these races he’s ran 36% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 61.72 Avg. Driver Rating, and 5 DNF’s
Outlook for this weekend
With his win last week McDowell no longer has to worry about points or if he will get into the playoffs. His 2023 stats and ranks above support the fact he is playoff worthy and his Road Course stats this year have been superb. In fact McDowell even ran well at Watkins Glen last year, but his career stats here have been putrid. Based on these stats he finished between 15th and 25th, but the new car changes things and helps McDowell get his 2nd straight Top 10 this weekend.
– Michael McDowell is notable because of his 2023 Road Course stats
– Last week at the Indy Road Course McDowell led 66% of the laps before winning his 2nd career Cup race and first of the season, clinching a spot in the playoffs
– He now has 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above being 16th or better including his 1 DNF, 1 Win, 75 Stage Pts, and 1 Stage Win
– His only 2023 Ranks above that are 20th or worse are his 68.56 Avg. Driver Rating and 32.37 Laps in Top15%
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 2 races
– In the 4 Road Course races this year he’s ran 90% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating (111.53), and the 3rd best Avg. Finish (6.75)
– In the 4 races he has 1 Win, 3 Top 10’s, and a worst finish of only 12th
– His 15.94 Laps Led% and 6.0 Stage Pts Per Stage on Road Courses this year are the best of any driver
– At Watkins Glen last year McDowell ran only 2 laps out of the Top 15, led 15.56% of his laps, and had the 2nd best Driver Rating (119.3); but he got shuffled back on late restarts to finish 6th
– This was his best finish and only Top 10 at Watkins Glen in his 16 starts here
– In 16 races here he’s gotten only 2 Top 15’s, has 7 finishes out of the Top 20, and a measly 25.77 Avg. Finish
– In these races he’s ran 36% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 61.72 Avg. Driver Rating, and 5 DNF’s
Outlook for this weekend
With his win last week McDowell no longer has to worry about points or if he will get into the playoffs. His 2023 stats and ranks above support the fact he is playoff worthy and his Road Course stats this year have been superb. In fact McDowell even ran well at Watkins Glen last year, but his career stats here have been putrid. Based on these stats he finished between 15th and 25th, but the new car changes things and helps McDowell get his 2nd straight Top 10 this weekend.
19th in Points – Chase Elliott
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 24 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.65 | 3rd of 35 | 93rd of 815 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 88.65% | 33rd of 35 | 691st of 815 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 60.68% | 11th of 35 | 218th of 773‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 82.32 | 9th of 35 | 263rd of 773‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T15th of 62 | T245th of 1322 |
| Poles | 0 | T14th of 62 | T233rd of 1322 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T9th of 62 | T138th of 1322 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | T7th of 62 | T118th of 1322 |
| Top 5’s | 6 | T8th of 62 | T143rd of 1322 |
| Top 10’s | 9 | T13th of 62 | T234th of 1322 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T20th of 35 | T396th of 815 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T12th of 62 | T77th of 421* |
| Stage T10s | 10 | 21st of 62 | T129th of 421* |
| Stage Pts | 56 | 18th of 62 | T117th of 421* |
| Playoff Pts² | 1 | T16th of 62 | T102nd of 421* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 24 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
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 47 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 3.33(1st), 81.11% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 102.13(4th), Best 2nd, Worst 5th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 2.96% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.33 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Watkins Glen Statistics
- 2022 Watkins Glen Race
- Finished 4th, Started 1st, Led 29 laps (32.22%), Finished 4th in Stage 2, ran 85 Laps in Top15 (94.44% of laps he ran), had 124.8 Driver Rating (ranked 1st)
- Notable Watkins Glen Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Watkins Glen, 42 drivers)
- 6 Races
- 5.67 Avg. Finish (Ranks 1st)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 13th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 77.78% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 2nd)
- 118.8 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 1st)
- Led 31.48% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 2 Wins, 33.33% (% ranks 1st)
- 2 Poles, 33.33% (% ranks 1st)
- 3 Top 3’s, 50.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 4 Top 5’s, 66.67% (% ranks 1st)
- 6 Top 15’s, 100% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 finishes outside Top 20, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 3 Stage Wins, 30.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 6 Stage T10’s, 60.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 4.8 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Chase Elliott is notable because of his career Cup stats here at Watkins Glen
– Elliott was one of the best cars last week at the Indy Road Course, but he wound up one spot shy of clinching a playoff spot, finishing 2nd
– Even with missing 7 races this year 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 11th or better including his 2 Top 2’s, 12.65 Avg. Finish, and 82.32 Avg. Driver Rating
– He only has 1 more Stage T10 (10) than he does race Top 10’s (9)
– His longest Top 5/10 streak this year is just 3 races
– He’s ran 3 of the 4 Road Course races this year with a stellar 3.33 Avg. Finish, a 102.13 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15
– He’s finished all 3 races between 2nd and 5th with 2 Top 3’s
– He’s only gotten 2.33 Stage Pts Per Stage on Road Courses this year
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Elliott led 32% of the laps, ran all but 5 of his laps in the Top 15, had the best Driver Rating (124.8), and finished 4th
– In his 6 career starts at Watkins Glen Elliott has a worst finish of 13th, 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 4 Top 5’s, and a 5.67 Avg. Finish
– His 5.67 Avg. Finish, 118.8 Avg. Driver Rating, 31.48 Laps Led%, 33.33 Win%, 33.33 Pole%, 50.0 Top 3%, 66.67 Top 5%, and 30.0 Stage Win% at Watkins Glen all rank 1st among active drivers
– His worst Watkins Glen rank above is only T3rd (60.0 Stage T10%)
Outlook for this weekend
Elliott was so close to clinching a playoff spot last week, but this week he has another great chance based on the stats. His 2023 stats overall are okay, but his 2023 Road Course and career Watkins Glen stats are spectacular. These stats alone are enough to say he will be a contender this weekend and I personally think he wins, but for sure he will finish somewhere between 1st and 7th.
– Chase Elliott is notable because of his career Cup stats here at Watkins Glen
– Elliott was one of the best cars last week at the Indy Road Course, but he wound up one spot shy of clinching a playoff spot, finishing 2nd
– Even with missing 7 races this year 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 11th or better including his 2 Top 2’s, 12.65 Avg. Finish, and 82.32 Avg. Driver Rating
– He only has 1 more Stage T10 (10) than he does race Top 10’s (9)
– His longest Top 5/10 streak this year is just 3 races
– He’s ran 3 of the 4 Road Course races this year with a stellar 3.33 Avg. Finish, a 102.13 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15
– He’s finished all 3 races between 2nd and 5th with 2 Top 3’s
– He’s only gotten 2.33 Stage Pts Per Stage on Road Courses this year
– In the 2022 Watkins Glen race Elliott led 32% of the laps, ran all but 5 of his laps in the Top 15, had the best Driver Rating (124.8), and finished 4th
– In his 6 career starts at Watkins Glen Elliott has a worst finish of 13th, 2 Wins, 2 Poles, 4 Top 5’s, and a 5.67 Avg. Finish
– His 5.67 Avg. Finish, 118.8 Avg. Driver Rating, 31.48 Laps Led%, 33.33 Win%, 33.33 Pole%, 50.0 Top 3%, 66.67 Top 5%, and 30.0 Stage Win% at Watkins Glen all rank 1st among active drivers
– His worst Watkins Glen rank above is only T3rd (60.0 Stage T10%)
Outlook for this weekend
Elliott was so close to clinching a playoff spot last week, but this week he has another great chance based on the stats. His 2023 stats overall are okay, but his 2023 Road Course and career Watkins Glen stats are spectacular. These stats alone are enough to say he will be a contender this weekend and I personally think he wins, but for sure he will finish somewhere between 1st and 7th.
