The Xfinity playoffs almost started out with a Dale Jr. win, but instead it ended up being his lone car left in the race at Bristol that won, Justin Allgaier. This week we shift to a different track completely as we go to Texas where some playoff drivers hope to have better luck. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 3 based on the 2023 playoff bubble, 1 based on 2023 playoff stats, 1 based on Intermediate stats, 1 based on the last Texas race, and 2 based on their overall Texas stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 and ranking through 27 races since the Playoffs started in 2016. We will also highlight the 2023 Playoff stats, notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Intermediate track (1.3-1.5 mile) statistics and Texas statistics.
P = Playoff Driver
OP = Owner Playoff Driver
1st in Points – John Hunter Nemechek (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 9.41 | 2nd of 32 | T22nd of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.29% | 4th of 32 | T28th of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 88.15% | 1st of 32 | 25th of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 111.35 | 1st of 32 | 9th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 6 | 1st of 99 | T5th of 822 |
| Poles | 2 | T5th of 99 | T18th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 10 | 1st of 99 | T4th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 12 | 1st of 99 | T6th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 14 | 2nd of 99 | T11th of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 20 | 1st of 99 | T12th of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T11th of 32 | T69th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 9 | T1st of 99 | T6th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 40 | T2nd of 99 | T19th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 282 | 2nd of 99 | 15th of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 39 | 1st of 99 | 4th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 3.0(3rd), 100% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 116.0(3rd), Best 3rd, Worst 3rd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.33% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2 Stage T10’s, 6.0 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Wins (longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 15th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 26th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Xfinity Series)
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Xfinity Series)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Xfinity Series)
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 3.83(4th), 92.58% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 128.15(2nd), Best 1st, Worst 6th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 37.76% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 2 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 6 Stage Wins, 7.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 28th (crash), Started 4th, Led 60 laps (30.0%), Finished 7th in Stage 1 and 3rd in Stage 2, ran 114 Laps in Top15 (98.28% of laps he ran), had 120.4 Driver Rating (ranked 2nd)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 5 Races
- 9.4 Avg. Finish (Ranks 10th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 28th
- Completed 91.6% of laps (% ranks 35th)
- 96.62% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 3rd)
- 112.8 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 17.25% of laps he’s run (% ranks 2nd)
- 1 Win, 20.0% (% ranks T2nd)
- 3 Top 5’s, 60.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 4 Top 10’s, 80.0% (% ranks 7th)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 20.0% (% ranks T17th)
- 1 DNF, 20.0% (% ranks T33rd)
- 1 Stage Win, 10.0% (% ranks 6th)
- 7 Stage T10’s, 70.0% (% ranks 6th)
Main Points & Outlook
– John Hunter Nemechek is notable because of his stats on Intermediate tracks this year
– Nemechek was one of 6 drivers to run all 300 laps in the Top 15 last week at Bristol en route to his Series leading 12th Top 3 finish, finishing 3rd
– He’s now finished 3rd or better in the last 3 Xfinity races
– He leads the Series in 8 of the 15 2023 Ranks above including his 111.35 Avg. Driver Rating, 6 Wins, 20 Top 10’s, and 9 Stage Wins
– His 6 Wins, 10 Top 2’s, 12 Top 3’s, 9 Stage Wins, and 39 Playoff Pts are all T6th or better thru 27 races since 2016
– The longest Top 10 streak he has this year is only 5 races
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 3.83 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 3 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 6th
– He’s ran 93% of his laps in the Top 15 in 6 Intermediate races this year and his 128.15 Avg. Driver Rating is 2nd best
– He’s won half the stages on Intermediates this year and has an astonishing 7.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Last year at Texas Nemechek crashed out after only 116 laps, but he did lead 60 laps, ran 114 laps in the Top 15, and still had the 2nd best Driver Rating (120.4)
– This is his only finish out of the Top 10 here at Texas in 6 career Xfinity races
– In the 6 races he’s ran 97% of his laps in the Top 15, has led 17% of his laps, and has a 112.8 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
Nemechek needs, at most, 51 points this weekend to clinch a spot in the Round of 8, but based on the stats above he may just win to clinch his spot. His 2023 stats (and ranks) show he’s been the best driver this year and his Intermediate stats are more than impressive. His Texas stats only add to the impressiveness which is why I see him (barring a wreck) finishing in the Top 5 this weekend, clinching a spot in the Round of 8.
– John Hunter Nemechek is notable because of his stats on Intermediate tracks this year
– Nemechek was one of 6 drivers to run all 300 laps in the Top 15 last week at Bristol en route to his Series leading 12th Top 3 finish, finishing 3rd
– He’s now finished 3rd or better in the last 3 Xfinity races
– He leads the Series in 8 of the 15 2023 Ranks above including his 111.35 Avg. Driver Rating, 6 Wins, 20 Top 10’s, and 9 Stage Wins
– His 6 Wins, 10 Top 2’s, 12 Top 3’s, 9 Stage Wins, and 39 Playoff Pts are all T6th or better thru 27 races since 2016
– The longest Top 10 streak he has this year is only 5 races
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 3.83 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 3 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 6th
– He’s ran 93% of his laps in the Top 15 in 6 Intermediate races this year and his 128.15 Avg. Driver Rating is 2nd best
– He’s won half the stages on Intermediates this year and has an astonishing 7.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Last year at Texas Nemechek crashed out after only 116 laps, but he did lead 60 laps, ran 114 laps in the Top 15, and still had the 2nd best Driver Rating (120.4)
– This is his only finish out of the Top 10 here at Texas in 6 career Xfinity races
– In the 6 races he’s ran 97% of his laps in the Top 15, has led 17% of his laps, and has a 112.8 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
Nemechek needs, at most, 51 points this weekend to clinch a spot in the Round of 8, but based on the stats above he may just win to clinch his spot. His 2023 stats (and ranks) show he’s been the best driver this year and his Intermediate stats are more than impressive. His Texas stats only add to the impressiveness which is why I see him (barring a wreck) finishing in the Top 5 this weekend, clinching a spot in the Round of 8.
2nd in Points – Justin Allgaier (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.52 | 3rd of 32 | 34th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.73% | 8th of 32 | 57th of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 80.66% | 4th of 32 | 56th of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 103.77 | 3rd of 32 | 27th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 3 | 3rd of 99 | T20th of 822 |
| Poles | 2 | T5th of 99 | T18th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 6 | 2nd of 99 | T15th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 10 | 2nd of 99 | T13th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 12 | 3rd of 99 | T21st of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 16 | 4th of 99 | T42nd of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T11th of 32 | T69th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 9 | T1st of 99 | T6th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 41 | 1st of 99 | T17th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 302 | 1st of 99 | T7th of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 24 | T2nd of 99 | T13th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 1.0(1st), 100% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 138.8(1st), Best 1st, Worst 1st, Laps Completed 100%, Led 36.67% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2 Stage T10’s, 9.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, 6 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 26th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 4 straight Top 3 finishes (longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 29th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 7.5(8th), 82.39% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 109.47(5th), Best 1st, Worst 18th, Laps Completed 99.91%, Led 12.39% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 2 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 5.17 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 29th (crash), Started 6th, Led 0 laps, Finished 2nd in Stage 1 and 7th in Stage 2, ran 107 Laps in Top15 (92.24% of laps he ran), had 87.2 Driver Rating (ranked 10th)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 25 Races
- 12.4 Avg. Finish (Ranks 16th)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 35th
- Completed 93.95% of laps (% ranks 27th)
- 82.24% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 17th)
- 95.67 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 14th)
- Led 4.87% of laps he’s run (% ranks 10th)
- 0 Wins
- 1 Top 2, 4.0% (% ranks 13th)
- 5 Top 5’s, 20.0% (% ranks T17th)
- 13 Top 10’s, 52.0% (% ranks 13th)
- 19 Top 15’s, 76.0% (% ranks 14th)
- 5 finishes outside Top 20, 20.0% (% ranks T17th)
- 3 DNF’s, 12.0% (% ranks 26th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 8.33% (% ranks T7th)
- 19 Stage T10’s, 79.17% (% ranks 4th)
- 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Main Points & Outlook
– Justin Allgaier is notable because of his 2023 Intermediate track stats
– Allgaier ran all 300 laps in the Top 15 last week at Bristol and led the most laps by 1 lap over Cole Custer en route to his 3rd win of the season
– This was his 2nd win in the last 4 Xfinity races
– 12 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 4th or better including his 10.5 Avg. Finish, 80.66 Laps in Top 15%, 10 Top 3’s, and 24 Playoff Pts earned in races
– His stage stats (9 Stage Wins, 41 Stage T10’s, 302 Stage Pts) are all best, or tied best, this year
– He’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 in the 6 Intermediate races this year and has a 109.47 Avg. Driver Rating
– In the 6 races he’s led 12% of his laps, has 3 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 18th
– Despite getting 0 Stage Wins at Intermediate tracks this year he has 5.17 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Texas last Fall Allgaier ran 92% of his laps in the Top 15 and got 13 Stage Pts, but finished 29th after crash midway through the race
– In 25 career races at Texas in the Xfinity Series he has a 12.4 Avg. Finish, but only 5 Top 5’s, and 0 wins
– In the 25 races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 and has led 5% of his laps
– His 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage at Texas is the best of any active driver
Outlook for this weekend
Allgaier is locked into the Round of 8 and looking at his 2023 stats above it’s easy to see that he deserves the spot. This is good news considering that his Intermediate stats are mostly Top 3 or semi-bust. What’s more is that he ran well at Texas last Fall but got collected in a wreck, but overall he tends to finish decent here. Considering all of this above I see Allgaier finishing 5th-12th.
– Justin Allgaier is notable because of his 2023 Intermediate track stats
– Allgaier ran all 300 laps in the Top 15 last week at Bristol and led the most laps by 1 lap over Cole Custer en route to his 3rd win of the season
– This was his 2nd win in the last 4 Xfinity races
– 12 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 4th or better including his 10.5 Avg. Finish, 80.66 Laps in Top 15%, 10 Top 3’s, and 24 Playoff Pts earned in races
– His stage stats (9 Stage Wins, 41 Stage T10’s, 302 Stage Pts) are all best, or tied best, this year
– He’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 in the 6 Intermediate races this year and has a 109.47 Avg. Driver Rating
– In the 6 races he’s led 12% of his laps, has 3 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 18th
– Despite getting 0 Stage Wins at Intermediate tracks this year he has 5.17 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Texas last Fall Allgaier ran 92% of his laps in the Top 15 and got 13 Stage Pts, but finished 29th after crash midway through the race
– In 25 career races at Texas in the Xfinity Series he has a 12.4 Avg. Finish, but only 5 Top 5’s, and 0 wins
– In the 25 races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 and has led 5% of his laps
– His 5.38 Stage Pts Per Stage at Texas is the best of any active driver
Outlook for this weekend
Allgaier is locked into the Round of 8 and looking at his 2023 stats above it’s easy to see that he deserves the spot. This is good news considering that his Intermediate stats are mostly Top 3 or semi-bust. What’s more is that he ran well at Texas last Fall but got collected in a wreck, but overall he tends to finish decent here. Considering all of this above I see Allgaier finishing 5th-12th.
3rd in Points – Cole Custer (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.56 | 4th of 32 | 46th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.08% | 10th of 32 | 67th of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 83.95% | 3rd of 32 | 45th of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 100.91 | 4th of 32 | 33rd of 264‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T4th of 99 | T30th of 822 |
| Poles | 5 | 1st of 99 | T5th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T8th of 99 | T58th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | 5th of 99 | T28th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 11 | 4th of 99 | T26th of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 17 | 3rd of 99 | T30th of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T5th of 32 | T34th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 6 | 3rd of 99 | T15th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 40 | T2nd of 99 | T19th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 248 | 3rd of 99 | 22nd of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 16 | 4th of 99 | T22nd of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 4.0(4th), 100% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 130.0(2nd), Best 4th, Worst 4th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 36.33% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2 Stage T10’s, 9.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, 1 Playoff Pt earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Poles (tied longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 10th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes
- 11 straight Top 10 finishes (longest streak in Xfinity Series this year and tied 24th longest in Xfinity Series all-time)
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 11.17(10th), 91.59% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 101.18(8th), Best 3rd, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 87.17%, Led 3.68% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- did not race last race 2019
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 6 Races
- 9.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 11th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 34th
- Completed 94.33% of laps (% ranks 26th)
- 90.9% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 7th)
- 106.55 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 6th)
- Led 1.41% of laps he’s run (% ranks 19th)
- 1 Win, 16.67% (% ranks T4th)
- 1 Top 2, 16.67% (% ranks 8th)
- 4 Top 5’s, 66.67% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5 Top 10’s, 83.33% (% ranks T5th)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 16.67% (% ranks T14th)
- 1 DNF, 16.67% (% ranks T30th)
- 1 Stage Win, 8.33% (% ranks T7th)
- 8 Stage T10’s, 66.67% (% ranks T7th)
- 4.0 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 4th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Cole Custer is notable because of his stats in his 6 career Xfinity races at Texas
– Custer ran every lap last week in the Top 15, dominated Stage 1 and finished 4th
– 5 of his last 6 races have resulted in Top 10 finishes
– 11 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T4th or better including his 11.56 Avg. Finish, 5 Poles, 17 Top 10’s, and 248 Stage Pts
– He has the same amount of Wins, Top 2’s, and DNF’s this year (2 each)
– He has the longest Top 10 streak this year in the Xfinity Series at 11 races
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has an 11.17 Avg. Finish with 2 Top 3’s and 3 Top 5’s
– He’s ran 92% of his laps in the 6 races in the Top 15, has a 101.18 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s gotten 4.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Custer did not race in the Texas Xfinity race last Fall
– He’s ran 6 career Xfinity races at Texas and has a 9.5 Avg. Finish here with a Win and 4 Top 5’s
– He’s ran 91% of his laps here in the Top 15, has a 106.55 Avg. Finish, and his only finish out of the Top 10 here was a DNF
Outlook for this weekend
Custer is in good shape points wise heading to Texas this weekend and when you look at his 2023 stats above he is more than deserving of a spot in the Round of 8. However, heading to an Intermediate track may not be the best for him as he’s been just alright in the 6 races this year. This is Texas, though, where he’s done great in his Xfinity career. So, taking all this into consideration I see a 4th-11th place finish for Custer this weekend.
– Cole Custer is notable because of his stats in his 6 career Xfinity races at Texas
– Custer ran every lap last week in the Top 15, dominated Stage 1 and finished 4th
– 5 of his last 6 races have resulted in Top 10 finishes
– 11 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T4th or better including his 11.56 Avg. Finish, 5 Poles, 17 Top 10’s, and 248 Stage Pts
– He has the same amount of Wins, Top 2’s, and DNF’s this year (2 each)
– He has the longest Top 10 streak this year in the Xfinity Series at 11 races
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has an 11.17 Avg. Finish with 2 Top 3’s and 3 Top 5’s
– He’s ran 92% of his laps in the 6 races in the Top 15, has a 101.18 Avg. Driver Rating, and he’s gotten 4.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Custer did not race in the Texas Xfinity race last Fall
– He’s ran 6 career Xfinity races at Texas and has a 9.5 Avg. Finish here with a Win and 4 Top 5’s
– He’s ran 91% of his laps here in the Top 15, has a 106.55 Avg. Finish, and his only finish out of the Top 10 here was a DNF
Outlook for this weekend
Custer is in good shape points wise heading to Texas this weekend and when you look at his 2023 stats above he is more than deserving of a spot in the Round of 8. However, heading to an Intermediate track may not be the best for him as he’s been just alright in the 6 races this year. This is Texas, though, where he’s done great in his Xfinity career. So, taking all this into consideration I see a 4th-11th place finish for Custer this weekend.
4th in Points/5th in Owner Points – Austin Hill (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 8.93 | 1st of 32 | 15th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.06% | 7th of 32 | 52nd of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 84.68% | 2nd of 32 | 41st of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 104.27 | 2nd of 32 | 26th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 4 | 2nd of 99 | T15th of 822 |
| Poles | 3 | T2nd of 99 | T12th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T3rd of 99 | T20th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 7 | T3rd of 99 | T21st of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 15 | 1st of 99 | T7th of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 19 | 2nd of 99 | T18th of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T5th of 32 | T34th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | T5th of 99 | T28th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 38 | 4th of 99 | T24th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 247 | 4th of 99 | 23rd of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 24 | T2nd of 99 | T13th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 33.0(33rd), 47.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 66.7(17th), Best 33rd, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 72.33%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1 Stage T10, 4.0 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 3.33(3rd), 94.5% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 111.15(4th), Best 1st, Worst 5th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 4.77% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 6 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 2nd, Started 9th, Led 1 lap (0.5%), Finished 3rd in Stage 1 and 6th in Stage 2, ran 194 Laps in Top15 (97.0% of laps he ran), had 112.6 Driver Rating (ranked 5th)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 15.0 Avg. Finish (Ranks T19th)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 33rd
- Completed 87.74% of laps (% ranks 43rd)
- 58.54% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 25th)
- 84.15 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 23rd)
- Led 2.53% of laps he’s run (% ranks 15th)
- 0 Wins
- 1 Top 2, 25.0% (% ranks T4th)
- 2 Top 5’s, 50.0% (% ranks T7th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 50.0% (% ranks T24th)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T21st)
- 1 DNF, 25.0% (% ranks 42nd)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 4 Stage T10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T12th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Austin Hill is notable because of his race at Texas last Fall
– Last week Hill got together with his teammate, Sheldon Creed, causing him to finish 33rd and DNF for the first time since March (COTA)
– He’s now finished 3 of the last 5 races out of the Top 10
– 8 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T2nd or better including his 8.93 Avg. Finish, 104.27 Avg. Driver Rating, 4 Wins, and 15 Top 5’s
– 79% of his Top 10 finishes have been between 1st and 5th this year
– The 6 Intermediate races this year have produced a 3.33 Avg. Finish for him with 1 Win and a worst finish of 5th
– In these races he’s ran 94.5% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating (111.15), and has gotten 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the Texas Fall race last year Hill ran 97% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 5th best Driver Rating (112.6), and finished 2nd
– This is his best finish at Texas and was his 2nd Top 5 in his 4 races here
– His only finish out of the Top 20 here is a DNF
– He’s only ran 58.54% of his laps here in the Top 15, has just an 84.15 Avg. Driver Rating, and has only gotten a Top 10 in half his stages ran
Outlook for this weekend
Last week was unfortunate for Hill as he has been clearly one of the 2 best drivers this year, but another bad race might see him out of the Round of 8. The good news is that this weekend is an Intermediate track where he’s been nothing less than great in the 6 races this year. Texas has been a mixed bag for Hill and is hard to take much from, but everything in total above shows me he finishes between 3rd and 7th.
– Austin Hill is notable because of his race at Texas last Fall
– Last week Hill got together with his teammate, Sheldon Creed, causing him to finish 33rd and DNF for the first time since March (COTA)
– He’s now finished 3 of the last 5 races out of the Top 10
– 8 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T2nd or better including his 8.93 Avg. Finish, 104.27 Avg. Driver Rating, 4 Wins, and 15 Top 5’s
– 79% of his Top 10 finishes have been between 1st and 5th this year
– The 6 Intermediate races this year have produced a 3.33 Avg. Finish for him with 1 Win and a worst finish of 5th
– In these races he’s ran 94.5% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating (111.15), and has gotten 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the Texas Fall race last year Hill ran 97% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 5th best Driver Rating (112.6), and finished 2nd
– This is his best finish at Texas and was his 2nd Top 5 in his 4 races here
– His only finish out of the Top 20 here is a DNF
– He’s only ran 58.54% of his laps here in the Top 15, has just an 84.15 Avg. Driver Rating, and has only gotten a Top 10 in half his stages ran
Outlook for this weekend
Last week was unfortunate for Hill as he has been clearly one of the 2 best drivers this year, but another bad race might see him out of the Round of 8. The good news is that this weekend is an Intermediate track where he’s been nothing less than great in the 6 races this year. Texas has been a mixed bag for Hill and is hard to take much from, but everything in total above shows me he finishes between 3rd and 7th.
7th in Points/8th in Owner Points – Sammy Smith (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.85 | 14th of 32 | 99th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 89.51% | 27th of 32 | 184th of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 62.83% | 13th of 32 | 101st of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 84.01 | 11th of 32 | 84th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T7th of 99 | T48th of 822 |
| Poles | 0 | T11th of 99 | T83rd of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T8th of 99 | T58th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T13th of 99 | T84th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 4 | T13th of 99 | T82nd of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 11 | T10th of 99 | T72nd of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 5 | T22nd of 32 | T161st of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T12th of 99 | T75th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 26 | 11th of 99 | T60th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 125 | 11th of 99 | T58th of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 6 | T8th of 99 | T40th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 9.0(9th), 99.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 98.2(7th), Best 9th, Worst 9th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1 Stage T10, 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 20.67(32nd), 69.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.8(22nd), Best 10th, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 78.64%, Led 0.23% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.58 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- did not race
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 0 Races
Main Points & Outlook
– Sammy Smith is notable because he’s only 5 points above the driver cutline and 2 points above the owner cutline
– Smith ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15 last week en route to his first Top 10 since Pocono in late July, finishing 9th
– This was his 11th Top 10 in 27 races this year
– Only 3 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better (1 Win, 2 Top 2’s, 6 Playoff Pts)
– He has more DNF’s (5) than Top 5’s (4) this year
– In 6 Intermediate races this year he has a best finish of 10th and only 2 Top 15 finishes
– His 20.67 Avg. Finish in the 6 races is 32nd best and his 78.8 Avg. Driver Rating is just 22nd best
– He’s only ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 on Intermediates this year and led just 0.23% of his laps
– This will be Smith’s 1st career Xfinity start at Texas
Outlook for this weekend
Smith took advantage of playoff drivers having trouble at Bristol last week to put himself above the cutline in both owner and driver points. However, looking at his 2023 stats and ranks above he doesn’t deserve the spot and it may be hard to keep that spot this weekend as he’s performed poorly on Intermediates. With no Texas stats to speak of the stats say that Smith finishes between 9th and 20th this weekend.
– Sammy Smith is notable because he’s only 5 points above the driver cutline and 2 points above the owner cutline
– Smith ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15 last week en route to his first Top 10 since Pocono in late July, finishing 9th
– This was his 11th Top 10 in 27 races this year
– Only 3 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better (1 Win, 2 Top 2’s, 6 Playoff Pts)
– He has more DNF’s (5) than Top 5’s (4) this year
– In 6 Intermediate races this year he has a best finish of 10th and only 2 Top 15 finishes
– His 20.67 Avg. Finish in the 6 races is 32nd best and his 78.8 Avg. Driver Rating is just 22nd best
– He’s only ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 on Intermediates this year and led just 0.23% of his laps
– This will be Smith’s 1st career Xfinity start at Texas
Outlook for this weekend
Smith took advantage of playoff drivers having trouble at Bristol last week to put himself above the cutline in both owner and driver points. However, looking at his 2023 stats and ranks above he doesn’t deserve the spot and it may be hard to keep that spot this weekend as he’s performed poorly on Intermediates. With no Texas stats to speak of the stats say that Smith finishes between 9th and 20th this weekend.
8th in Points/9th In Owner Points – Sheldon Creed (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.19 | 9th of 32 | 74th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.7% | 14th of 32 | T77th of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 74.17% | 7th of 32 | 71st of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 89.44 | 7th of 32 | 58th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T15th of 99 | T96th of 822 |
| Poles | 1 | T8th of 99 | T30th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T5th of 99 | T42nd of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 5 | 6th of 99 | T40th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | T10th of 99 | T68th of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 11 | T10th of 99 | T72nd of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T5th of 32 | T34th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | T5th of 99 | T28th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 34 | 6th of 99 | T36th of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 189 | 5th of 99 | T35th of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 4 | 10th of 99 | T58th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 11.0(11th), 44.33% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.4(12th), 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, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 15.0(15th), 71.85% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 83.03(17th), Best 3rd, Worst 28th, Laps Completed 99.63%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 7th, Started 13th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 150 Laps in Top15 (75.0% of laps he ran), had 86.5 Driver Rating (ranked 11th)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 2 Races
- 16.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 23rd)
- Best Finish: 7th, Worst: 26th
- Completed 99.73% of laps (% ranks 12th)
- 54.64% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 26th)
- 72.0 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 32nd)
- Led 0.00% of laps he’s run (% ranks T35th)
- 0 Wins
- 1 Top 10, 50.0% (% ranks T14th)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 50.0% (% ranks T36th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 1 Stage T10, 25.0% (% ranks T24th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Sheldon Creed is notable because the 2 car is the first below the owner cutline and Creed is the last driver above the driver cutline
– At Bristol Creed ran 44% of his laps in the Top 15, 0 laps in the lead, and into his teammate en route to an 11th place
– This broke his personal season best 5 straight Top 10 finish streak
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better including his 89.44 Avg. Driver Rating, 3 Top 2’s, 2 DNF’s, and 4 Stage Wins
– His 74.17 Laps in Top 15% and 89.44 Avg. Driver Rating are both 7th best in the 2023 Ranks above
– In his 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 15.0 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 10’s and 2 finishes outside the Top 20
– In these 6 races he’s ran 72% of his laps in the Top 15, has an 83.03 Avg. Driver Rating, and hasn’t led a single lap
– At Texas last Fall Creed ran 75% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished 7th, but he also got 0 Stage T10’s and had the 11th best Driver Rating (86.5)
– This was his 2nd career Xfinity race at Texas and in the 2 races he has finishes of 7th and 26th
– In his 2 races he’s ran just 55% of his laps in the Top 15, led 0 laps, and has gotten just 1 Stage T10 in the 4 stages
Outlook for this weekend
When looking at Creed’s 2023 ranks above it’s borderline as far as whether or not he’s been one of the 8 best drivers this year. However, he has the last driver’s spot… for now. His Intermediate stats this year haven’t been spectacular but they have been solid, for the most part. His 2 races at Texas haven’t shown much promise for him as he’s had one good finish and neither race was great overall. In all I foresee a finish between 6th and 15th this weekend.
– Sheldon Creed is notable because the 2 car is the first below the owner cutline and Creed is the last driver above the driver cutline
– At Bristol Creed ran 44% of his laps in the Top 15, 0 laps in the lead, and into his teammate en route to an 11th place
– This broke his personal season best 5 straight Top 10 finish streak
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better including his 89.44 Avg. Driver Rating, 3 Top 2’s, 2 DNF’s, and 4 Stage Wins
– His 74.17 Laps in Top 15% and 89.44 Avg. Driver Rating are both 7th best in the 2023 Ranks above
– In his 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 15.0 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 10’s and 2 finishes outside the Top 20
– In these 6 races he’s ran 72% of his laps in the Top 15, has an 83.03 Avg. Driver Rating, and hasn’t led a single lap
– At Texas last Fall Creed ran 75% of his laps in the Top 15 and finished 7th, but he also got 0 Stage T10’s and had the 11th best Driver Rating (86.5)
– This was his 2nd career Xfinity race at Texas and in the 2 races he has finishes of 7th and 26th
– In his 2 races he’s ran just 55% of his laps in the Top 15, led 0 laps, and has gotten just 1 Stage T10 in the 4 stages
Outlook for this weekend
When looking at Creed’s 2023 ranks above it’s borderline as far as whether or not he’s been one of the 8 best drivers this year. However, he has the last driver’s spot… for now. His Intermediate stats this year haven’t been spectacular but they have been solid, for the most part. His 2 races at Texas haven’t shown much promise for him as he’s had one good finish and neither race was great overall. In all I foresee a finish between 6th and 15th this weekend.
9th in Points/10th in Owner Points – Jeb Burton (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.37 | 10th of 32 | T75th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.9% | 1st of 32 | 2nd of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 42.43% | 15th of 32 | 119th of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 71.58 | 15th of 32 | 124th of 264‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T7th of 99 | T48th of 822 |
| Poles | 0 | T11th of 99 | T83rd of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T13th of 99 | T84th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T17th of 99 | T113th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T18th of 99 | T153rd of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 5 | T18th of 99 | T130th of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 32 | T1st of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T12th of 99 | T75th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 6 | T19th of 99 | T141st of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 26 | 17th of 99 | T115th of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 6 | T8th of 99 | T40th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 13.0(13th), 41.67% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 66.1(18th), Best 13th, Worst 13th, 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, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- none
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 12.67(13th), 45.09% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 71.77(T26th), Best 7th, Worst 18th, Laps Completed 99.82%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 15th, Started 17th, Led 5 laps (2.5%), got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 136 Laps in Top15 (68.34% of laps he ran), had 74.0 Driver Rating (ranked 17th)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 10 Races
- 18.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 30th)
- Best Finish: 5th, Worst: 35th
- Completed 93.76% of laps (% ranks 28th)
- 69.42% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 23rd)
- 78.77 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 25th)
- Led 0.66% of laps he’s run (% ranks 22nd)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 1 Top 5, 10.0% (% ranks T22nd)
- 3 Top 10’s, 30.0% (% ranks T24th)
- 6 Top 15’s, 60.0% (% ranks T21st)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 40.0% (% ranks T30th)
- 2 DNF’s, 20.0% (% ranks T33rd)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 1.06 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 20th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Jeb Burton is notable because of he’s less than 10 points below the driver and owner points cutline
– After starting shotgun on the field Burton ran 42% of his laps in the Top 15 at Bristol and finished 13th, his 4th straight finish out of the Top 10
– He hasn’t gotten back-to-back Top 10’s this year
– Only 4 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better (99.9 Completed Laps%, 1 Win, 0 DNF’s, and 6 Playoff Pts
– He is the only driver with 15+ starts this year to not have a DNF and his 99.9 Completed Laps% thru 27 races is 2nd best since 2016
– He has just one more Stage T10 (6) than race Top 10’s (5)
– In 6 Intermediate races this year he has just 1 Top 10, but also 5 Top 15’s and a worst finish of only 18th
– He’s ran just 45% of his laps in the Top 15 in these 6 races and hasn’t gotten a single Stage T10 in the 12 stages
– Last year at Texas he ran 68% of his laps in the Top 15 and led 5 laps, but his 74.0 Driver Rating was only 17th best and he finished 15th
– In 10 career Xfinity races at Texas he has an 18.5 Avg. Finish with more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than finishes in the Top 10 (3)
– In these races he’s ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 and has just a 78.77 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
Burton is as close as he is to the cutline not because of how good he’s been this year, but more of how bad he hasn’t been this year. His 2023 stats show he’s been good at finishing laps and races and Intermediates are a good example of this as he has just 1 Top 10 but 5 Top 15’s. At Texas he’s performed decent in his Xfinity career, but nothing too impressive. This weekend I see Burton running decent but ending up with a finish between 11th and 16th.
– Jeb Burton is notable because of he’s less than 10 points below the driver and owner points cutline
– After starting shotgun on the field Burton ran 42% of his laps in the Top 15 at Bristol and finished 13th, his 4th straight finish out of the Top 10
– He hasn’t gotten back-to-back Top 10’s this year
– Only 4 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better (99.9 Completed Laps%, 1 Win, 0 DNF’s, and 6 Playoff Pts
– He is the only driver with 15+ starts this year to not have a DNF and his 99.9 Completed Laps% thru 27 races is 2nd best since 2016
– He has just one more Stage T10 (6) than race Top 10’s (5)
– In 6 Intermediate races this year he has just 1 Top 10, but also 5 Top 15’s and a worst finish of only 18th
– He’s ran just 45% of his laps in the Top 15 in these 6 races and hasn’t gotten a single Stage T10 in the 12 stages
– Last year at Texas he ran 68% of his laps in the Top 15 and led 5 laps, but his 74.0 Driver Rating was only 17th best and he finished 15th
– In 10 career Xfinity races at Texas he has an 18.5 Avg. Finish with more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than finishes in the Top 10 (3)
– In these races he’s ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 and has just a 78.77 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
Burton is as close as he is to the cutline not because of how good he’s been this year, but more of how bad he hasn’t been this year. His 2023 stats show he’s been good at finishing laps and races and Intermediates are a good example of this as he has just 1 Top 10 but 5 Top 15’s. At Texas he’s performed decent in his Xfinity career, but nothing too impressive. This weekend I see Burton running decent but ending up with a finish between 11th and 16th.
12th in Points – Josh Berry (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 27 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.0 | 5th of 32 | T57th of 264 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.95% | 11th of 32 | 71st of 264 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 75.28% | 6th of 32 | 69th of 264 |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 90.77 | 5th of 32 | 53rd of 264‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T15th of 99 | T96th of 822 |
| Poles | 2 | T5th of 99 | T18th of 822 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T8th of 99 | T58th of 822 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T9th of 99 | T66th of 822 |
| Top 5’s | 9 | T5th of 99 | T37th of 822 |
| Top 10’s | 15 | T5th of 99 | T48th of 822 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T5th of 32 | T34th of 264 |
| Stage Wins | 3 | T7th of 99 | T37th of 702* |
| Stage T10s | 28 | 9th of 99 | T53rd of 702* |
| Stage Pts | 156 | 7th of 99 | T42nd of 702* |
| Playoff Pts² | 3 | 11th of 99 | T60th of 702* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2016
¹Ranks of drivers to start 45% of races thru 27 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Playoff start, 38 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 36.0(36th), 55.33% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 63.9(19th), Best 3rd, Worst 3rd, Laps Completed 55.33%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0 Stage T10’s, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 64 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 7.17(7th), 85.41% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 95.07(10th), Best 5th, Worst 15th, Laps Completed 99.91%, Led 0.28% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.42 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Texas Statistics
- 2022 Fall Texas race
- Finished 6th, Started 16th, Led 0 laps, Finished 6th in Stage 1, ran 181 Laps in Top15 (90.5% of laps he ran), had 102.0 Driver Rating (ranked 6th)
- Notable Texas Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Texas, 67 drivers)
- 3 Races
- 10.67 Avg. Finish (Ranks 12th)
- Best Finish: 6th, Worst: 19th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 86.8% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 11th)
- 96.67 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 13th)
- Led 8.55% of laps he’s run (% ranks 5th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 2 Top 10’s, 66.67% (% ranks T11th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 66.67% (% ranks T17th)
- 0 finishes outside Top 20, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Stage Win, 16.67% (% ranks T1st)
- 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks T9th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Josh Berry is notable because of his career Xfinity stats at Texas
– Last week Berry ran every lap he ran in the Top 15, unfortunately he only ran 166 laps after a JRM wreck which caused him to finish 36th
– This broke his 2 race Top 10 streak
– 10 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better including his 13.0 Avg. Finish, 90.77 Avg. Driver Rating, 2 Poles, 2 DNF’s, and 15 Top 10’s
– 12 of his 15 Top 10’s this year have been finishes between 4th and 10th
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 7.17 Avg. Finish with a best finish of 5th and worst finish of 15th
– In the 6 races he’s ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15 and has the 10th best Avg. Driver Rating (95.07), but has only gotten 1.42 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Texas last Fall Berry led 0 laps, but ran 90.5% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 6th best Driver Rating (102.0), and finished 6th
– In 3 career Xfinity races at Texas he’s ran 87% of his laps in the Top 15, led 8.55% of his laps, and has a 96.67 Avg. Driver Rating
– In these 3 races he has 1 Stage Win, 2 finishes between 6th and 10th, and 1 finish between 16th and 20th
Outlook for this weekend
After last week Berry is now in a hole this weekend which is unfortunate as his 2023 stats above, while not great, are good enough to be in the Round of 8. However, heading to an Intermediate track is just what Berry needs as he has 5 Top 10’s in the 6 races this year, but he needs to pick up his Stage Pts. With this weekend being Texas that could happen as he’s done well in his career here. Overall this weekend I expect Berry to end with 5+ Stage Pts and a 5th-10th place finish.
– Josh Berry is notable because of his career Xfinity stats at Texas
– Last week Berry ran every lap he ran in the Top 15, unfortunately he only ran 166 laps after a JRM wreck which caused him to finish 36th
– This broke his 2 race Top 10 streak
– 10 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T8th or better including his 13.0 Avg. Finish, 90.77 Avg. Driver Rating, 2 Poles, 2 DNF’s, and 15 Top 10’s
– 12 of his 15 Top 10’s this year have been finishes between 4th and 10th
– In the 6 Intermediate races this year he has a 7.17 Avg. Finish with a best finish of 5th and worst finish of 15th
– In the 6 races he’s ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15 and has the 10th best Avg. Driver Rating (95.07), but has only gotten 1.42 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Texas last Fall Berry led 0 laps, but ran 90.5% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 6th best Driver Rating (102.0), and finished 6th
– In 3 career Xfinity races at Texas he’s ran 87% of his laps in the Top 15, led 8.55% of his laps, and has a 96.67 Avg. Driver Rating
– In these 3 races he has 1 Stage Win, 2 finishes between 6th and 10th, and 1 finish between 16th and 20th
Outlook for this weekend
After last week Berry is now in a hole this weekend which is unfortunate as his 2023 stats above, while not great, are good enough to be in the Round of 8. However, heading to an Intermediate track is just what Berry needs as he has 5 Top 10’s in the 6 races this year, but he needs to pick up his Stage Pts. With this weekend being Texas that could happen as he’s done well in his career here. Overall this weekend I expect Berry to end with 5+ Stage Pts and a 5th-10th place finish.
