Welcome, in this article series we will be reviewing and rating how each driver in the NASCAR Cup series has done in the 2023 season (min. 15 races started). Each part will contain 3-4 drivers and have them grouped by organization/satellite team or car manufacturer/future manufacturer teammate as best as possible. The review will include the drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 with season ranking since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight playoff stats, notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Short track (under 1 mile), Small track (1-1.3 mile), intermediate (1.3-1.5 mile), Big track (2-2.5 mile), Road Course, Superspeedway (drafting tracks) and Dirt track statistics. I will grade each section and give a brief reason why, then give a short overview ending with an overall grade A+ thru F- based on a weighted formula from the grades above. To sum up each team, at the end of their last driver I will give an overall team grade based on the grades for each driver. All grades may take into account underfunded/well-funded cars and experience.
Up next are future Toyota teammates, 23XI Racing and Legacy Motor Club.
23XI Racing Drivers
Tyler Reddick – 6th in Driver points/6th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.67 | 14th of 35 | T253rd of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.92% | 17th of 35 | T244th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 66.92% | 6th of 35 | 177th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 88.92 | 6th of 35 | 185th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T8th of 64 | T107th of 1430 |
| Poles | 2 | T5th of 64 | T81st of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T5th of 64 | T87th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 7 | T7th of 64 | T108th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 10 | T5th of 64 | T127th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 16 | T10th of 64 | T187th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T5th of 35 | T226th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 6 | T4th of 64 | T24th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 42 | 6th of 64 | T42nd of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 259 | 4th of 64 | T33rd of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 16 | 8th of 64 | T40th of 452* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 36 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
2023 stats Grade: B+
It was close between A- and B+ as most of his stats above are pretty good, but his Avg. Finish did him in as the 15.67 isn’t that great.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 12.4(T6th), 62.56% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 90.87(6th), Best 1st, Worst 26th, Laps Completed 99.9%, Led 5.19% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 3 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 13 Stage T10’s, 3.9 Stage Pts Per Stage, 7 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: B+
His Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating are probably good enough to be considered for an A. However, even with his good finishes in the 10 races he didn’t run enough laps in the Top 15 for an A-.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: B
3 straight Top 5 finishes is pretty good, however 3 straight Top 10 finishes isn’t impressive. What gave him the B is that he did have 2 straight Top 2 finishes this year.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 19.0(26th), 54.03% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 81.46(17th), Best 15th, Worst 26th, Laps Completed 99.86%, Led 3.69% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 4.4 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: D+
His Short track finishes and races as a whole are pretty bad, but what saved him from a worse grade is his 4.4 Stage Pts Per Stage.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.6(13th), 72.74% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 85.18(9th), Best 3rd, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 95.61%, Led 0.27% 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, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: B-
All of his Small track stats are decent, but his Laps in Top 15% is a little disappointing. However, he did have a Top 3 and 3 Top 10’s so this boosted his grade to a B-.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 12.0(T3rd), 86.25% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 99.23(4th), Best 1st, Worst 30th, Laps Completed 99.83%, Led 7.28% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 4.24 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: A-
His Avg. Driver Rating and Avg. Finish were really good on Intermediates, as was his laps in Top 15%. However, what held him back from a higher grade was only 6 Top 10’s.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 22.0(T26th), 61.04% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 76.83(15th), Best 2nd, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 79.29%, Led 4.95% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C
His runs on Big tracks was decent this year, but having your 1 Top 3 be your only Top 15 isn’t pretty bad. What kept him at a C was 15th best Avg. Driver Rating.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 13.33(8th), 81.03% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 105.57(2nd), Best 1st, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 99.82%, Led 14.0% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 5.08 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: A-
With as impressive as his Road Courses were this year the thing that kept him from getting an A is that he had just 4 Top 10’s/15’s in the 6 races.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 21.33(T27th), 38.14% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 64.82(28th), Best 5th, Worst 39th, Laps Completed 92.11%, Led 0.18% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: F+
It was a toss up between D- and F+, but I went F+ because of his lack of Stage Pts, lack of Laps in Top 15%, and his very poor Avg. Driver Rating.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 2.0(2nd), 100% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 122.7(1st), Best 2nd, Worst 2nd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 27.6% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 6.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: A+
He didn’t win the race, but stats are just so good other than that so I just had to give him an A+.
Overview
– Reddick finished 6th in points, his best finish in the season standings
– Only 2 of Reddick’s 2023 Ranks is T4th or better, but 12 are T8th or better
– He performed well in the playoffs, but what hurt him were his lack of laps in the Top 15
– His best Top 10 streak this year was just 3 races, but he did have a 2 race Top 2 streak
– Short tracks were a struggle as he had more finishes out of the Top 20 than in the Top 15
– He ran pretty good at Small track but could only muster 1 Top 5 finish
– Reddick ran well and finished well at most Intermediate tracks this year
– Big tracks were a struggle for him in terms of running and finishing well
– On Road courses he ran very well, but either finished Top 10 or out of the Top 20, no in between
– He had just 1 Top 15 at Superspeedways this year, and his in-race stats were very poor
– He was second best, only to Christopher Bell, at the Dirt race this year
– Reddick finished 6th in points, his best finish in the season standings
– Only 2 of Reddick’s 2023 Ranks is T4th or better, but 12 are T8th or better
– He performed well in the playoffs, but what hurt him were his lack of laps in the Top 15
– His best Top 10 streak this year was just 3 races, but he did have a 2 race Top 2 streak
– Short tracks were a struggle as he had more finishes out of the Top 20 than in the Top 15
– He ran pretty good at Small track but could only muster 1 Top 5 finish
– Reddick ran well and finished well at most Intermediate tracks this year
– Big tracks were a struggle for him in terms of running and finishing well
– On Road courses he ran very well, but either finished Top 10 or out of the Top 20, no in between
– He had just 1 Top 15 at Superspeedways this year, and his in-race stats were very poor
– He was second best, only to Christopher Bell, at the Dirt race this year
Final Grade: B
Bubba Wallace – 10th in Driver points/17th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.89 | 15th of 35 | T262nd of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.8% | 3rd of 35 | 63rd of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 61.23% | 11th of 35 | 223rd of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 79.6 | 15th of 35 | 295th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 64 | T143rd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T23rd of 64 | T403rd of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T18th of 64 | T340th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 5 | 15th of 64 | T256th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 10 | T15th of 64 | T314th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 5 | T23rd of 35 | T505th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 27 | 11th of 64 | T89th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 134 | 13th of 64 | T88th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T22nd of 64 | T136th of 452* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 36 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
2023 stats Grade: C+
All of his 2023 Ranks above fall between 9th and 22nd, none of his stats are outstanding, and his Avg. Driver Rating plus Avg. Finish are both so-so. So, he gets a C+.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 13.5(9th), 65.35% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 87.76(8th), Best 3rd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.84%, Led 4.14% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 4 Top 10’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 9 Stage T10’s, 2.2 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: B-
He ran decent in the playoffs and his Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating ranks are pretty good. However, just 1 Top 5 and 4 Top 10’s with poor stage results equals B-.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: C+
His only streak to mention is just 3 Top 5 finishes, which means his longest Top 10 streak is only 3 races, which isn’t too impressive.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 13.6(12th), 64.26% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 83.96(12th), Best 9th, Worst 22nd, Laps Completed 99.95%, Led 3.68% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.8 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: B-
He had the 12th best Avg. Driver Rating and Avg. Finish, but only 1 Top 10 finish in 5 races. However, he did have 4 Top 15’s which bumped his grade from C+ to B-.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.8(T14th), 63.98% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.94(13th), Best 8th, Worst 30th, Laps Completed 99.55%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C+
Again his Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating are decent, but this and his Stage Pts Per Stage are a little worse than his Short track stats. So, he gets a C+.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 9.3(2nd), 69.27% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 94.55(5th), Best 3rd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.87%, Led 4.55% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 5 Top 5’s, 7 Top 10’s, 9 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.86 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: B+
His poor Laps in Top 15% almost had him fall to a B, but you can’t deny his incredible Avg. Finish and his 5 Top 5’s with 7 Top 10’s. If his stages and Top 15% were better he’d have an A- though.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 19.67(T16th), 71.24% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 82.97(10th), Best 11th, Worst 30th, Laps Completed 95.0%, Led 3.95% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 3.67 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C+
Normally 0 Top 10’s would be a C at best. However, what saved him from a C is the fact he ran a good amount of laps in the Top 15, had a good Avg. Driver Rating, and good stage stats.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 21.83(26th), 41.13% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 62.93(24th), Best 12th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 88.05%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: D+
Road Courses were rough for him. None of his stats above are that good, but what saved him from a D is the fact he had some Stage Pts and only finished out of the Top 20 twice.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 22.5(32nd), 41.77% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 66.73(25th), Best 12th, Worst 28th, Laps Completed 99.42%, Led 4.01% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.42 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: F+
He gets an F+ because his stats are very similar to his 23XI Racing teammate above. He just ran a little better, but finished a little worse.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 12.0(12th), 59.6% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.8(13th), Best 12th, Worst 12th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: B-
He didn’t get any Stage Pts but he did finish 12th, run over half the race in the Top 15, and had a decent Avg. Driver Rating. So, a decent B- is what he gets.
Overview
– Wallace made the Round of 12, finishing 10th in the Driver points, but missed the Owner playoffs.
– Wallace didn’t finish up front much this year, but his in-race stats aren’t too bad
– His playoff stats are better than his 2023 overall stats, but he struggled in stages
– The longest notable streak he had was a 3 race Top 5 streak
– His Short track races were mediocre as he ran about where he finished, 9th-15th
– The Small track stats and Short track stats are pretty similar for him
– The best track for Wallace were the Intermediates where he finished well, but didn’t always run the best
– He was decent at Big tracks this year, but couldn’t find a way to crack the Top 10
– Road Courses were about what we’ve come to expect from him, not that good
– Surprisingly his worst track was Superspeedways where he didn’t run or finish good
– His Dirt track race was basically the definition of solid run but nothing great
– Wallace made the Round of 12, finishing 10th in the Driver points, but missed the Owner playoffs.
– Wallace didn’t finish up front much this year, but his in-race stats aren’t too bad
– His playoff stats are better than his 2023 overall stats, but he struggled in stages
– The longest notable streak he had was a 3 race Top 5 streak
– His Short track races were mediocre as he ran about where he finished, 9th-15th
– The Small track stats and Short track stats are pretty similar for him
– The best track for Wallace were the Intermediates where he finished well, but didn’t always run the best
– He was decent at Big tracks this year, but couldn’t find a way to crack the Top 10
– Road Courses were about what we’ve come to expect from him, not that good
– Surprisingly his worst track was Superspeedways where he didn’t run or finish good
– His Dirt track race was basically the definition of solid run but nothing great
Final Grade: C+
23XI Racing Overall Team Grade: B-
Legacy Motor Club Drivers
Erik Jones – 27th in Driver points/27th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 20.42 | 24th of 35 | 437th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.73% | 11th of 35 | T171st of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 31.68% | 24th of 35 | T417th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 62.51 | 23rd of 35 | 484th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 0 | T16th of 64 | T282nd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T23rd of 64 | T403rd of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T18th of 64 | T340th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T25th of 64 | T445th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 7 | T22nd of 64 | T392nd of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T14th of 35 | T359th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 10 | 26th of 64 | T151st of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 40 | 25th of 64 | T146th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T22nd of 64 | T136th of 452* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 36 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
2023 stats Grade: D+
The stats are just brutal for Jones as he had just 1 Top 5, but that was a Top 3 which, when mixed with LMC being a second tier team in my eyes, saved him from a D.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 21.2(26th), 51.1% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 68.09(19th), Best 3rd, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 98.46%, Led 0.23% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 6 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 5 Stage T10’s, 1.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: C-
He got 2 Top 10’s in the playoffs which is the same as Martin Truex Jr., and he ended up running over half his laps in the Top 15 which is pretty good for this team. So, C- it is.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: D
2 straight Top 10’s isn’t that great for being the best streak, but it’s better than nothing
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 26.0(32nd), 15.02% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 49.68(29th), Best 21st, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 99.59%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 5 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: F-
The fact he ran just 15% of his laps in the Top 15 and had 0 Top 20 finishes makes this a definite F-.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 17.2(17th), 36.51% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 64.76(21st), Best 11th, Worst 21st, Laps Completed 99.94%, Led 0.89% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.4 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C-
He had a decent Avg. Finish and only 1 finish out of the Top 20 on Small tracks, but his in-race stats and the fact he only had 1 Top 15 give him a C-.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 19.0(23rd), 46.58% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 71.71(17th), Best 3rd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 97.47%, Led 0.1% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 5 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.43 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: C
His Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating weren’t bad for a LMC car, but his Laps run in Top 15% wasn’t good. Overall mix this with 3 Top 10’s and Top 3 and I feel you get average, C.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 12.67(8th), 50.89% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 75.73(17th), Best 9th, Worst 19th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C+
All things considered 12.67 is a great Avg. Finish as is his 2 Top 10’s! However, his in-race stats show he didn’t run well, just finished well. So, I gave him a C+ since his finishes were so good.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 28.5(42nd), 9.96% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 44.55(37th), Best 16th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 94.12%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 5 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: F
The one and only reason I say F and not F- is because he had that 1 Top 20 finish, otherwise his stats are horrible.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 17.67(17th), 31.62% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 67.25(23rd), Best 6th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 92.19%, Led 0.63% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: C-
I don’t know this for sure, but based on the stats it appears he used the wait and let everyone wreck approach because his Laps in Top 15% is awful as is 0 Stage Pts. However, he did get 2 Top 10’s so I gave him a C-.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 14.0(14th), 3.2% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 58.2(24th), Best 14th, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: C
This is basically the same stat line as Harrison Burton. So I’m giving him the same grade, C.
Overview
– Jones struggled this year and wound up 27th in points because of it
– The best 2023 Rank above for Jones is 11th and he only got 0.54 Stage Pts Per Stage
– He ran just over half of his playoff laps in the Top 15 and had 3 times as many finishes out of the Top 20 as in the Top 10
– His only streak he was on this year was a 2 race Top 10 streak
– He got 0 Stage T10’s in the 5 Short track races and 0 Top 20 race finishes
– He had just 1 Top 15 at Small tracks, but also just 1 finish out of the Top 20 in 5 races
– Jones once again ran less than 50% of his Intermediate laps in the Top 15, but did get 4 Top 15’s
– He had good finishes at Big tracks, but he didn’t run well during the races
– His Road Courses this year were pretty much awful as he didn’t run or finish good
– Based on his stats it appears he had the drop back strategy at Superspeedways
– He ran hardly any laps in the Top 15 at the Dirt race this year, but finished 14th
– Jones struggled this year and wound up 27th in points because of it
– The best 2023 Rank above for Jones is 11th and he only got 0.54 Stage Pts Per Stage
– He ran just over half of his playoff laps in the Top 15 and had 3 times as many finishes out of the Top 20 as in the Top 10
– His only streak he was on this year was a 2 race Top 10 streak
– He got 0 Stage T10’s in the 5 Short track races and 0 Top 20 race finishes
– He had just 1 Top 15 at Small tracks, but also just 1 finish out of the Top 20 in 5 races
– Jones once again ran less than 50% of his Intermediate laps in the Top 15, but did get 4 Top 15’s
– He had good finishes at Big tracks, but he didn’t run well during the races
– His Road Courses this year were pretty much awful as he didn’t run or finish good
– Based on his stats it appears he had the drop back strategy at Superspeedways
– He ran hardly any laps in the Top 15 at the Dirt race this year, but finished 14th
Final Grade: D+
Noah Gragson – 33rd in Driver points/32nd in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 28.24 | 34th of 35 | T658th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 84.01% | 35th of 35 | 750th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 10.48% | 31st of 35 | 554th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 46.2 | 32nd of 35 | 638th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 0 | T16th of 64 | T282nd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T18th of 64 | T403rd of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 0 | T27th of 64 | T473rd of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 0 | T32nd of 64 | T564th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 0 | T37th of 64 | T716th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 6 | T28th of 35 | T602nd of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 4 | 30th of 64 | T182nd of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 14 | T30th of 64 | T185th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T22nd of 64 | T136th of 452* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 36 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
2023 stats Grade: F
To sum up why I gave him this grade there were 36 different driver to get a Top 10 this year, Gragson was not one of them. He also had the 2nd worst Avg. Finish among qualified drivers.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 0 Races
2023 Playoff Grade: Incomplete
He did not race a race in the playoffs.
- Notable Streaks this year
- none
2023 Streaks Grade: F-
He had no streaks this year, so pretty hard to give him anything but an F-.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 31.67(37th), 5.46% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 41.5(34th), Best 28th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 91.58%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: F
His finishes were horrendous on Short tracks, but what saved him from an F- is the fact he actually ran 5.46% of his laps in the Top 15.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 32.0(T39th), 1.46% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 37.53(35th), Best 29th, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 65.34%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 3 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: F-
Having a 32nd place average finish with 3 DNF’s in 4 races is absolutely horrible, even for a rookie driver in a 2nd tier car.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 29.4(40th), 7.26% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 41.6(34th), Best 26th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 80.89%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 5 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.73 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: F
Having a best finish of 26th in 5 races is not good, and his Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating are horrendous. However, he did get some Stage Pts so I gave him an F only.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 22.0(T26th), 18.94% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 49.0(29th), Best 22nd, Worst 22nd, Laps Completed 99.72%, Led 0.28% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: D
He gets a D because he actually led laps on Big tracks and his 19% of Laps ran in Top 15 isn’t egregiously bad. Even better he had a not terrible Avg. Finish as well.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 2 Races, Avg. Finish 22.5(31st), 21.57% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 48.9(33rd), Best 20th, Worst 25th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: D
He actually got a Top 20 on a Road Course, got 1 Stage Pt, and in 2 races had a non-terrible percentage of laps run in the Top 15. So, he was terrible, thus he gets a D.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 25.25(36th), 33.49% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 58.38(32nd), Best 12th, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 97.66%, Led 0.12% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 1 Top 15, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.63 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: C-
He got his only Top 15 this year in one of his 4 Superspeedway races and his stats weren’t too far off his more experienced teammate, so I gave him the same grade.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 33.0(33rd), 22.44% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 58.3(23rd), Best 33rd, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 82.0%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: D+
He ran almost a quarter of his laps in the Top 15 in the one Dirt race, but finishing 33rd makes it hard to give him more than a D+.
Overview
– Gragson got suspended halfway through the season causing him to finish 33rd in points
– Gragson’s 2023 stats are very bad as his highest non-0 stat rank is T28th
– He did not get a chance to run in the playoffs (which is probably a good thing)
– This year he had no streaks to speak of as he had no Top 10’s
– He ran bad at Short tracks and finished all 3 of his races 28th or worse
– As bad as his Short tracks were his Small tracks were even worse having a best finish of 29th
– Intermediates weren’t good for Gragson either, but at least he got some Stage Pts
– At Big tracks he ran a better percentage of laps in the Top 15 than the other styles
– He got 1 of his 2 Top 20 finishes at a Road Course, but still ran bad overall
– He got his only Top 15 finish of the year at a Superspeedway
– He ran okay at the Dirt track this year, but in the end finished 33rd
– Gragson got suspended halfway through the season causing him to finish 33rd in points
– Gragson’s 2023 stats are very bad as his highest non-0 stat rank is T28th
– He did not get a chance to run in the playoffs (which is probably a good thing)
– This year he had no streaks to speak of as he had no Top 10’s
– He ran bad at Short tracks and finished all 3 of his races 28th or worse
– As bad as his Short tracks were his Small tracks were even worse having a best finish of 29th
– Intermediates weren’t good for Gragson either, but at least he got some Stage Pts
– At Big tracks he ran a better percentage of laps in the Top 15 than the other styles
– He got 1 of his 2 Top 20 finishes at a Road Course, but still ran bad overall
– He got his only Top 15 finish of the year at a Superspeedway
– He ran okay at the Dirt track this year, but in the end finished 33rd
Final Grade: F
Legacy Motor Club Overall Team Grade: D-
If you liked this article (or even if you didn’t) go check out the season reviews for Cup being done by Robert Cwik and Griffin Fuller on Pit Pass Network titled “2023 Season in Review: *team name*”. Compare and contrast between my numbers based review and their more eye test review with outlook for 2024 and overall team grade.
