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 two Chevy teams that had a driver in the playoffs and a driver disappoint this year, Trackhouse Racing and Richard Childress Racing
Trackhouse Racing Drivers
Ross Chastain – 9th in Driver points/9th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.0 | T12th of 35 | T210th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.32% | 15th of 35 | 216th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 54.87% | 15th of 35 | 271st of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 82.46 | 10th of 35 | 262nd of 781‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T8th of 64 | T107th of 1430 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 64 | T143rd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 4 | T8th of 64 | T119th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | T9th of 64 | T134th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 10 | T5th of 64 | T127th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 14 | T13th of 64 | T233rd of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T14th of 35 | T359th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 5 | 8th of 64 | T38th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 32 | T9th of 64 | T74th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 204 | 9th of 64 | 63rd of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 15 | 9th of 64 | T45th 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-
All of his 2023 Ranks above are between T5th and T15th, with most of those being between T8th and T9th. So, that’s a little better than average, hence B-.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 14.1(10th), 47.72% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 81.02(12th), Best 1st, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 94.15%, Led 5.51% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 8 Stage T10’s, 2.7 Stage Pts Per Stage, 5 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: B-
When he finished good he really did finish good. However, overall his stages weren’t great and his Laps in Top 15% is pretty bad. So, he gets just a B-.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: C
2 straight Top 5’s is nice, but only having a long of 2 straight Top 10’s is not. However, having 5 of those is sort of impressive I guess, so he gets a C.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 15.4(15th), 36.02% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 73.28(20th), Best 3rd, Worst 24th, Laps Completed 99.82%, Led 2.14% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 3 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.4 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: C
He had a Top 3, but overall his finishes were average at best, and he didn’t run well at all as most of his laps were out of the Top 15.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.4(12th), 36.02% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 73.28(20th), Best 1st, Worst 24th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 16.27% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 4.4 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: B-
Once again he ran a terrible amount of laps in the Top 15, but he did get 2 Top 3’s and 4.4 Stage Pts Per Stage. This along with his laps led% helped him get a B- instead of a C+.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 12.5(7th), 73.62% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 93.76(7th), Best 1st, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 98.18%, Led 6.72% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.29 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: B
His finishes were really good at Intermediates for the most part, however once again his Laps in Top 15% is what hurts him from getting a higher grade.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 7.67(4th), 68.75% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 99.3(3rd), Best 3rd, Worst 13th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 19.11% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 3.33 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: A
He was one of just 4 drivers to finish all 3 races in the Top 15. What hurt him again was his Laps in Top 15%, but even with that the rest of his stats are impressive enough for an A.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 13.5(9th), 37.68% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.1(16th), Best 4th, Worst 22nd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.18% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: C+
Half of his Road Course finishes were in the Top 10, but Avg. Driver Rating was so-so and his Laps in Top 15% again was his achilles heel causing him to get a C+.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 22.33(T30th), 35.6% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 59.98(31st), Best 9th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 84.22%, Led 3.25% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 1.67 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: F+
This was almost a D- because of his 1 Stage Win, but you just can’t ignore the 1 Top 10, 35.6 Laps in Top 15%, and 59.98 Avg. Driver Rating. So, F+ it is.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 28.0(28th), 14.06% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 46.8(T27th), Best 28th, Worst 28th, Laps Completed 99.6%, 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 only 14% of his laps in the Top 15, finished 28th, and had the 27th best Avg. Finish. This is just really bad so he gets a D.
Overview
– Chastain wasn’t able to pull out a miracle like he did last year as he finished 9th in points
– Chastain didn’t always run well, but his finishes were either very good or not so good
– He ran less than half his playoff laps in the Top 15 and struggled in stages, but when he finished good, he really finished good
– His longest streak of any kind was just a 2 race Top 5 streak
– At Short tracks his finish in Top 15% is almost 2x better than his Laps in Top 15%
– He either finished Top 3 or out of the Top 20 at all 5 Small track races
– Intermediates were some of Chastain’s better tracks as he ran and typically finished well on them
– Big tracks were his best track, he finished every race in the Top 15
– He finished half the Road Course races in the Top 10, but he typically ran poorly
– His worst tracks were Superspeedways where he just couldn’t run or finish good
– He ran poor at the one Dirt track and finished poor as well
– Chastain wasn’t able to pull out a miracle like he did last year as he finished 9th in points
– Chastain didn’t always run well, but his finishes were either very good or not so good
– He ran less than half his playoff laps in the Top 15 and struggled in stages, but when he finished good, he really finished good
– His longest streak of any kind was just a 2 race Top 5 streak
– At Short tracks his finish in Top 15% is almost 2x better than his Laps in Top 15%
– He either finished Top 3 or out of the Top 20 at all 5 Small track races
– Intermediates were some of Chastain’s better tracks as he ran and typically finished well on them
– Big tracks were his best track, he finished every race in the Top 15
– He finished half the Road Course races in the Top 10, but he typically ran poorly
– His worst tracks were Superspeedways where he just couldn’t run or finish good
– He ran poor at the one Dirt track and finished poor as well
Final Grade: B-
Daniel Suarez – 19th in Driver points/19th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 19.0 | 19th of 35 | T379th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 90.22% | 32nd of 35 | T668th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 41.23% | 19th of 35 | 351st of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 69.87 | 18th of 35 | 411th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 64 | T143rd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T14th of 64 | T269th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T13th of 64 | T271st of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 3 | 20th of 64 | T331st of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 10 | T15th of 64 | T314th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 6 | T28th of 35 | T602nd of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 22 | T15th of 64 | T107th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 108 | 16th of 64 | T103rd 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
What really hurts his grade is his Avg. Finish and Laps in Top 15% that both rank 19th best this year. However, his other stats equal out to make his stats about average, hence C.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 19.8(20th), 30.54% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 65.64(20th), Best 8th, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 90.97%, Led 0.43% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3 Stage T10’s, 0.55 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: C-
He had only 2 Top 10’s in the 10 races and his in-race stats aren’t great either. However for a tier 2 car they aren’t awful so C- fits.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: C-
For a tier 2 car having 3 straight Top 10’s isn’t bad. However, having no 2+ Top 5 streaks is not good. So, based on the way I graded everyone else he gets a C-.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 25.6(T30th), 30.84% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 60.52(26th), Best 17th, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 89.45%, Led 0.36% 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, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: D-
Having a best finish of 17th is just embarrassing for him, and having only the 26th best Avg. Driver Rating isn’t much better. However, he gets a D- for not being totally terrible.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 18.2(T20th), 75.75% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 71.9(18th), Best 7th, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 76.8%, Led 0.00% 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, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C
His Laps in Top 15% is pretty impressive, but that is the only thing that’s impressive. So, based on everything else he was average at Small tracks. Therefore he gets a C.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 18.3(22nd), 42.0% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 67.45(20th), Best 8th, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 95.18%, Led 0.46% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.33 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: C-
Having only 2 Top 10’s in 10 races isn’t that great and running just 42% of his laps in the Top 15 is even worse. So, overall he’s a little worse than average, hence C-.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 15.33(11th), 78.03% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 82.9(11th), Best 4th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 78.04%, Led 2.75% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.67 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: B+
With his impressive Laps in Top 15% and 4.67 Stage Pts Per Stage if he would have had a better Avg. Finish or Avg. Driver Rating he’d have a B+. But he doesn’t so he gets a B+.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 22.33(T29th), 54.78% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 79.35(15th), Best 3rd, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 1.29% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 5 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: C-
His Avg. Driver Rating and Stage Pts Per Stage is quite nice. However, just 1 Top 20 finish (even if it was 3rd) is pretty bad. So, I gave him a C- instead of C.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 12.83(T6th), 42.01% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 69.48(19th), Best 2nd, Worst 29th, Laps Completed 96.1%, Led 0.78% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.42 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: B
His finishes on Superspeedways were pretty impressive, however his in-races stats are what holds his grade back and makes it a B.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 25.0(25th), 0.00% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 37.0(34th), Best 25th, 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 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: F+
The fact he ran every Dirt track lap and still ran 0 of them in the Top 15 is awful, but he did finish 25th so that got him an F+.
Overview
– After a playoff run last year, Suarez came home 19th in points this year
– Suarez ran not so well this year, but he did have some good finishes
– To sum up his playoffs, he had more Finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than Stage T10’s (3)
– His best streak this year was only a 3 race Top 10 streak
– He ran pretty poor on Short tracks this year and ended up with only 1 Top 20 finish in 5 races
– He ran a lot of his Small track laps in the Top 15, but his finishes and stages weren’t as good
– Suarez ran less than half his laps on Intermediate tracks in the Top 15, but did finish half his races in the Top 15
– Big tracks were his best tracks as he ran ran well, finished decent, and did great in stages
– He ran decent on Road Courses, but he only had 1 Top 20 finish in 6 races
– Superspeedway’s were opposite of Road Courses as he didn’t run great, but did finish well
– He ran 0 laps in the Top 15 at the Dirt race and finished 25th, that’s just bad
– After a playoff run last year, Suarez came home 19th in points this year
– Suarez ran not so well this year, but he did have some good finishes
– To sum up his playoffs, he had more Finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than Stage T10’s (3)
– His best streak this year was only a 3 race Top 10 streak
– He ran pretty poor on Short tracks this year and ended up with only 1 Top 20 finish in 5 races
– He ran a lot of his Small track laps in the Top 15, but his finishes and stages weren’t as good
– Suarez ran less than half his laps on Intermediate tracks in the Top 15, but did finish half his races in the Top 15
– Big tracks were his best tracks as he ran ran well, finished decent, and did great in stages
– He ran decent on Road Courses, but he only had 1 Top 20 finish in 6 races
– Superspeedway’s were opposite of Road Courses as he didn’t run great, but did finish well
– He ran 0 laps in the Top 15 at the Dirt race and finished 25th, that’s just bad
Final Grade: C
Trackhouse Racing Overall Team Grade: C+
Richard Childress Racing Drivers
Kyle Busch – 14th in Driver points/14th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 15.0 | T12th of 35 | T210th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 92.04% | 31st of 35 | 614th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 54.84% | 16th of 35 | 272nd of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 80.11 | 14th of 35 | 290th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T3rd of 64 | T72nd of 1430 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 64 | T143rd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T5th of 64 | T87th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 8 | T4th of 64 | T78th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 10 | T5th of 64 | T127th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 17 | T6th of 64 | T156th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 6 | T28th of 35 | T602nd of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T11th of 64 | T70th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 26 | T12th of 64 | T93rd of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 135 | 12th of 64 | 87th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 17 | T6th of 64 | T36th 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-
Busch doesn’t have the best in-race stats, including stages, but his finishing stats are pretty good which gives him his B-.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 17.3(T15th), 43.94% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 75.42(15th), Best 3rd, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 93.46%, Led 0.28% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 5 Stage T10’s, 0.8 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: C-
He did have 2 Top 3’s in the playoffs, but overall his finishes weren’t great and neither were his races as he only ran 44% of his laps in the Top 15.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes (longest streak in Cup Series this year)
2023 Streaks Grade: A+
2 straight Top 2 finishes isn’t shabby, and having the longest Top 10 streak in the Next Gen car is something worthy celebrating. Obviously he gets an A+.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 17.0(T20th), 37.84% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 67.94(22nd), Best 3rd, Worst 27th, Laps Completed 99.82%, Led 0.05% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: D
He ran a poor amount of laps in the Top 15 and didn’t feel well either with only 1 Top 10. So, with all these poor stats it’s hard not giving him a D.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 18.2(T20th), 50.93% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.22(14th), Best 1st, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 85.12%, Led 10.9% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 2.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C+
His in-race stats and Avg. Finish aren’t too good, however 1 of his 2 Top 10’s was a win so to me that makes his grade a little better and he gets a C+.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 14.4(12th), 76.37% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 84.22(12th), Best 3rd, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 89.93%, Led 0.49% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 5 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.95 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: C+
He had just 1 Top 5 but did have 5 Top 10’s. As for the rest of his stats they aren’t too bad, but are a little above average, except his stage stats. Thus, C+.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 19.67(T16th), 58.02% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 69.67(20th), Best 1st, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 66.79%, Led 7.22% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 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, 1.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C
He did have 1 Win on a Big track this year, but that was his only Top 20 finish. This in addition to his other stats being poor have me give him an average grade, C.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 10.33(6th), 77.12% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 91.22(10th), Best 2nd, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 99.63%, Led 4.61% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: B+
The only thing keeping him from an A- is the fact he didn’t have a win, his sort of low Stage Pts, and his Avg. Driver Rating; but other than that everything is pretty solid.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 11.17(T3rd), 57.02% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 77.93(14th), Best 1st, Worst 25th, Laps Completed 99.92%, Led 1.91% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.08 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: B+
He had 1 Win and 4 Top 10’s in 6 races. He was also tied for the 3rd best Avg. Finish, but his Stage Pts and Avg. Driver Rating are what dragged him down to a B+ grade.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Race, Avg. Finish 32.0(32nd), 96.19% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 87.2(10th), Best 32nd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 94.4%, Led 2.54% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 7.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: D-
He finished 32nd which is not good in anyway. But he did run very good, so that saved him from an F and gives him a D-.
Overview
– Busch made the playoffs again this year, but wound up a disappointing 14th in points
– The 2023 stats for Busch show he didn’t run all too well, but he was able to finish well
– He a few good finishes in the playoffs, but overall he didn’t run or finish well
– His 7 race Top 10 streak was the best Top 10 streak of anyone this year, and the longest Top 10 streak for anyone in the Next Gen car
– He had one good finish in 5 Short track races, but overall his races were lacking
– He had a win at Small tracks this year, but he typically didn’t do too great on them
– Busch ran about average on Intermediate tracks, but he struggled to get Stage Pts
– His only Top 20 on Big tracks was a win, and overall he didn’t run great in the 3 races
– Road Courses were some of his better tracks this year as he ran pretty well on them and had half his finishes be Top 3’s
– His Avg. Driver Rating and Stage Pts on Superspeedway’s weren’t the greatest, but overall he did good
– He and Kyle Larson had similar Dirt races, good runs but terrible finishes
– Busch made the playoffs again this year, but wound up a disappointing 14th in points
– The 2023 stats for Busch show he didn’t run all too well, but he was able to finish well
– He a few good finishes in the playoffs, but overall he didn’t run or finish well
– His 7 race Top 10 streak was the best Top 10 streak of anyone this year, and the longest Top 10 streak for anyone in the Next Gen car
– He had one good finish in 5 Short track races, but overall his races were lacking
– He had a win at Small tracks this year, but he typically didn’t do too great on them
– Busch ran about average on Intermediate tracks, but he struggled to get Stage Pts
– His only Top 20 on Big tracks was a win, and overall he didn’t run great in the 3 races
– Road Courses were some of his better tracks this year as he ran pretty well on them and had half his finishes be Top 3’s
– His Avg. Driver Rating and Stage Pts on Superspeedway’s weren’t the greatest, but overall he did good
– He and Kyle Larson had similar Dirt races, good runs but terrible finishes
Final Grade: C+
Austin Dillon – 29th in Driver points/29th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 21.78 | 29th of 35 | 476th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 93.53% | 28th of 35 | 539th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 24.96% | 27th of 35 | 453rd of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 62.14 | 24th of 35 | 487th 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 | 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 | 10 | 35th of 35 | T779th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 11 | T24th of 64 | T142nd of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 55 | 22nd of 64 | T133rd 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-
He had 10 DNF’s this year, the most by anyone since Quin Houff in 2021 (also 10). He also didn’t run particularly well either, so he gets a D-.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 21.6(27th), 18.1% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 62.67(24th), Best 10th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 91.3%, Led 0.04% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4 Stage T10’s, 0.75 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: D
In the 10 playoff races he scored just 1 Top 10 and ran just 18% of his laps in the Top 15, while getting 0.75 Stage Pts Per Stage. This is not what should be expected of an RCR car.
- Notable Streaks this year
- none (best was 1 straight)
2023 Streaks Grade: F
The fact he got 7 Top 10’s this year and none of them were consecutive is just not good. So, he gets an F.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 17.2(22nd), 15.93% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 60.64(25th), Best 9th, Worst 25th, Laps Completed 99.86%, Led 0.00% 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, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: D-
None of his Short track stats are all that good, however what stopped him from getting a D is the fact he got 0 Stage Pts and ran just 16% of his laps in the Top 15.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 19.0(22nd), 19.19% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 58.88(26th), Best 9th, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 98.41%, Led 0.78% 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, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: D
Once again he got 0 Stage Pts and this mixed with his poor Laps in Top 15% and Avg. Driver Rating are what give him a D instead of D+.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 21.1(26th), 26.29% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 61.26(23rd), Best 9th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 88.65%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.57 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: D
He did get 3 Top 10’s in the 10 races, not bad. However, his in-race stats are just bad. So bad in fact that he deserves a D.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 20.67(21st), 36.04% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 59.7(25th), Best 9th, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 90.18%, Led 0.99% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.00 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: D
He did get 1 Top 10 in 3 races, but he only ran 36% of his laps in the Top 15 and had the 25th best Avg. Driver Rating. So, he gets a D.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 24.83(34th), 45.24% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 67.35(20th), Best 14th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 94.67%, Led 0.19% 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, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: D
His best finish was just 14th, which is not good. Then again, he did get 1.25 Stage Pts Per Stage and he ran almost half his laps in the Top 15. So, while this isn’t good it is D worthy.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 29.67(42nd), 30.16% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 53.72(34th), Best 20th, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 87.29%, Led 0.1% 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, 4 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: F
A best finish of 20th, 30% of his laps run in the Top 15, barely any Stage Pts, and a terrible Avg. Finish. This is the definition of F from an RCR type car.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 3.0(3rd), 100% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 121.2(3rd), Best 3rd, Worst 3rd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% 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, 0 Stage Wins, 9.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: A
He gets an A instead of an A+ because he didn’t lead any laps. Other than that his stats are incredible though.
Overview
– Dillon finished 29th in points, which even considering the 60 point penalty he got is still awful
– Dillon almost had more DNF’s (10) than he did Stage T10’s (11)
– His best finish in the playoffs was 10th and he ran just 18% of his laps in the Top 15
– Even with 7 Top 10’s his best “streak” was just 1 straight Top 10 finish
– He managed 2 Top 15’s at Short tracks, but he got 0 Stage T10’s and ran just 16% of his laps in the Top 15
– His Small track stats are just slightly better than his Short track stats
– Dillon’s in-race stats again were bad at Intermediates, but he at least got 3 Top 10’s in 10 races
– Again he ran poorly at Big tracks, got 0 Stage Pts, and had a best finish of 9th
– His best finish at Road Courses was 14th, but at least he almost ran half his laps in the Top 15
– Superspeedways were his worst track as he neither ran nor finished good in the 6 races
– His Dirt track race was the only track style he was actually good at this year
– Dillon finished 29th in points, which even considering the 60 point penalty he got is still awful
– Dillon almost had more DNF’s (10) than he did Stage T10’s (11)
– His best finish in the playoffs was 10th and he ran just 18% of his laps in the Top 15
– Even with 7 Top 10’s his best “streak” was just 1 straight Top 10 finish
– He managed 2 Top 15’s at Short tracks, but he got 0 Stage T10’s and ran just 16% of his laps in the Top 15
– His Small track stats are just slightly better than his Short track stats
– Dillon’s in-race stats again were bad at Intermediates, but he at least got 3 Top 10’s in 10 races
– Again he ran poorly at Big tracks, got 0 Stage Pts, and had a best finish of 9th
– His best finish at Road Courses was 14th, but at least he almost ran half his laps in the Top 15
– Superspeedways were his worst track as he neither ran nor finished good in the 6 races
– His Dirt track race was the only track style he was actually good at this year
Final Grade: D-
Richard Childress Racing Overall Team Grade: C-
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.
