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.
Next up is the only team to have 2 drivers in the Championship 4 this year, Hendrick Motorsports.
Hendrick Motorsports Drivers
Kyle Larson – 2nd in Driver points/2nd in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.64 | 9th of 35 | 192nd of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.13% | 22nd of 35 | 324th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.46% | 3rd of 35 | 114th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 96.77 | 3rd of 35 | 96th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 4 | 2nd of 64 | T46th of 1430 |
| Poles | 2 | T5th of 64 | T81st of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 7 | T2nd of 64 | T52nd of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 9 | 3rd of 64 | T57th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 15 | T1st of 64 | T36th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 18 | T4th of 64 | T130th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 8 | 34th of 35 | T714th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 8 | T2nd of 64 | T14th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 45 | 3rd of 64 | T30th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 277 | 3rd of 64 | 29th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 28 | 2nd of 64 | T15th 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: A
He had 11 of his 15 2023 Ranks be T4th or better, but he also had the 2nd most DNF’s this year. So, he gets an A instead of A+
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 11.0(3rd), 84.7% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 110.51(1st), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 97.64%, Led 16.92% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 5 Stage Wins, 15 Stage T10’s, 5.2 Stage Pts Per Stage, 15 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: A
He had the best Avg. Driver Rating and 3rd best Avg. Finish in the playoffs, but he only had 6 Top 10’s in the 10 races. Therefore, he barely misses out on an A+
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: B
He had 4 straight Top 10 finishes this year, but he didn’t have any Top 3 streaks which puts him at a B.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 5.8(2nd), 72.77% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 102.46(2nd), Best 1st, Worst 19th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 6.5% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.6 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: A+
His 2nd best Avg. Finish, 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating, 2 Wins, and 3 Top 3’s are very impressive, so he gets an A+.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 9.2(T6th), 72.13% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 97.32(7th), Best 3rd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 97.39%, Led 13.84% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.9 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: A
His 2.9 Stage Pts Per Stage aren’t that impressive, but his 4 Top 5’s, 13.84 Laps led%, and 9.2 Avg. Finish are impressive. So, he narrowly gets an A instead of A-.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 13.0(8th), 91.58% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 113.65(1st), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 96.8%, Led 22.96% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Top 3’s, 6 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 3 DNF’s, 5 Stage Wins, 5.43 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: A-
Most of his stats above would give him an A or A+, but his Avg. Finish was only 8th best and his 6 Top 5’s were his only Top 15’s. So, bumps him down to an A-.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 18.0(14th), 48.62% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 76.47(16th), Best 5th, Worst 29th, Laps Completed 97.32%, Led 4.77% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C
His Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating are mediocre, but his Laps in Top 15% was bad. However, he did have 1 Top 5 and led 4.77% of his laps, so he gets a C.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 12.17(7th), 72.06% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 90.87(12th), Best 4th, Worst 26th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: B
He led 0 laps on Road Courses this year, which isn’t good. However, his Avg. Finish, Avg. Driver Rating, and Top 10’s were pretty good so he gets a B.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 26.67(38th), 63.95% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.05(12th), Best 15th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 88.7%, Led 1.03% 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, 4 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: D-
He had 4 times as many DNF’s as he did Top 15’s which is F worthy. However, his Avg. Driver Rating was 12th best which is just good enough to avoid an F and give him a D-.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 35.0(35th), 87.01% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 105.5(5th), Best 35th, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 70.8%, Led 42.37% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 0 Top 10’s, 0 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 9.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: D
He may have finished 35th in the Dirt race this year, but he ran extremely well in the race before wrecking out. So, he gets a good grade for his finish.
Overview
– Larson was fast at Phoenix, but not fast enough, finishing 2nd in the points
– Most of Larson’s 2023 stats were really good, but he had a lot of DNF’s
– In the playoffs he ran well, but his finishes were great or bust
– His streaks this year were sort of mediocre
– Surprisingly Short tracks were his best track style this year
– He was one of the best on Small tracks getting 4 Top 5’s in 5 races
– Larson’s run were the best on Intermediate tracks, but his finishes were boom or bust
– He ran less than half his laps in the Top 15 on Big tracks, but he did have 1 Top 5
– Despite not leading a lap on Road Courses, he actually ran and finished decent
– He was pretty much himself at Superspeedways this year, bad
– He was great at the Dirt race this year, until a wreck took him out of the race
– Larson was fast at Phoenix, but not fast enough, finishing 2nd in the points
– Most of Larson’s 2023 stats were really good, but he had a lot of DNF’s
– In the playoffs he ran well, but his finishes were great or bust
– His streaks this year were sort of mediocre
– Surprisingly Short tracks were his best track style this year
– He was one of the best on Small tracks getting 4 Top 5’s in 5 races
– Larson’s run were the best on Intermediate tracks, but his finishes were boom or bust
– He ran less than half his laps in the Top 15 on Big tracks, but he did have 1 Top 5
– Despite not leading a lap on Road Courses, he actually ran and finished decent
– He was pretty much himself at Superspeedways this year, bad
– He was great at the Dirt race this year, until a wreck took him out of the race
Final Grade: A-
William Byron – 3rd in Driver points/3rd in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.97 | 1st of 35 | 39th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.46% | 12th of 35 | T203rd of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 73.66% | 2nd of 35 | 110th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 98.75 | 1st of 35 | 71st of 781‡ |
| Wins | 6 | 1st of 64 | T16th of 1430 |
| Poles | 4 | T2nd of 64 | T22nd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 9 | 1st of 64 | T26th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 10 | 2nd of 64 | T45th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 15 | T1st of 64 | T36th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 21 | 1st of 64 | T59th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T5th of 35 | T226th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 9 | 1st of 64 | T11th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 44 | 4th of 64 | T34th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 294 | 2nd of 64 | T17th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 39 | 1st of 64 | T8th 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: A+
He had the most wins this year, the best Avg. Finish, and his stats above are pretty good since 2004 as well. So, without a doubt this is A+ stuff from Byron.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 6.1(1st), 75.89% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 100.81(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 15th, Laps Completed 99.97%, Led 4.57% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 3 Top 3’s, 6 Top 5’s, 8 Top 10’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 12 Stage T10’s, 3.15 Stage Pts Per Stage, 6 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: A
Even with a worst finish of 15th in the 10 playoff races, he’s getting an A instead of A+ since his Laps led% wasn’t too great and his stages were a little lackluster.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Wins (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: A+
His streaks speak for themselves as he was tied for the longest streak in almost every category.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 18.0(24th), 61.37% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 85.38(11th), Best 9th, Worst 24th, Laps Completed 99.91%, Led 5.32% 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, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.3 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: C+
I wanted to give him a B based on the fact his Avg. Driver Rating was decent and his stages plus laps led were good, but having just 1 Top 10 causes him to have a C+
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 8.2(3rd), 91.93% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 113.74(1st), Best 1st, Worst 24th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 24.86% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 1 Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 3 Stage Wins, 5.8 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: A+
He has all the stats you’d need above for an A+ except maybe a few more Top 3’s and a better Laps in Top15%, but his 25% of laps led makes up for any little bit lacking.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 4.4(1st), 82.45% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 112.13(2nd), Best 1st, Worst 15th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 10.81% of laps he ran, 3 Wins, 1 Pole, 5 Top 3’s, 7 Top 5’s, 9 Top 10’s, 10 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 3 Stage Wins, 5.05 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: A+
He had the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating, led 11% of his laps, and finished half the Intermediate races in the Top 3. So, duh A+.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 24.67(28th), 81.19% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 83.57(9th), Best 14th, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 72.14%, Led 14.85% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 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, 2.17 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: C
His finishes give him a D range grade, but he ran so well that it’s hard to give him a D. However, 0 Top 10’s can’t be better than a regular C, so that’s what he gets.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 8.17(3rd), 70.96% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 101.83(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 17.28% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: A-
He had the 3rd best Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating which is impressive. However, only half his finishes were in the Top 10 so I decided he gets an A-.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 14.0(11th), 58.7% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 81.5(8th), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 93.52%, Led 2.93% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.92 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: B+
His Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating were pretty good, but his Laps in Top 15% was pretty bad. However, he had 4 Top 10’s and a win, so he gets a B+.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 13.0(13th), 92.8% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 87.5(9th), 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, 1 Top 15, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Dirt track Grade: B
He finished 13th after running most of the race in the Top 15 at the Dirt race, but he only got 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage which hurt his grade.
Overview
– Through 100 laps at Phoenix Byron was the championship favorite, but he ended up 3rd
– His 2023 stats are the best of anyone this year
– Just like the 2023 stats, his playoff stats were incredible as well
– He basically is tied best in every streak this year
– As much as he struggled to run well at Short tracks, his finishes were even worse
– He was one of the best, if not the best, drivers on Small tracks this year
– Byron was hands down the best driver on Intermediates
– Big tracks were a struggle for Byron to finish well on, even though he ran pretty good
– He was one of the better drivers on Road Courses this year, but struggled to run Top 15
– He finished pretty good on Superspeedways this year, but didn’t always run well
– He ran good enough for a Top 15 finish at the Dirt track this year
– Through 100 laps at Phoenix Byron was the championship favorite, but he ended up 3rd
– His 2023 stats are the best of anyone this year
– Just like the 2023 stats, his playoff stats were incredible as well
– He basically is tied best in every streak this year
– As much as he struggled to run well at Short tracks, his finishes were even worse
– He was one of the best, if not the best, drivers on Small tracks this year
– Byron was hands down the best driver on Intermediates
– Big tracks were a struggle for Byron to finish well on, even though he ran pretty good
– He was one of the better drivers on Road Courses this year, but struggled to run Top 15
– He finished pretty good on Superspeedways this year, but didn’t always run well
– He ran good enough for a Top 15 finish at the Dirt track this year
Final Grade: A
Chase Elliott – 17th in Driver points/10th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.07 | 5th of 35 | 114th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 93.61% | 27th of 35 | T535th of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 61.69% | 10th of 35 | 219th of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 82.5 | 9th of 35 | 261st of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 0 | T16th of 64 | T282nd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T12th of 64 | T194th of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | T12th of 64 | T190th of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 7 | T12th of 64 | T205th of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 15 | 12th of 64 | T211th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T5th of 35 | T226th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T11th of 64 | T70th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 22 | T15th of 64 | T107th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 116 | 14th of 64 | 97th of 452* |
| Playoff Pts² | 2 | 17th of 64 | T108th 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-
If he won he’d have a B or B+, but he didn’t. However, his Avg. Finish was really good and for only having run 29 races his stats are really good.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 12.8(8th), 62.13% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 82.44(10th), Best 6th, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.93%, Led 5.06% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 10 Stage T10’s, 2.6 Stage Pts Per Stage, 1 Playoff Pt earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: C+
His Avg. Finish and Avg. Driver Rating are B worthy, but he didn’t run enough laps in the Top 15 and he didn’t get a single Top 5 in the 10 playoff races. Therefore, he gets a C+.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: B
He did have pretty good Top 5 and Top 10 streaks, but having no Top 3 streaks hurts him. So, he gets a B.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 11.75(9th), 68.93% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 83.5(15th), Best 7th, Worst 17th, Laps Completed 99.94%, Led 4.61% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: B-
He had 2 Top 10’s in 4 Short track races and a worst finish of 17th, but only had the 15th best Avg. Driver Rating and got just 1 Stage Pt Per Stage. So he gets a B- for being just above average.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 13.0(T9th), 45.61% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 71.03(19th), Best 11th, Worst 16th, 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, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.33 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C
He had a pretty good Avg. Finish, but he scored 0 Top 10’s in 3 starts and his Laps in Top 15% plus Avg. Driver Rating were pretty bad. Thus, he gets a C for average.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 9 Races, Avg. Finish 13.33(10th), 70.83% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.49(13th), Best 3rd, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 91.99%, Led 2.42% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.74 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: C+
This was hard to decided C+ or B- as he ran decent and finished over half his races in the Top 10, but only 1.74 Stage Pts Per Stage. I ended up going with C+ based on just 2 Top 5’s and his Laps in Top 15%.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 16.0(12th), 74.37% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 78.17(14th), Best 2nd, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 70.36%, Led 0.25% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 0.83 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: B-
He was pretty average on Big tracks this year, but gets a little better than average grade based on the fact he got 1 Top 3 and 2 Top 10’s in 3 races
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 10.2(5th), 73.72% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 96.4(7th), Best 2nd, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.79%, Led 4.91% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.2 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: B+
He had the 5th best Avg. Finish and 4 Top 10’s while getting 3.2 Stage Pts Per Stage on Road Courses. However, his Avg. Driver Rating is only 7th best with just 74% of his laps being run in the Top 15.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.8(12th), 61.06% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.88(9th), Best 4th, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 90.04%, Led 3.29% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 3.6 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: B
He only had 1 Top 5 with just 61% of his laps run in the Top 15. However, his Avg. Driver Rating and Avg. Finish are pretty good so I left him with a B.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 0 Races
2023 Dirt track Grade: Incomplete
He did not race in the one Dirt race this year due to an injury.
Overview
– After an Injury held Elliott out this year he ended up 17th in points, but the 9 car ended up 10th in owner points
– In 7 fewer races he had more Top 5’s than playoff drivers Bubba Wallace and Kevin Harvick
– In 7 fewer races he had more Top 10’s than playoff drivers Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick, and Ross Chastain
– He got 0 Top 5’s in the playoffs, but still ran decent and got 5 Top 10’s
– His best Top 10 streak was only 4 races this year
– He didn’t run great at Short tracks this year, but found a way to finish well in them
– He got 0 Top 10’s in 3 Small track races and ran less than half his laps in the Top 15
– Intermediate races were decent for Elliott and he finished most of them in the Top 10
– At Big tracks he got less than 1 Stage Pt Per Stage, but did end up with 2 Top 10’s in the 3 races
– As expected he did very well on Road Courses this year getting over half his Top 5’s here
– Superspeedways were a pretty good track for him, just not Top 5 wise
– He didn’t race in the Dirt race this year
– After an Injury held Elliott out this year he ended up 17th in points, but the 9 car ended up 10th in owner points
– In 7 fewer races he had more Top 5’s than playoff drivers Bubba Wallace and Kevin Harvick
– In 7 fewer races he had more Top 10’s than playoff drivers Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick, and Ross Chastain
– He got 0 Top 5’s in the playoffs, but still ran decent and got 5 Top 10’s
– His best Top 10 streak was only 4 races this year
– He didn’t run great at Short tracks this year, but found a way to finish well in them
– He got 0 Top 10’s in 3 Small track races and ran less than half his laps in the Top 15
– Intermediate races were decent for Elliott and he finished most of them in the Top 10
– At Big tracks he got less than 1 Stage Pt Per Stage, but did end up with 2 Top 10’s in the 3 races
– As expected he did very well on Road Courses this year getting over half his Top 5’s here
– Superspeedways were a pretty good track for him, just not Top 5 wise
– He didn’t race in the Dirt race this year
Final Grade: B-
Alex Bowman – 20th in Driver points/20th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 17.15 | 16th of 35 | 309th of 825 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.65% | 19th of 35 | T271st of 825 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 57.02% | 14th of 35 | 251st of 781‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 76.61 | 17th of 35 | 326th of 781‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T16th of 64 | T288th of 1430 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 64 | T143rd of 1430 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T18th of 64 | T403rd of 1430 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T13th of 64 | T271st of 1430 |
| Top 5’s | 4 | T16th of 64 | T291st of 1430 |
| Top 10’s | 10 | T15th of 64 | T314th of 1430 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T14th of 35 | T359th of 825 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T19th of 64 | T114th of 452* |
| Stage T10s | 20 | 18th of 64 | T112th of 452* |
| Stage Pts | 105 | 17th of 64 | 106th 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
He had just the 16th best Avg. Finish this year and even with missing less races his stats are overall worse than Chase Elliott. Hence a worse grade than Elliott with a C.
- 2023 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 20.7(22nd), 41.31% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 68.39(18th), Best 8th, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 94.32%, Led 0.49% 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, 1 Stage T10, 0.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, 0 Playoff Pts earned in races
2023 Playoff Grade: D+
The playoff stats above for him are terrible for a Hendrick driver as he had more finishes out of the Top 20 than in the Top 10, and he didn’t run well in the races either.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
2023 Streaks Grade: C
He only had 2 streaks longer than 1 straight Top 10 and his longest was only 4 races. That’s a nice streak, but not good, just average.
- 2023 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 16.4(19th), 66.97% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 77.02(19th), Best 8th, Worst 32nd, Laps Completed 99.77%, Led 0.36% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.8 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Short track Grade: C
His lap in Top 15% was good at Short tracks, but that’s it. His finishes, Avg. Driver Rating, and stage stats are mediocre at best.
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 43 drivers)
- 4 Races, Avg. Finish 16.5(16th), 45.1% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 72.8(16th), Best 9th, Worst 26th, 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, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.5 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Small track Grade: C-
His Small track stats are similar to his Short track stats, except his Laps in Top 15% was bad at Small tracks. So, he gets a little lower grade in a C-.
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 46 drivers)
- 8 Races, Avg. Finish 17.63(19th), 52.26% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 75.23(15th), Best 3rd, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 93.02%, Led 0.54% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 0.76 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Intermediate Grade: D+
Getting only 2 Top 10’s in 8 Intermediate races for Rick Hendrick is not good, pair this with running just 52% of the laps in the Top 15 and you get a D+.
- 2023 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 21.67(T24th), 77.33% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.93(12th), Best 8th, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 88.21%, Led 7.29% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.33 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Big track Grade: B-
His in-race stats, especially stage stats, at Big tracks was really impressive and deserve close to an A. Unfortunately he couldn’t finish the races which then drops him to a B-.
- 2023 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 49 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 15.17(14th), 70.36% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.65(14th), Best 3rd, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 93.01%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10s, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 1.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Road Course Grade: B-
He performed admirably on Road Courses this year running pretty well in races and getting 2 Top 5’s and a Top 10 in half the races.
- 2023 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 47 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 15.33(14th), 52.82% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 74.6(16th), Best 5th, Worst 28th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 2.74% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage
2023 Superspeedway Grade: B-
His stats at Superspeedways weren’t that bad this year with 2 Top 10’s and 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage. However, running 53% of his laps in the Top 15 give him a B-.
- 2023 Dirt track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Dirt Track start, 37 drivers)
- 1 Races, Avg. Finish 29.0(29th), 85.08% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 75.7(16th), Best 29th, Worst 29th, Laps Completed 99.2%, 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: C
He ran well in the one Dirt race this year, but ultimately ended up 29th. So, good race plus bad finish equals average, C.
Overview
– The 48 car was the only Hendrick car to miss the Owner playoffs, finishing 20th and Bowman 20th as well.
– Every 2023 Rank above for Bowman is between 9th and T22nd
– In the playoffs he did not run or finish well for the most part
– He had a streak of 4 straight Top 10 finishes this year
– He ran a good amount of his 2023 Short track laps in the Top 15, but that was the only good thing about him at Short tracks
– His Top 15% at Small tracks was bad, but the rest of the stats were decent
– At Intermediates Bowman ran bad for being in a Hendrick car
– He had really good runs at Big tracks but couldn’t finish well
– Road Courses were probably his best overall track as he ran decent and finished admirably
– He barely ran half his laps at Superspeedways in the Top 15, but he finished there in 75% of his races
– In the Dirt he ran very well, but again he couldn’t finish the deal
– The 48 car was the only Hendrick car to miss the Owner playoffs, finishing 20th and Bowman 20th as well.
– Every 2023 Rank above for Bowman is between 9th and T22nd
– In the playoffs he did not run or finish well for the most part
– He had a streak of 4 straight Top 10 finishes this year
– He ran a good amount of his 2023 Short track laps in the Top 15, but that was the only good thing about him at Short tracks
– His Top 15% at Small tracks was bad, but the rest of the stats were decent
– At Intermediates Bowman ran bad for being in a Hendrick car
– He had really good runs at Big tracks but couldn’t finish well
– Road Courses were probably his best overall track as he ran decent and finished admirably
– He barely ran half his laps at Superspeedways in the Top 15, but he finished there in 75% of his races
– In the Dirt he ran very well, but again he couldn’t finish the deal
Final Grade: C
Hendrick Motorsports Overall Team Grade: B
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.
