Last week may not have seen a three wide finish at the line, but it did see an exhilarating chase for Stage 1, 2, and the race win where Kyle Larson won all three battle. This week we head to the first shorter track of the year and get to see if the new short track package is the answer to the Next Gen’s shorter track struggles, Phoenix. I have picked 5 notable drivers to look at, 1 based on 2024 season stats, 1 based on Small track stats, 1 based on the last Phoenix race, 1 based on their Next Gen Phoenix stats, and 1 based on the highest in points that wasn’t already picked. Here is a look at those 5 notable drivers 2024 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2024 as well as ranking through 3 races since the Playoffs started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year and at Phoenix, 2023 Small track (1.0-1.3 miles) statistics and Phoenix statistics in the Next Gen car.
1st in Points – Kyle Larson
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 3 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.67 | 8th of 35 | T199th of 838 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 32nd | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 94.77% | 26th of 35 | 562nd of 838 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 76.62% | 4th of 35 | 121st of 796‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 110.73 | 1st of 35 | 29th of 796‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T1st of 44 | T7th of 988 |
| Poles | 0 | T3rd of 44 | T55th of 988 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T1st of 44 | T19th of 988 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T2nd of 44 | T30th of 988 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T3rd of 44 | T64th of 988 |
| Top 10’s | 1 | T7th of 44 | T162nd of 988 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 1 | T6th of 35 | T158th of 838 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T19th of 35 | T493rd of 838 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | 1st of 44 | T6th of 351* |
| Stage T10s | 5 | T1st of 44 | T9th of 351* |
| Stage Pts | 45 | 1st of 44 | 2nd of 351* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 4.33 | 1st of 35 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 7 | 1st of 44 | T1st of 351* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 3 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Stage Wins (active streak, longest streak in Cup Series this year and tied 14th longest streak all-time)
- 4 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, tied longest active streak in Cup Series and tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- Notable Phoenix Streaks
- 2 straight Top 3 finishes (2016.35-2017.04) (tied 8th longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak)
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes (2018.35-2020.04)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 10 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, tied 4th longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Small track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 9.2(6th), 72.13% of Laps ran in Top15(12th), 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
- Phoenix Statistics
- 2023 Fall Phoenix Race
- Finished 3rd, Started 4th, Led 0 laps, Finished 5th in Stage 1 and 7th in Stage 2, ran 311 Laps in Top 15(99.68% of laps ran), had 109.7 Driver Rating (ranked 4th)
- Notable Next Gen Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Phoenix since 2022, 36 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 12.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 8th)
- Best Finish: 3rd, Worst: 34th
- Completed 94.17% of laps (% ranks 32nd)
- 97.29% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 2nd)
- 107.05 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 4th)
- Led 17.2% of laps he’s run (% ranks 2nd)
- 1 Pole, 25.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Top 3, 25.0% (% ranks T4th)
- 2 Top 5’s, 50.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 3 Top 10’s, 75.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T8th)
- 1 DNF, 25.0% (% ranks T30th)
- 1 Stage Win, 12.5% (% ranks T3rd)
- 8 Stage T10’s, 100% (% ranks T1st)
- 4.88 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Kyle Larson is notable because of his stats this year (mainly his in-race stats)
– At Las Vegas last week Larson led 68% of the laps, ran every lap in the Top 15, won Stage 1, Stage 2, and the race
– He only has 1 Top 10 this year, but that was his win last week. However, he has the 4th best Laps in Top 15%, best Avg. Driver Rating, and best Avg. Stage Finish
– He is currently on a 2 straight Stage Win streak and a 4 straight Stage T10 streak as well
– At Phoenix he’s on a 2 race Top 5 streak, 4 race Top 10 streak, and an impressive 10 straight Stage T10 streak
– In 5 Small track races last year he had a 9.2 Avg. Finish with 4 Top 5’s, but 0 Wins and only the 12th best Laps in Top 15%
– Last Fall at Phoenix Larson ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15, but he led 0 laps and finished 3rd in the race (and 2nd in the Championship)
– In the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has a 12.5 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 10’s and 1 DNF. He also has the 2nd best Laps in Top 15% among active drivers and has never finished outside the Top 10 in a stage at Phoenix in the Next Gen
Outlook for this weekend
Kyle Larson finally got away from Superspeedways last weekend and showed how good he is as he pretty much dominated Las Vegas. This has helped his 2024 stats and this week heading to a Small track may help those stats even more. He ran decently well on them last year and finished Top 5 in almost every Small track race. Even better is that he’s done well at Phoenix in the Next Gen car when he finishes the races. All in all Larson may not go back-to-back this weekend, but keeping the good runs going is a good probability.
– Kyle Larson is notable because of his stats this year (mainly his in-race stats)
– At Las Vegas last week Larson led 68% of the laps, ran every lap in the Top 15, won Stage 1, Stage 2, and the race
– He only has 1 Top 10 this year, but that was his win last week. However, he has the 4th best Laps in Top 15%, best Avg. Driver Rating, and best Avg. Stage Finish
– He is currently on a 2 straight Stage Win streak and a 4 straight Stage T10 streak as well
– At Phoenix he’s on a 2 race Top 5 streak, 4 race Top 10 streak, and an impressive 10 straight Stage T10 streak
– In 5 Small track races last year he had a 9.2 Avg. Finish with 4 Top 5’s, but 0 Wins and only the 12th best Laps in Top 15%
– Last Fall at Phoenix Larson ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15, but he led 0 laps and finished 3rd in the race (and 2nd in the Championship)
– In the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has a 12.5 Avg. Finish with 3 Top 10’s and 1 DNF. He also has the 2nd best Laps in Top 15% among active drivers and has never finished outside the Top 10 in a stage at Phoenix in the Next Gen
Outlook for this weekend
Kyle Larson finally got away from Superspeedways last weekend and showed how good he is as he pretty much dominated Las Vegas. This has helped his 2024 stats and this week heading to a Small track may help those stats even more. He ran decently well on them last year and finished Top 5 in almost every Small track race. Even better is that he’s done well at Phoenix in the Next Gen car when he finishes the races. All in all Larson may not go back-to-back this weekend, but keeping the good runs going is a good probability.
2nd in Points – Ryan Blaney
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 3 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.67 | 5th of 35 | T127th of 838 |
| Best Fin. | 2nd | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 30th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.9% | T16th of 35 | T382nd of 838 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 81.29% | 2nd of 35 | 88th of 796‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 101.0 | 2nd of 35 | 82nd of 796‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T4th of 44 | T58th of 988 |
| Poles | 0 | T3rd of 44 | T55th of 988 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T1st of 44 | T19th of 988 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | 1st of 44 | T7th of 988 |
| Top 5’s | 2 | T1st of 44 | T12th of 988 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T1st of 44 | T38th of 988 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 1 | T6th of 35 | T158th of 838 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T19th of 35 | T493rd of 838 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T2nd of 44 | T12th of 351* |
| Stage T10s | 4 | T3rd of 44 | T25th of 351* |
| Stage Pts | 34 | 2nd of 44 | T11th of 351* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 8.83 | 3rd of 35 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 1 | T4th of 44 | T31st of 351* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 3 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 3 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Cup Series and longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Cup Series and tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, tied longest active streak in Cup Series and tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Stage T10’s
- Notable Phoenix Streaks
- 3 straight Top 2 finishes (active streak, longest active streak and tied 3rd longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (active streak, longest active streak and tied 3rd longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 5 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak, longest active streak and tied 3rd longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, tied 5th longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 7 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, tied 7th longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Small track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 7.0(2nd), 97.14% of Laps ran in Top15(2nd), Avg. Driver Rating 111.04(2nd), Best 2nd, Worst 22nd, Laps Completed 100%, Led 5.4% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 5.6 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- 2023 Fall Phoenix Race
- Finished 2nd, Started 15th, Led 2 laps(0.64%), Finished 10th in Stage 1 and 6th in Stage 2, ran 305 Laps in Top 15(97.76% of laps ran), had 108.8 Driver Rating (ranked 5th)
- Notable Next Gen Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Phoenix since 2022, 36 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 2.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 1st)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 4th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 97.21% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 3rd)
- 117.7 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 1st)
- Led 20.27% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 0 Wins
- 1 Pole, 25.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 3 Top 2’s, 75.0% (% ranks 1st)
- 4 Top 5’s, 100% (% ranks 1st)
- 0 finishes outside Top 20, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 2 Stage Win, 25.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 7 Stage T10’s, 87.5% (% ranks 3rd)
- 4.63 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Ryan Blaney is notable because he’s been spectacular at Phoenix since the introduction of the Next Gen
– Blaney ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15 last week at Las Vegas and got 7 Stage pts before finishing 3rd in the race
– All but 2 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are T6th or better (his 98.9 Completed Laps% ranks T16th and his 1 DNF ranks T19th)
– He is currently on a 2 race Top 3 streak, the longest streak of anyone on the young season
– He has a ton of impressive active streaks at Phoenix, 3 straight Top 2 finishes, 5 straight Top 5 finishes, 7 straight Top 10 finishes, and 7 straight Stage T10’s
– In the 5 Small track races last year he had 3 Top 3’s, the 2nd best Avg. Finish, 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating, and got 5.6 Stage Pts Per Stage; but he had 0 Wins
– Last Fall at Phoenix Blaney led just 2 laps and had the 5th best Driver Rating, but finished 2nd in the race which was good enough for the championship
– In the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has a worst finish of 4th, the best Avg. Driver Rating and Laps Led% among active drivers, and 2 Stage Wins
Outlook for this weekend
Ryan Blaney has continued his success from the end of last year as he has some pretty good 2024 stats and 2 straight Top 3 finishes. This is good and may get even better as we head to a Small track this weekend where Blaney was pretty darn good last year finishing most of the races in the Top 3. What’s even better for him is that this is Phoenix where he’s been incredible in the Next Gen and definitely the best driver. Overall based on the stats I think Blaney may just be the driver to beat this weekend and he could stop the 4 race Chevy win streak.
– Ryan Blaney is notable because he’s been spectacular at Phoenix since the introduction of the Next Gen
– Blaney ran 85% of his laps in the Top 15 last week at Las Vegas and got 7 Stage pts before finishing 3rd in the race
– All but 2 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are T6th or better (his 98.9 Completed Laps% ranks T16th and his 1 DNF ranks T19th)
– He is currently on a 2 race Top 3 streak, the longest streak of anyone on the young season
– He has a ton of impressive active streaks at Phoenix, 3 straight Top 2 finishes, 5 straight Top 5 finishes, 7 straight Top 10 finishes, and 7 straight Stage T10’s
– In the 5 Small track races last year he had 3 Top 3’s, the 2nd best Avg. Finish, 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating, and got 5.6 Stage Pts Per Stage; but he had 0 Wins
– Last Fall at Phoenix Blaney led just 2 laps and had the 5th best Driver Rating, but finished 2nd in the race which was good enough for the championship
– In the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has a worst finish of 4th, the best Avg. Driver Rating and Laps Led% among active drivers, and 2 Stage Wins
Outlook for this weekend
Ryan Blaney has continued his success from the end of last year as he has some pretty good 2024 stats and 2 straight Top 3 finishes. This is good and may get even better as we head to a Small track this weekend where Blaney was pretty darn good last year finishing most of the races in the Top 3. What’s even better for him is that this is Phoenix where he’s been incredible in the Next Gen and definitely the best driver. Overall based on the stats I think Blaney may just be the driver to beat this weekend and he could stop the 4 race Chevy win streak.
3rd in Points – Martin Truex Jr.
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 3 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.33 | 4th of 35 | T115th of 838 |
| Best Fin. | 7th | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 15th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 84.32% | 1st of 35 | 64th of 796‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 97.5 | 3rd of 35 | T105th of 796‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T4th of 44 | T58th of 988 |
| Poles | 0 | T3rd of 44 | T55th of 988 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T7th of 44 | T106th of 988 |
| Top 3’s | 0 | T9th of 44 | T155th of 988 |
| Top 5’s | 0 | T14th of 44 | T242nd of 988 |
| Top 10’s | 1 | T7th of 44 | T162nd of 988 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 0 | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T6th of 44 | T33rd of 351* |
| Stage T10s | 5 | T1st of 44 | T9th of 351* |
| Stage Pts | 27 | 3rd of 44 | T29th of 351* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 7.0 | 2nd of 35 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T8th of 44 | T47th of 351* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 3 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 4 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, tied longest active streak in Cup Series and tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- Notable Phoenix Streaks
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (2021.05-2021.36) (tied 6th longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 1 straight Top 10 finish (active “streak”)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (2020.36-2021.36)
- 2 straight Stage T10’s (active streak)
- 4 straight Stage T10’s (2017.35 s1-2018.04 s2)
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Small track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 6.0(1st), 76.1% of Laps ran in Top15(7th), Avg. Driver Rating 107.0(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 17th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 20.53% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 4.6 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Phoenix Statistics
- 2023 Fall Phoenix Race
- Finished 6th, Started 2nd, Led 1 lap(0.32%), Finished 7th in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2, ran 312 Laps in Top 15(100% of laps ran), had 106.1 Driver Rating (ranked 7th)
- Notable Next Gen Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Phoenix since 2022, 36 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 18.25 Avg. Finish (Ranks 17th)
- Best Finish: 6th, Worst: 35th
- Completed 92.58% of laps (% ranks 33rd)
- 68.79% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 10th)
- 83.28 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 10th)
- Led 0.09% of laps he’s run (% ranks 11th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 1 Top 10, 25.0% (% ranks T13th)
- 2 Top 15’s, 50.0% (% ranks T12th)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T8th)
- 1 DNF, 25.0% (% ranks T30th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 4 Stage T10’s, 50.0% (% ranks T8th)
- 3.0 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 7th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because he’s 3rd in points
– Last week at Las Vegas Truex ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15 and continued his impressive Top 10 streak to reach 8 straight Las Vegas Top 10’s, finishing 7th
– He only has 1 Top 10 this year, but he has the best Laps in Top 15%, 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating, and 2nd best Avg. Stage Finish
– The only streak he has this year is the 4 straight Stage T10 streak he is currently on
– He’s had some decent streaks at Phoenix in his career including 3 straight Top 10’s in 2021 and 2022, but his best current streak in his 2 straight Stage T10 streak
– He was great at Small tracks last year having the best Avg. Finish (6.0), 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (107.0), and he won 2 of the 5 Small track races
– Last Fall at Phoenix he started 2nd and ran every lap in the Top 15, but led just 1 lap after starting 2nd and finished 6th
– He’s struggled in the Next Gen at Phoenix getting just 1 Top 10 and an 18.25 Avg. Finish in the 4 races here while getting a Stage T10 in only half the stages
Outlook for this weekend
Martin Truex Jr. may not have the flashiest stats in 2024, but he’s done well enough to be 3rd in points and have decent 2024 Ranks. What could be trouble for the competition is that this week is a Small track where he won 40% of the races last year and had the best Avg. Finish. However, this is Phoenix where Truex has struggled since the Next Gen has come along. Truex’s last race here brought a glimmer of hope for him at Phoenix and thus I think he gets back to his good run and Top 10 ways here this weekend.
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because he’s 3rd in points
– Last week at Las Vegas Truex ran all but 1 lap in the Top 15 and continued his impressive Top 10 streak to reach 8 straight Las Vegas Top 10’s, finishing 7th
– He only has 1 Top 10 this year, but he has the best Laps in Top 15%, 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating, and 2nd best Avg. Stage Finish
– The only streak he has this year is the 4 straight Stage T10 streak he is currently on
– He’s had some decent streaks at Phoenix in his career including 3 straight Top 10’s in 2021 and 2022, but his best current streak in his 2 straight Stage T10 streak
– He was great at Small tracks last year having the best Avg. Finish (6.0), 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (107.0), and he won 2 of the 5 Small track races
– Last Fall at Phoenix he started 2nd and ran every lap in the Top 15, but led just 1 lap after starting 2nd and finished 6th
– He’s struggled in the Next Gen at Phoenix getting just 1 Top 10 and an 18.25 Avg. Finish in the 4 races here while getting a Stage T10 in only half the stages
Outlook for this weekend
Martin Truex Jr. may not have the flashiest stats in 2024, but he’s done well enough to be 3rd in points and have decent 2024 Ranks. What could be trouble for the competition is that this week is a Small track where he won 40% of the races last year and had the best Avg. Finish. However, this is Phoenix where Truex has struggled since the Next Gen has come along. Truex’s last race here brought a glimmer of hope for him at Phoenix and thus I think he gets back to his good run and Top 10 ways here this weekend.
4th in Points – William Byron
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 3 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 9.33 | 1st of 35 | T75th of 838 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 17th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 100% | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 48.01% | 14th of 35 | 302nd of 796‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 84.4 | 8th of 35 | T230th of 796‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T1st of 44 | T7th of 988 |
| Poles | 0 | T3rd of 44 | T55th of 988 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T1st of 44 | T19th of 988 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T2nd of 44 | T30th of 988 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T3rd of 44 | T64th of 988 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T1st of 44 | T38th of 988 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 0 | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T6th of 44 | T33rd of 351* |
| Stage T10s | 3 | T5th of 44 | T53rd of 351* |
| Stage Pts | 13 | 11th of 44 | T81st of 351* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 15.67 | T13th of 35 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 5 | T2nd of 44 | T10th of 351* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 3 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Stage T10’s
- Notable Phoenix Streaks
- 1 straight Pole (active “streak”)
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak)
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 13 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, longest active streak and 2nd longest streak in Cup Series at Phoenix all-time)
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Small track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 8.2(3rd), 91.93% of Laps ran in Top15(4th), 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
- Phoenix Statistics
- 2023 Fall Phoenix Race
- Finished 4th, Started 1st, Led 95 laps(30.45%), Finished 1st in Stage 1 and 4th in Stage 2, ran 310 Laps in Top 15(99.36% of laps ran), had 122 Driver Rating (ranked 2nd)
- Notable Next Gen Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Phoenix since 2022, 36 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 7.25 Avg. Finish (Ranks 2nd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 18th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 97.77% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 1st)
- 114.5 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 2nd)
- Led 13.65% of laps he’s run (% ranks 4th)
- 1 Win, 25.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Pole, 25.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 2 Top 5’s, 50.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 3 Top 10’s, 75.0% (% ranks T3rd)
- 0 finishes outside Top 20, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 3 Stage Wins, 37.5% (% ranks 1st)
- 8 Stage T10’s, 100% (% ranks T1st)
- 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Main Points & Outlook
– William Byron is notable because of how well he performed on Small tracks last year
– At Las Vegas Byron had the biggest piece of debris in the history of ever which caused him to run only 51% of the race in the Top 15, but he was still able to end up in the Top 10, finishing 10th
– In the 2024 Ranks above he is 5th or better in 12 of the 17 statistics including having the best Avg. Finish at 9.33
– The only streak he has this year is his 3 straight Stage T10 streak he had to start the year
– At Phoenix he is on a 3 race Top 10 streak and an impressive 13 straight Stage T10 streak, the 2nd longest such streak in the Cup Series here all-time
– Last year he had the 3rd best Avg. Finish at Small tracks, the 4th best Laps in Top 15%, and the best Avg. Driver Rating with 4 Top 10’s and 3 Stage Wins in 5 races
– In the Championship race last year Byron led 30% of the race and won Stage 1, but ultimately had to settle for 4th at the finish
– He has 1 Win in the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix and has the 2nd best Avg. Finish among active drivers in the 4 races with 3 Top 10’s and a 114.5 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
As luck would have it William Byron was unlucky in Las Vegas last week as a trash bad undid his day. However, he still has decent 2024 stats and heading to a Small track is a good way to improve upon his stats as he did very well at Small tracks last year. Furthermore he’s done well at Phoenix in the Next Gen car getting 3 Top 10’s in 4 races and never finishing outside the Top 10 in a stage. This weekend expect Byron to run well, challenge for the lead all race, and probably end up in the Top 10 at the end of the day.
– William Byron is notable because of how well he performed on Small tracks last year
– At Las Vegas Byron had the biggest piece of debris in the history of ever which caused him to run only 51% of the race in the Top 15, but he was still able to end up in the Top 10, finishing 10th
– In the 2024 Ranks above he is 5th or better in 12 of the 17 statistics including having the best Avg. Finish at 9.33
– The only streak he has this year is his 3 straight Stage T10 streak he had to start the year
– At Phoenix he is on a 3 race Top 10 streak and an impressive 13 straight Stage T10 streak, the 2nd longest such streak in the Cup Series here all-time
– Last year he had the 3rd best Avg. Finish at Small tracks, the 4th best Laps in Top 15%, and the best Avg. Driver Rating with 4 Top 10’s and 3 Stage Wins in 5 races
– In the Championship race last year Byron led 30% of the race and won Stage 1, but ultimately had to settle for 4th at the finish
– He has 1 Win in the 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix and has the 2nd best Avg. Finish among active drivers in the 4 races with 3 Top 10’s and a 114.5 Avg. Driver Rating
Outlook for this weekend
As luck would have it William Byron was unlucky in Las Vegas last week as a trash bad undid his day. However, he still has decent 2024 stats and heading to a Small track is a good way to improve upon his stats as he did very well at Small tracks last year. Furthermore he’s done well at Phoenix in the Next Gen car getting 3 Top 10’s in 4 races and never finishing outside the Top 10 in a stage. This weekend expect Byron to run well, challenge for the lead all race, and probably end up in the Top 10 at the end of the day.
5th in Points – Ross Chastain
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 3 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 10.67 | T2nd of 35 | T95th of 838 |
| Best Fin. | 4th | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 21st | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.86% | T8th of 35 | T163rd of 838 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 49.38% | 13th of 35 | 298th of 796‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 82.5 | 9th of 35 | 248th of 796‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T4th of 44 | T58th of 988 |
| Poles | 0 | T3rd of 44 | T55th of 988 |
| Top 2’s | 0 | T7th of 44 | T106th of 988 |
| Top 3’s | 0 | T9th of 44 | T155th of 988 |
| Top 5’s | 1 | T3rd of 44 | T64th of 988 |
| Top 10’s | 2 | T1st of 44 | T38th of 988 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 1 | T6th of 35 | T158th of 838 |
| DNF’s¹ | 0 | T1st of 35 | T1st of 838 |
| Stage Wins | 0 | T6th of 44 | T33rd of 351* |
| Stage T10s | 3 | T5th of 44 | T53rd of 351* |
| Stage Pts | 19 | 7th of 44 | T54th of 351* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 14.33 | 10th of 35 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 0 | T8th of 44 | T47th of 351* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 3 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, Max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10’s (active streak, tied longest active streak and tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- Notable Phoenix Streaks
- 1 straight Win (active “streak”)
- 4 straight Stage T10’s (active streak)
- 2023 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Small track start, 43 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.4(12th), 75.02% of Laps ran in Top15(9th), Avg. Driver Rating 98.28(6th), 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
- Phoenix Statistics
- 2023 Fall Phoenix Race
- Finished 1st, Started 8th, Led 157 laps(50.32%), Finished 3rd in Stage 1 and 2nd in Stage 2, ran 312 Laps in Top 15(100% of laps ran), had 144.2 Driver Rating (ranked 1st)
- Notable Next Gen Phoenix Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Phoenix since 2022, 36 drivers)
- 4 Races
- 7.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 3rd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 24th
- Completed 100% of laps (% ranks T1st)
- 95.21% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 4th)
- 107.1 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 12.61% of laps he’s run (% ranks 5th)
- 1 Win, 25.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 2 Top 2’s, 50.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 3 Top 3’s, 75.0% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T8th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 5 Stage T10’s, 62.5% (% ranks T5th)
- 3.38 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 6th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Ross Chastain is notable because of how he ran in the Championship race at Phoenix last Fall
– Chastain was undone by a speeding penalty last week causing him to run just 44% of his laps in the Top 15, but a late 2 tire call with good driving got him a 4th place finish
– His 2024 stats aren’t the prettiest as even being tied for 2nd best Avg. Finish he only has 7 of the 17 2024 Ranks above being 5th or better
– The only streak he has this year is the 2 race Top 10 streak he is currently on
– His streaks are somewhat better in terms of Phoenix as he’s on a 4 straight Stage T10 streak here
– Small tracks weren’t great for him last year as he had 2 Top 3’s in 5 races and the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating, but he also had just 2 Top 15’s with 3 Finishes out of the Top 20
– At Phoenix last Fall Chastain led over 50% of the race and ran every lap in the Top 15 as he became the first driver not in the Championship 4 to win the Championship race
– In 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has 1 Win and his only finish out of the Top 3 was when Denny Hamlin took him out last Spring, but still he has the 3rd best Avg. Finish in these races among active drivers
Outlook for this weekend
Ross Chastain screwed himself over last week at Las Vegas, but his Crew Chief gambled late and it paid off with his 2nd straight Top 10 finish. Overall his 2024 stats aren’t great and heading to a Small track probably isn’t the place to get them better as he wasn’t too good on them last year. However, his good Small track races were great as his only Top 10’s were Top 3’s. In better news this is Phoenix where he’s been great in the Next Gen car and won the last Cup race contested here. Taking all this in it seems Chastain will have a good run this weekend and finish either great or out of the Top 10.
– Ross Chastain is notable because of how he ran in the Championship race at Phoenix last Fall
– Chastain was undone by a speeding penalty last week causing him to run just 44% of his laps in the Top 15, but a late 2 tire call with good driving got him a 4th place finish
– His 2024 stats aren’t the prettiest as even being tied for 2nd best Avg. Finish he only has 7 of the 17 2024 Ranks above being 5th or better
– The only streak he has this year is the 2 race Top 10 streak he is currently on
– His streaks are somewhat better in terms of Phoenix as he’s on a 4 straight Stage T10 streak here
– Small tracks weren’t great for him last year as he had 2 Top 3’s in 5 races and the 6th best Avg. Driver Rating, but he also had just 2 Top 15’s with 3 Finishes out of the Top 20
– At Phoenix last Fall Chastain led over 50% of the race and ran every lap in the Top 15 as he became the first driver not in the Championship 4 to win the Championship race
– In 4 Next Gen races at Phoenix he has 1 Win and his only finish out of the Top 3 was when Denny Hamlin took him out last Spring, but still he has the 3rd best Avg. Finish in these races among active drivers
Outlook for this weekend
Ross Chastain screwed himself over last week at Las Vegas, but his Crew Chief gambled late and it paid off with his 2nd straight Top 10 finish. Overall his 2024 stats aren’t great and heading to a Small track probably isn’t the place to get them better as he wasn’t too good on them last year. However, his good Small track races were great as his only Top 10’s were Top 3’s. In better news this is Phoenix where he’s been great in the Next Gen car and won the last Cup race contested here. Taking all this in it seems Chastain will have a good run this weekend and finish either great or out of the Top 10.
