Welcome, in this article series we will be reviewing and rating how each driver in the NASCAR Cup series has done in the 2024 season (min. 15 races started). Each part will contain 3-4 drivers and have them grouped by organization/satellite team or car manufacturer teammate as best as possible. The review will include the drivers 2024 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2024 with season ranking since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight playoff stats, notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2024 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 (left and right turns), and Superspeedway (drafting tracks) statistics. I will grade each section and give a brief reason why, then give a short overview, all 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 driver experience.
Next up is the team that had the most wins in 2024 with 11, Hendrick Motorsports.
Hendrick Motorsports Drivers
William Byron – 3rd in Driver points/3rd in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.94 | 4th of 36 | T111th of 861 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 38th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 97.88% | 8th of 36 | T155th of 861 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 72.56 | 4th of 36 | 126th of 817‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 92.48 | 4th of 36 | 156th of 817‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T3rd of 62 | T74th of 1492 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 62 | T151st of 1492 |
| Top 2’s | 6 | T2nd of 62 | T69th of 1492 |
| Top 3’s | 11 | 1st of 62 | T36th of 1492 |
| Top 5’s | 13 | 3rd of 62 | T71st of 1492 |
| Top 10’s | 21 | T2nd of 62 | T60th of 1492 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 9 | T5th of 36 | T169th of 861 |
| DNF’s¹ | 4 | T14th of 36 | T372nd of 861 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T10th of 62 | T79th of 514* |
| Stage T10s | 46 | 1st of 62 | T27th of 514* |
| Stage Pts | 250 | 5th of 62 | T45th of 514* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 10.68 | 1st of 36 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 17 | 7th of 62 | T42nd of 514* |
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
2024 stats Grade: A
Almost all of his 2024 Ranks above are 10th or better with over half being 4th or better, so he was really good overall this year (and especially in stages) but not good enough for an A+.
- 2024 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 8.7(2nd), 93.51% of Laps ran in Top15(1st), Avg. Driver Rating 103.99(1st), Best 2nd, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 99.89%, Led 3.54% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 8 Top 10’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 16 Stage T10’s, 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 6.65, 1 Playoff Pt earned in races
2024 Playoff Grade: A+
He was great in the playoffs as he had the 2nd best Avg. Finish with the best Laps in Top15% and Avg. Driver Rating, and he was great in stages too. So, this is why even without a win he gets an A+.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes
- 7 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, longest active streak in Cup Series, tied longest streak in Cup Series this year, and tied longest streak in Next Gen car)
- 8 straight Stage T10’s (active streak, longest active streak in Cup Series)
- 2 straight DNF’s
2024 Streaks Grade: A+
He is currently tied for the longest Next Gen Top 10 streak and could surpass it in the Daytona 500 next year, this along with his other active streak and other great streaks is a no brainer A+.
- 2024 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 43 drivers)
- 7 Races, Avg. Finish 11.57(6th), 78.74% of Laps ran in Top15(4th), Avg. Driver Rating 93.36(6th), Best 1st, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 99.71%, Led 4.53% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.57 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 12.21
2024 Short track Grade: A-
He barely got an A- instead of a B+ based on his Avg. Driver Rating and Avg. Finish being 6th best, and because of his 1 win with his 4 Top 10’s in 7 races.
- 2024 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 44 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 19.0(19th), 60.68% of Laps ran in Top15(11th), Avg. Driver Rating 84.36(10th), Best 3rd, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 95.47%, Led 3.67% 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, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.6 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 9.3
2024 Small track Grade: C-
It was close between C and C- thanks to his good Avg. Stage Finish, but he ultimately gets a C- because a 19.0 Avg. Finish with just 2 Top 15’s and 1 Top 10 in 5 races with a Hendrick car is just not good.
- 2024 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 49 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 10.6(3rd), 83.0% of Laps ran in Top15(3rd), Avg. Driver Rating 101.19(5th), Best 2nd, Worst 30th, Laps Completed 99.19%, Led 3.29% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 7 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 2 Stage Wins, 4.29 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 8.38
2024 Intermediate Grade: A-
He ran really good, including a great Avg. Stage Finish in the 10 races, and he even finished almost half the races in the Top 5. However, again he did not get a win which hurt him from getting an A.
- 2024 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 14.67(10th), 85.42% of Laps ran in Top15(3rd), Avg. Driver Rating 94.27(7th), Best 2nd, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 82.36%, Led 4.56% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 6.0 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 9.5
2024 Big track Grade: B+
His Avg. Finish (and thus his 38th place DNF) is what kept him from an A- as he ran very well in the 3 Big track races and once again did very good in stages.
- 2024 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 45 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 15.2(T12th), 55.43% of Laps ran in Top15(12th), Avg. Driver Rating 86.54(10th), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 99.08%, Led 9.7% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 17.7
2024 Road Course Grade: B
His 1 win did wonders for his grade, along with his 2 Top 3 finishes, but he also had just 3 Top 15’s in 5 races and ran just a bit more than half of his laps in the Top 15. So, he ends up with a B.
- 2024 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 48 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 10.67(2nd), 61.56% of Laps ran in Top15(8th), Avg. Driver Rating 87.78(5th), Best 1st, Worst 27th, Laps Completed 99.53%, Led 0.63% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.08 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 8.83
2024 Superspeedway Grade: A-
He was really good at finishing well on Superspeedways this year, but if he would have had another Top 5 and a better percentage of laps ran in the Top 15 then you’d see him at an A instead of A-.
Overview
– Thanks to the Chevy blockade and Bell wall ride at Martinsville Byron was able to finish as the highest non-ford in the point standings
– 10 of Byron’s 17 2024 Ranks above are 4th or better and his 11 Top 3’s this year were the most of any driver
– He ran great in the playoffs and was the most consistent driver, but he didn’t get a win
– He finished the year on an 7 race Top 10 finish streak, tying the longest Next Gen Top 10 streak
– At Short tracks he ran well and finished well most of the time, but wasn’t always the best in stages
– Small tracks were a struggle for him as he only ended up with 1 Top 10 in the 5 races
– Byron ran well, did well in stages, and finished well in most of the Intermediate races; but he couldn’t get a win in the 10 races
– 2 of Byron’s 3 Big track races went well, but the other ended up in a 38th place DNF
– He didn’t always run well on Road Courses, but he was able to pick up some good finishes, including 1 win
– He opened the year with a Superspeedway win, but overall just got 2 Top 5’s in 6 races. However, he ran pretty well on them this year
– Thanks to the Chevy blockade and Bell wall ride at Martinsville Byron was able to finish as the highest non-ford in the point standings
– 10 of Byron’s 17 2024 Ranks above are 4th or better and his 11 Top 3’s this year were the most of any driver
– He ran great in the playoffs and was the most consistent driver, but he didn’t get a win
– He finished the year on an 7 race Top 10 finish streak, tying the longest Next Gen Top 10 streak
– At Short tracks he ran well and finished well most of the time, but wasn’t always the best in stages
– Small tracks were a struggle for him as he only ended up with 1 Top 10 in the 5 races
– Byron ran well, did well in stages, and finished well in most of the Intermediate races; but he couldn’t get a win in the 10 races
– 2 of Byron’s 3 Big track races went well, but the other ended up in a 38th place DNF
– He didn’t always run well on Road Courses, but he was able to pick up some good finishes, including 1 win
– He opened the year with a Superspeedway win, but overall just got 2 Top 5’s in 6 races. However, he ran pretty well on them this year
Final Grade: A-
Kyle Larson – 6th in Driver points/6th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.91 | 3rd of 36 | 108th of 861 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 39th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.33% | 24th of 36 | T422nd of 861 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 77.57 | 2nd of 36 | 67th of 817‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 101.2 | 1st of 36 | 49th of 817‡ |
| Wins | 6 | 1st of 62 | T16th of 1492 |
| Poles | 5 | 2nd of 62 | T17th of 1492 |
| Top 2’s | 8 | 1st of 62 | T36th of 1492 |
| Top 3’s | 10 | 2nd of 62 | T46th of 1492 |
| Top 5’s | 15 | T1st of 62 | T36th of 1492 |
| Top 10’s | 18 | T5th of 62 | T134th of 1492 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 10 | T9th of 36 | T224th of 861 |
| DNF’s¹ | 5 | T22nd of 36 | T526th of 861 |
| Stage Wins | 12 | 1st of 62 | T5th of 514* |
| Stage T10s | 44 | T3rd of 62 | T36th of 514* |
| Stage Pts | 312 | 1st of 62 | 11th of 514* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 11.26 | 3rd of 36 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 42 | 1st of 62 | 8th of 514* |
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
2024 stats Grade: A+
His only bad 2024 Ranks above are his 5 DNF’s, 10 finishes out of Top 20, and 95.33 Completed Lap%. Other than that all of his ranks are 5th or better with most being T3rd or better. So, that is deserving of an A+.
- 2024 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 11.2(4th), 70.49% of Laps ran in Top15(7th), Avg. Driver Rating 98.36(3rd), Best 1st, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 92.4%, Led 23.83% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 0 Poles, 3 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF’s, 2 Stage Wins, 12 Stage T10’s, 2.95 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 15.35, 12 Playoff Pts earned in races
2024 Playoff Grade: A
He was right on the cusp of A or A- as he had a great Avg. Driver Rating and Avg. Finish with 2 Wins and he lead 24% of the Playoff laps he ran, but he also had a mediocre Avg. Stage Finish and just 5 Top 10’s. However, the good stats were good enough to get an A.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 3 straight Poles (longest streak in Cup Series this year, tied longest streak in Next Gen car, and tied 12th longest streak in Cup Series all-time)
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes (active streak)
- 2 straight Stage Wins (tied 15th longest streak in Cup Series all-time)
- 4 straight Stage T10’s (active streak)
- 7 straight Stage T10’s
2024 Streaks Grade: B
He had a great 3 straight Pole streak this year and finished with a couple different active streak and also didn’t have a DNF streak this year. However, his longest Top 10 streak was only 2 races which is why he gets a B.
- 2024 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 43 drivers)
- 7 Races, Avg. Finish 7.86(3rd), 92.61% of Laps ran in Top15(1st), Avg. Driver Rating 113.69(1st), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 98.83%, Led 28.88% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 3 Poles, 4 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 6 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 5 Stage Wins, 7.0 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 4.43
2024 Short track Grade: A+
The only blemish in the stats above is that there were not more wins, but finishing over half the Short track races in the Top 3 while averaging a Top 5 in stages is definitely deserving of an A+.
- 2024 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 44 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 6.8(1st), 84.58% of Laps ran in Top15(6th), Avg. Driver Rating 96.48(7th), Best 2nd, Worst 14th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 3.76% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 2.6 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 10.6
2024 Small track Grade: A
His Avg. Finish was incredibly impressive as is the fact that he finished every race in the Top 15, but his Avg. Stage Finish wasn’t that great and his other in-race stats were just good. So, he gets an A.
- 2024 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 49 drivers)
- 9 Races, Avg. Finish 13.22(8th), 73.93% of Laps ran in Top15(7th), Avg. Driver Rating 106.74(1st), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 98.42%, Led 23.46% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 6 Top 15’s, 3 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 6 Stage Wins, 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 11.17
2024 Intermediate Grade: A-
He only got 4 Top 10’s in 9 races and his Avg. Finish in races and stages almost got him a B+. However, he also had the best Avg. Driver Rating of any driver, 2 Wins and 6 Stage Wins in 18 stages so he gets an A-.
- 2024 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 16.0(11th), 76.24% of Laps ran in Top15(7th), Avg. Driver Rating 95.23(5th), Best 1st, Worst 34th, Laps Completed 82.93%, Led 11.09% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.33 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 18.0
2024 Big track Grade: B-
His Avg. Finish, just 1 Top 10, and Avg. Stage Finish really hurt his grade, but what kept him from getting anything worse was his Avg. Driver Rating, Win, and Laps Led%.
- 2024 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 45 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.0(9th), 76.21% of Laps ran in Top15(3rd), Avg. Driver Rating 103.84(1st), Best 1st, Worst 39th, Laps Completed 94.28%, Led 19.66% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 14.9
2024 Road Course Grade: A
His Avg. Finish isn’t too impressive and neither is his 2 Top 10’s in 5 races. However, his Laps in Top 15%, Avg. Driver Rating, and 2 Wins are very impressive so he gets an A.
- 2024 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 48 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 21.0(T26th), 65.88% of Laps ran in Top15(5th), Avg. Driver Rating 83.03(8th), Best 4th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 80.36%, Led 2.93% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 4 Finishes out of Top 20, 2 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4.17 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 13.5
2024 Superspeedway Grade: C-
What saved him from a D+ is his Laps in Top 15% and stage stats. However, just 1 Top 10 and a 21.0 Avg. Finish with 4 finishes out of the Top 20 is not very good for someone in Hendrick equipment.
Overview
– Thanks to an inconsistent Playoffs and a bad Round of 8 Larson finished 6th in points
– Larson has 13 of his 17 2024 Ranks above being 3rd or better, which includes him having the best Avg. Driver Rating and being tied for 5th most Stage Wins all time
– Despite being inconsistent he still had pretty good Playoff stats, but only had a Top 10 in half the races
– His longest Top 10 streak this year was the same as his longest Top 2 streak, just 2 races
– He was great on Short tracks as he ran great and finished great more times than not
– His Small track stats weren’t great in terms of runs, but he was able to put together good finishes
– Despite missing a race Larson still tied for the most Wins on Intermediates this year
– Larson didn’t run terrible on Big tracks, but his stages weren’t good and neither were 2 of his 3 finishes
– His 2 Road Course wins were his only Top 10’s, but overall he ran pretty well on them
– He had a typical Superspeedway season for him as he ran decently well, but finished poorly in most races.
– Thanks to an inconsistent Playoffs and a bad Round of 8 Larson finished 6th in points
– Larson has 13 of his 17 2024 Ranks above being 3rd or better, which includes him having the best Avg. Driver Rating and being tied for 5th most Stage Wins all time
– Despite being inconsistent he still had pretty good Playoff stats, but only had a Top 10 in half the races
– His longest Top 10 streak this year was the same as his longest Top 2 streak, just 2 races
– He was great on Short tracks as he ran great and finished great more times than not
– His Small track stats weren’t great in terms of runs, but he was able to put together good finishes
– Despite missing a race Larson still tied for the most Wins on Intermediates this year
– Larson didn’t run terrible on Big tracks, but his stages weren’t good and neither were 2 of his 3 finishes
– His 2 Road Course wins were his only Top 10’s, but overall he ran pretty well on them
– He had a typical Superspeedway season for him as he ran decently well, but finished poorly in most races.
Final Grade: A-
Chase Elliott – 7th in Driver points/7th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.72 | 1st of 36 | 58th of 861 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 36th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.5% | 3rd of 36 | T90th of 861 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 74.74 | 3rd of 36 | 96th of 817‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 93.05 | 3rd of 36 | 144th of 817‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T8th of 62 | T163rd of 1492 |
| Poles | 0 | T16th of 62 | T297th of 1492 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T9th of 62 | T159th of 1492 |
| Top 3’s | 6 | 8th of 62 | T141st of 1492 |
| Top 5’s | 11 | 7th of 62 | T115th of 1492 |
| Top 10’s | 19 | 4th of 62 | T110th of 1492 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 4 | 1st of 36 | T8th of 861 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T1st of 36 | T98th of 861 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T10th of 62 | T79th of 514* |
| Stage T10s | 45 | 2nd of 62 | T31st of 514* |
| Stage Pts | 236 | 7th of 62 | T57th of 514* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 10.96 | 2nd of 36 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 7 | T10th of 62 | T80th of 514* |
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
2024 stats Grade: A
He is tied for the 8th least finishes out of the Top 20 since 2004 which is really good, and most of his stats are good, but his 1 Win and other Top X’s stats weren’t good enough for an A+.
- 2024 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 12.0(5th), 81.12% of Laps ran in Top15(3rd), Avg. Driver Rating 96.12(4th), Best 2nd, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 98.49%, Led 7.98% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 7 Top 10’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 14 Stage T10’s, 3.9 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 9.75, 1 Playoff Pt earned in races
2024 Playoff Grade: A
In comparison with Ryan Blaney (who got an A) Elliott was a little better with his Avg. Finish and in-race stats, but Blaney had better great finishes. So, they get the same grade.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 3 finishes
- 3 straight Top 5 finishes
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak)
- 2 straight Stage T10’s (active streak)
- 9 straight Stage T10’s (longest streak in Cup Series this year)
2024 Streaks Grade: B
He had the longest Stage T10 streak of any Cup driver this year and ended up with a 3 race Top 10 streak at the end of the year, but this was also tied longest of the year for him so he gets a B.
- 2024 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 43 drivers)
- 7 Races, Avg. Finish 4.57(1st), 87.79% of Laps ran in Top15(2nd), Avg. Driver Rating 106.46(3rd), Best 2nd, Worst 9th, Laps Completed 99.97%, Led 6.79% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Top 3’s, 5 Top 5’s, 7 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 3.43 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 8.86
2024 Short track Grade: A+
He had the best Avg. Finish on Short tracks with over half the races finishing in a Top 3 for him, and he finished every race in the Top 10 with good runs to boot. So, yeah he gets an A+.
- 2024 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 44 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 12.6(T7th), 86.04% of Laps ran in Top15(5th), Avg. Driver Rating 98.0(6th), Best 5th, Worst 19th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 3.06% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 4.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 6.5
2024 Small track Grade: B+
None of his stats are too bad, in fact his stages were really good and what kept him at a B+. However, he had just 1 Top 5 and 2 Top 10’s in 5 races so he just gets a B+ instead of an A-.
- 2024 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 49 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 11.1(4th), 63.45% of Laps ran in Top15(11th), Avg. Driver Rating 87.59(9th), Best 1st, Worst 33rd, Laps Completed 98.7%, Led 4.33% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 8 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.05 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 12.48
2024 Intermediate Grade: B
He had a pretty good Avg. Finish on Intermediates this year, but his Avg. Stage Finish isn’t too great and neither are his 5 Top 10’s or his in-race stats. So, he ends up with a B.
- 2024 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 11.33(5th), 78.61% of Laps ran in Top15(6th), Avg. Driver Rating 103.03(4th), Best 9th, Worst 15th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 5.63% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 5.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 6.67
2024 Big track Grade: B+
If he would have gotten a Top 5 he probably would be at an A- because his runs on Big tracks were pretty good, but his best finish was only 9th. However, his consistency still gets him a B+.
- 2024 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 45 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 13.0(5th), 69.57% of Laps ran in Top15(6th), Avg. Driver Rating 90.76(8th), Best 4th, Worst 21st, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.69% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.8 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 14.9
2024 Road Course Grade: B
He only had 2 Top 10’s in 5 races, but those were Top 5’s and overall his Avg. Finish was good on Road Courses along with his in-races stats as well. So, he gets a B.
- 2024 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 48 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 19.5(T21st), 61.89% of Laps ran in Top15(7th), Avg. Driver Rating 79.32(10th), Best 8th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 91.52%, Led 1.63% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10, 4 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 3.25 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 13.33
2024 Superspeedway Grade: C-
When you compare Elliott to his teammate Larson the way Elliott ran wasn’t as good, but he was able to get more Top 15’s than his teammate with less Top 5’s. So, they get the same grade.
Overview
– Elliott was able to make the Round of 8, but he couldn’t make it out and finished 7th in points
– Elliott had just 1 Win on the year, but 16 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are T10th or better with 9 of them being 4th or better
– He ran well in the playoffs and had mostly good finishes, but he lacked great finishes
– His longest Top 10 streak was only 3 races, but he a 2 race Top 3 streak and the longest Stage T10 streak this year at 9
– He was great in the 7 Short track races as he ran well, did well in stages, and finished every race in the Top 10
– At Small tracks this year he ran better than he finished for the most part
– Elliott only got a Top 10 in half the Intermediate races and didn’t run great, but he did have a really good Avg. Finish
– At Big tracks Elliott wasn’t all that bad, especially in stages, but his best finish was only 9th in the 3 races
– He ran decently well on Road Courses this year and got 2 Top 5’s, but those were his only Top 15 finishes in the 5 races
– Superspeedways races were okay for him as he ran okay, but couldn’t get many good finishes
– Elliott was able to make the Round of 8, but he couldn’t make it out and finished 7th in points
– Elliott had just 1 Win on the year, but 16 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are T10th or better with 9 of them being 4th or better
– He ran well in the playoffs and had mostly good finishes, but he lacked great finishes
– His longest Top 10 streak was only 3 races, but he a 2 race Top 3 streak and the longest Stage T10 streak this year at 9
– He was great in the 7 Short track races as he ran well, did well in stages, and finished every race in the Top 10
– At Small tracks this year he ran better than he finished for the most part
– Elliott only got a Top 10 in half the Intermediate races and didn’t run great, but he did have a really good Avg. Finish
– At Big tracks Elliott wasn’t all that bad, especially in stages, but his best finish was only 9th in the 3 races
– He ran decently well on Road Courses this year and got 2 Top 5’s, but those were his only Top 15 finishes in the 5 races
– Superspeedways races were okay for him as he ran okay, but couldn’t get many good finishes
Final Grade: B+
Alex Bowman – 9th in Driver points/9th in Owner points
| Category | Statistic | 2024 Rank | ªRank Thru 36 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 14.75 | 8th of 36 | T206th of 861 |
| Best Fin. | 1st | — | — |
| Worst Fin. | 38th | — | — |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.36% | 19th of 36 | 323rd of 861 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 59.78 | 12th of 36 | 246th of 817‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 81.3 | 12th of 36 | 293rd of 817‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T8th of 62 | T163rd of 1492 |
| Poles | 1 | T9th of 62 | T151st of 1492 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T11th of 62 | T204th of 1492 |
| Top 3’s | 3 | T12th of 62 | T238th of 1492 |
| Top 5’s | 8 | T9th of 62 | T194th of 1492 |
| Top 10’s | 17 | 8th of 62 | T163rd of 1492 |
| Finish out Top 20¹ | 8 | T3rd of 36 | T120th of 861 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T7th of 36 | T232nd of 861 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T14th of 62 | T103rd of 514* |
| Stage T10s | 32 | 9th of 62 | T82nd of 514* |
| Stage Pts | 163 | 11th of 62 | 83rd of 514* |
| Avg. Stage Fin.¹ | 13.71 | 9th of 36 | — |
| Playoff Pts² | 6 | T12th of 62 | T92nd of 514* |
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
2024 stats Grade: B-
His Avg. Finish is not too bad and he did great at finishing in the Top 20, but his in-race stats are not that good and he didn’t do a good enough job of getting great finishes which is why he has a B- instead of a B.
- 2024 Playoff Statistics (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 5+ Playoff starts, 36 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 13.1(6th), 85.87% of Laps ran in Top15(2nd), Avg. Driver Rating 92.96(7th), Best 5th, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 1.91% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 13 Stage T10’s, 3.6 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 10.95, 1 Playoff Pt earned in races
2024 Playoff Grade: B+
He was really good at running in the Top 15 in the Playoffs and had a decently good Avg. Driver Rating with Avg. Finish, but he only had 2 Top 5’s and a Top 10 in half of the playoff races. So, he gets a B+.
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 3 finishes
- 5 straight Top 10 finishes
- 8 straight Stage T10’s
2024 Streaks Grade: B+
Having 5 straight Top 10 finishes and 8 straight Stage T10’s is good, but the best Top 3 streak he had was just 2 races and he finished with no actives streaks. So, he ends up with an B+.
- 2024 Short track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Short Track start, 43 drivers)
- 7 Races, Avg. Finish 12.43(8th), 68.32% of Laps ran in Top15(9th), Avg. Driver Rating 85.01(10th), Best 4th, Worst 28th, Laps Completed 99.94%, Led 1.2% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 4 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.36 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 12.07
2024 Short track Grade: B-
He wasn’t bad on Short tracks this year, but he wasn’t too good either. He ran decent in the races and got 4 Top 10’s, but his best finish was just 4th.
- 2024 Small track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Small Track start, 44 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 21.2(23rd), 67.97% of Laps ran in Top15(10th), Avg. Driver Rating 68.9(20th), Best 8th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 89.55%, Led 0.07% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 1 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 1.3 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 16.8
2024 Small track Grade: D+
A Hendrick driver having a 21.2 Avg. Finish and a measly 68.9 Avg. Driver Rating with only 1 Top 10 in 5 races is not good at all. Throw in a poor Avg. Stage Finish and you get a D+.
- 2024 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate Track start, 49 drivers)
- 10 Races, Avg. Finish 13.0(T6th), 58.73% of Laps ran in Top15(14th), Avg. Driver Rating 84.16(10th), Best 5th, Worst 37th, Laps Completed 93.79%, Led 0.34% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 6 Top 10’s, 7 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 1.95 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 13.38
2024 Intermediate Grade: B-
His Avg. Finish was pretty good, but his in-race stats again were lacking along with the fact he had just 1 Top 5 finish in the 10 races, so he ends up with a B-.
- 2024 Big track Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Big Track start, 40 drivers)
- 3 Races, Avg. Finish 20.33(T23rd), 63.5% of Laps ran in Top15(10th), Avg. Driver Rating 77.6(14th), Best 3rd, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 98.69%, Led 0.00% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 1 Top 15, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 2.5 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 9.33
2024 Big track Grade: C+
What gives him a C+ instead of a C is his 1 Top 3 finish and his incredible Avg. Stage Finish, but still his other in-race stats, just 1 Top 15, and Avg. Finish are not too good.
- 2024 Road Course Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Road Course start, 45 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 15.2(T12th), 52.63% of Laps ran in Top15(13th), Avg. Driver Rating 88.16(9th), Best 1st, Worst 38th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 3.2% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 3.2 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 16.5
2024 Road Course Grade: B
He barely ran over half his laps in the Top 15 and was tied for the 12th best Avg. Finish, but his Avg. Driver Rating was good and he ended up with a Win and 2 Top 5’s to give him a B.
- 2024 Superspeedway Stats (Avg. Fin. rank among drivers with 1+ Superspeedway start, 48 drivers)
- 6 Races, Avg. Finish 11.83(4th), 49.84% of Laps ran in Top15(12th), Avg. Driver Rating 78.68(12th), Best 2nd, Worst 27th, Laps Completed 99.61%, Led 0.47% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 3 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.42 Stage Pts Per Stage, Avg. Stage Finish 13.5
2024 Superspeedway Grade: B-
He had a really good Avg. Finish on these tracks with 3 Top 5 finishes in the 6 races, but he also ran less than half his laps in the Top 15 and had just an okay Avg. Driver Rating. So, he gets a B-.
Overview
– Bowman was able to make the Round of 8, until a DQ changed that which ended up having him finish 9th in points
– 9 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are 10th or better with his worst rank being 19th (96.36 Laps Completed%)
– He ran a lot of laps in the Top 15 in the Playoffs, but he ended up getting a Top 10 in only half the races with 0 Top 3’s
– His streaks weren’t bad this year as he had an impressive Stage T10 streak and a pretty good Top 10 finish streak
– He ran decent and finished decent on Short tracks this year, but he had just 1 Top 5 in 7 races
– His Laps in Top 15% on Small tracks was decent, but the rest of his stats on these tracks was very lacking
– Bowman ran decent-ish on Intermediates this year and finished half the races in the Top 10, but he got just 1 Top 5 in 10 races
– Again Bowman was decent on Big tracks with good stages, but his finishes were lacking in 2 of the 3 races
– His runs were decent on Road Courses despite not running in the Top 15 too much
– Half his finishes on Superspeedways were great, but his runs weren’t always the best
– Bowman was able to make the Round of 8, until a DQ changed that which ended up having him finish 9th in points
– 9 of his 17 2024 Ranks above are 10th or better with his worst rank being 19th (96.36 Laps Completed%)
– He ran a lot of laps in the Top 15 in the Playoffs, but he ended up getting a Top 10 in only half the races with 0 Top 3’s
– His streaks weren’t bad this year as he had an impressive Stage T10 streak and a pretty good Top 10 finish streak
– He ran decent and finished decent on Short tracks this year, but he had just 1 Top 5 in 7 races
– His Laps in Top 15% on Small tracks was decent, but the rest of his stats on these tracks was very lacking
– Bowman ran decent-ish on Intermediates this year and finished half the races in the Top 10, but he got just 1 Top 5 in 10 races
– Again Bowman was decent on Big tracks with good stages, but his finishes were lacking in 2 of the 3 races
– His runs were decent on Road Courses despite not running in the Top 15 too much
– Half his finishes on Superspeedways were great, but his runs weren’t always the best
Final Grade: B-
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 “2024 Season in Review: *team name*”. Compare and contrast between my numbers based review and their more eye test review with outlook for 2025 and overall team grade.
