Chase Elliott had flown relatively under the radar through the first four races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series campaign and deservedly so, with four consecutive finishes in the teens, including his best – a 12th at Las Vegas. The Hendrick Motorsports driver scored his first top 10 of the season at that wild race in Thunder Valley, and then, after a lackluster 16th-place result at Circuit of the Americas, he flipped a switch.
Fifth at Richmond. Third the following week at Martinsville. And he continued that interesting sequence of numbers in his finishes, improving two more spots in the Lone Star State and donning a cowboy hat in Victory Lane — an especially meaningful trip because it snapped his 42-race winless streak.
That win was massive for his confidence, which the 2020 champ admitted in the media center after the race. But in reality, that race was just a continuation of what he had already started back at Bristol. He’s recorded five top 10s in the first 11 races. But, more impressively, there have been four top 5s in the last five races, including a third at Martinsville and pair of fifth-place finishes at Richmond and Dover. Unsurprisingly, with his consistent high finishes, Elliott leads the way in average finishing position for all drivers at 5.8.
Chase Elliott Ahead of Tyler Reddick by a Smidge in Last 5 Races
Chase Elliott has been at the top of the field in average finishing position during the last five races but Tyler Reddick is running a very close second at 6.6. The 23XI Racing driver has actually been more consistent than his HMS counterpart during that time with five finishes of 11th or better. Elliott’s worst finish was a 15th at Talladega. The No. 45 team has four top 10s in the last five, including a fourth-place result at Texas, which Reddick thought he let slip away to Elliott on a late restart, and his first win of the year at Talladega, where he celebrated with Michael Jordan.
In third behind Reddick is Kyle Larson at 9.8, with three top 5s, including a pair of runner-up finishes at Martinsville and Dover, plus a third at Richmond. The 2021 champ’s average number is inflated because of his pair of 21st-place finishes in back-to-back races at Texas and Talladega.
And rounding out the Top 5 in average finishing position over the last five races are Martin Truex Jr. at 10.0 and William Byron at 10.2. Truex, who currently has the best average finishing position through the first 11 races at 9.4, has been consistent like he has all season, his worst finish in the last five races and worst result of the year, an 18th at Martinsville. He’s recorded two top 5s – fourth at Richmond and third at Dover.
In the latest five-race snapshot, Byron was really good in the first four events, including a pair of seventh-place finishes at Richmond and Talladega, bookending a win at Martinsville and a third place at Texas. Unfortunately, the No. 24 team’s day ended early at Dover after being collected in a crash with Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell and finished 33rd, which dramatically alters his result.
In total, that’s three HMS Chevrolets and two Toyotas — one each from Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing.
Rounding out the top 10 are: Joey Logano (10.8), followed by the big surprise in 2024, Noah Gragson (11.8), Chase Briscoe (13.0), Brad Keselowski (13.2), and Alex Bowman (15.0).
Christopher Bell and Michael McDowell Struggling in Last 5 Races
Christopher Bell is already locked into the 2024 Cup playoffs with his win at Phoenix. But a quick glance at his last five races and average finishing position of 26.0 suggest he’s anything but a contender for the title. He started at Richmond with a solid sixth-place result. Since then, it’s been disastrous, and not necessarily of his own doing, including his involvement in the crash with Wallace and Byron at Dover. Over the last four races, the JGR driver has three finishes of 34th or worse, including his 34th at Dover, which was preceded by a 35th at Martinsville and 38th at Talladega. He finished 17th at Texas.
Bell isn’t alone. After starting the season with a pair of top 10s in the first four races, Michael McDowell has cooled off considerably with an average finishing position at the bottom of the 36-car field at 29.8. In the last five races, all the Front Row Motorsports driver’s finishes are 21st or worse, including the last three results in the 30s — Texas (35th), Talladega (31st), and Dover (36th).
While Bell and McDowell’s results are not good, the last five races don’t define a team’s season. Just like Elliott and Reddick aren’t going to take their feet off the gas because they’ve done well and each won in the last five. It’s the ebb and flow of a 36-race season. And why there’s always hope of at least getting a win until that final checkered flag in Phoenix.
All visuals courtesy of Steub.com.