First Last 5 Races Analysis After Dover

Let’s take a look at the first-ever Last 5 Races analysis we did in May that followed races at Richmond, Martinsville, Texas, Talladega, and Dover. Chase Elliott held the top spot and was followed by Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. and William Byron to close out the top 5.

But going further down and you can see Brad Keselowski came in at 9th with an average finishing position of 13.2 and Christopher Bell was an abysmal 30th with an average finishing position of 26.0.

Latest Last 5 Races Analysis

Now, let’s skip forward to this week’s edition and look who’s in first and second. Keselowski has had a great run in the last 5 weeks with all five results inside the top 15, and three of them inside the top 5, including his win at Darlington.

And look at CBell. He’s now in second with an average finishing position almost 19 spots better than after Dover at 7.2.

Elliott has been Mr. Consistency and has remained inside the top 3 for every analysis. I think it’s interesting to see how Denny Hamlin is still inside the top 5 despite finishing last at Sonoma. But there are some other interesting names cracking our top 10 for the first time, including Michael McDowell, who finished second at Sonoma, and Todd Gilliland, who tied with Chris Buescher at 10th with an AFP of 14.4.

The post By the Numbers – Last 5 NASCAR Cup Series Races (Kansas to Sonoma) appeared first on Beating and Banging.

If you’re a team owner, what driver might you consider bringing into your stable? Here’s a look at the four drivers in a side-by-side comparison.

Ryan Preece is the veteran of the group with 165 starts to his credit, followed by Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, and Josh Berry. The most startling number comes from the driver with the most starts and that’s Preece and his 29 DNFs. Comparing it with Briscoe, who has 43 fewer races, it’s dramatic. However, Gragson has had his share as well and is actually on pace to top Preece’s number.

As we all know, the most important stat is wins, and Briscoe got that one at Phoenix in 2022. But sticking with the No. 14 pilot and the rest of his numbers clearly show he’s at the top of the SHR drivers with 11 career top 5s, 26 top 10s, and the two poles.

When comparing the other drivers, it’s also interesting to see how both Berry and Gragson have a pair of top 5s in their short careers compared to the three by Preece. Looking at the number of top 10s, Berry and Gragson are both almost to the halfway mark of Preece’s 12 top 10s.

The big takeaway is if any team owner is looking to hire an SHR driver, Briscoe is unquestionably the best choice based on the stats. However, Gragson and Berry, specifically here lately, have both shown flashes of quality and a team looking to grow with an up-and-coming driver might opt for either of the two guys.

Last 5 Races Analysis After Charlotte

It’s the fourth edition of our Last 5 Races analysis and, for the first time, there’s a change at the top. In the first three reviews, Chase Elliott held steady and maintained the top spot for best average finishing position, starting at Dover, where he slightly outpaced Tyler Reddick at 5.8 compared to the 23XI Racing driver’s 6.6.

A week later, Elliott had actually improved his stranglehold on the top spot, improving to 5.4 while Reddick still held second but dropped two full spots to 8.6. After his 12th place result at Darlington, Elliott’s average dropped to 7.2 but he was still on top and ahead of Brad Keselowski by two full spots.

That, however, has changed this week and the 2020 champion has been supplanted by one of his teammates and it’s not who most people think. It’s not Kyle Larson or William Byron, but Alex Bowman who now claims the top spot with an average of 7.4, with five consecutive finishes inside the top 10, including his best, a fifth at Talladega.

Elliott is now in second for the first time with an 8.4 average finish. He’s followed by Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, who jumped from 10th to fourth and Martin Truex Jr. comes in at fifth at 11.0 even. Interestingly, Truex held the fourth position in the first three editions of our Last 5 races analysis.

Josh Berry comes in at sixth at 11.6 and is the biggest mover, jumping up from 13th and an AFP of 16.8 after Darlington. He is followed by Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Noah Gragson, who dropped from third in our last analysis, and William Byron.

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Wins are most important and Chevrolet is leading the way at seven, with the Toyotas close behind at 5. Brad Keselowski erased the goose egg for the Blue Ovals at Darlington. 

Interestingly, of the top metrics measured, Ford is fairly equal to the other two, and even better in second-place finishes. The Toyotas lagging in Top-20 results is the most significant gap between manufacturers.  

How Have NASCAR Cup Teams-Drivers Done in First Half of Regular Season?

Through the first 13 races, it’s been the Hendrick Motorsports-Joe Gibbs Racing Show. Chase Elliott has been Mr. Consistency the first half of the season, batting a perfect .1000 and the only driver to finish inside the top 20 in every race. If we had done this last week, Martin Truex Jr. would have joined Elliott at 13 but his 25th place at Darlington ended that streak. 

Tied for third with 11 top 20s are Alex Bowman, Ty Gibbs, and Ross Chastain. And rounding out the top 10 in top 20s with 10 apiece are Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe, and Noah Gragson. 

When it comes to top 10s, there are some names here that weren’t inside the top 20s, including Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Larson. Interestingly, at the top of this category are two of Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates, William Byron and Alex Bowman with eight apiece. 

When it comes to top-5 finishes, Larson sits atop all alone with six, and is followed by Elliott, Hamlin, and Keselowski with five each. The rest of those in the top 10 are many of the same cast of characters with the addition of reigning Cup Series champ Ryan Blaney. When he’s good, he’s really good. 

Average Finishing Position for NASCAR Cup Series

Combining all those wins, top 5s, top 10s, top 20s, and every other finishing position for all 13 races, and we produce our average finishing position. 

Chase Elliott is third on the HMS totem pole when it comes to wins with just the one at Texas, but has the best average finishing position of 9.8.  Truex is on the No. 9’s heels at 10.2 and then there’s a gap of two positions before Ty Gibbs comes in at No. 3. The 21-year-old has been impressive this year with his four top 5s, including his career-best runner-up finish last weekend at Darlington. 

A pair of HMS drivers follow in William Byron and Kyle Larson, and are followed by an interesting pairing of Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman. The JGR driver has received a lot of attention and deservedly so with his three wins. But his 12.7 average finishing position is tied with Bowman, who has received a lot less attention because he’s the fourth car at HMS. The 48’s numbers show outside of a couple of rough finishes at Texas and Atlanta, Bowman has been pretty good with eight top 10s and four inside the top 5. 

Ross Chastain is next at 13.5 and the first Ford inside the top 10 in average running position is a surprise. It’s not Keselowski or Ryan Blaney, but Chase Briscoe at 14.5. Tyler Reddick rounds out the top 10.

Rookie of the Year Candidates

This year’s candidates are: Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar, and Zane Smith.  

The No. 71 team has struggled all season with just two finishes inside the top 20. Unless something dramatically changes, Smith is out of the running. 

It’s down to Berry and Hocevar, and at this juncture in the season, it’s a close one, but based on average finishing position alone, Berry edges out the 21-year-old by one spot. 

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“Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace,” Keselowski said. “That’s easy. They got the two biggest fanbases. If you get those two mad at each other, that’d be great.”

Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch Have a Rivalry That Dates Back Years

Brad Keselowski knows a little something about rivalries. He has had one of the longest in the sport with Kyle Busch. Back in 2010, the young Keselowski let it be known what he thought of his counterpart during driver intros at Bristol.

“Brad Keselowski, driver of the Penske Racing Dodge,” he paused. “Kyle Busch is an ass.”

There was more where that came from, including back in 2017 on Twitter when the former JGR driver didn’t sugarcoat what he thought of Keselowski’s comments on “NASCAR letting a manufacturer get this far ahead since the 1970s.” Busch replied: “STFU.”

Brad Keselowski Adds Latest Chapter With Kyle Busch

During the rain delay at Kansas before the May 5 race, Brad Keselowski and his RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher hung out in the team hauler playing a friendly game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, which was shared on the team’s X account. The RFK co-owner also shared his thoughts on his own account, including a video revealing his rivalry with Busch is still alive and well.

Sorry @KyleBusch pic.twitter.com/GtrRHgUesb

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) May 5, 2024

“I was just telling these guys that I can eat these now since they stopped sponsoring Kyle Busch,” he admitted, holding a bag of M&Ms in his hand.

Both drivers have been running better as of late. That’s when rivalries matter the most. In a 2024 season that’s been full of action and historic finishes in the first dozen races, it wouldn’t be bad to bring back an old rivalry from the vault to add a little more spice to season.

The post Brad Keselowski Hilariously Reminds Fans of His Rivalry With Kyle Busch During Kansas Rain Delay appeared first on Beating and Banging.

Through the first 11 races in 2023, the veteran had a single Top 10, 2 finishes in the teens and five finishes of 30th or worse for an average finishing position of 23.7. This season, Gragson has those four top 10s, one inside the top 5, and three finishes of 30th or worse for an average finishing position of 17.3. Definitely an improvement in the No. 10 car in 2024.

Against the rest of his SHR team, Gragson’s performance has been equally impressive. It’s arguable that the 25-year-old is the best in the four-car organization with Chase Briscoe his closest competition, recording four top 10s of his own but no top 5s, one finish higher than 30th, and an average finishing position of 14.7. 

Noah Gragson vs. 2024 Cup Series Field

Through 11 races in 2023, Noah Gragson had struggled mightily, recording more finishes of 30th or worse than top 20s. To be exact, the Legacy Motor Club driver had six finishes worse than 30th, including a painful consecutive five-race stretch from Richmond to Dover, where his best finish was 30th at Martinsville. He had only a pair of top 20s, a 12th at Atlanta and a 20th at COTA.

This year, Gragson’s first at SHR, his dramatic turnaround is not only better than last year’s results through 11 races, but better than some of the bigger names in the Cup Series. His 17.3 average finishing position is tied with two-time champion Joey Logano and better than Bubba Wallace (17.9), Daniel Suarez (18.3), Christopher Bell (19.4), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (23.6) and Michael McDowell (25.0).

Just because the No. 10 has started strong in 2024 doesn’t mean there won’t be a few bumps in the road. That’s the case for every team each season. But based on Gragson’s results early in 2024, and more specifically, his attitude and the confidence he carries with him to the race track each weekend, those bumps will not turn into mountains because the SHR driver has matured inside and outside the race car.

The numbers clearly back it up.

The post Noah Gragson Off to Strong Start in 2024 Compared to Other Drivers and His Predecessor appeared first on Beating and Banging.

NEWS | Coca-Cola 600 winner Ryan @Blaney visits Arlington National Cemetery to lay wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

FULL STORY : https://t.co/sZLylpZmt9 pic.twitter.com/SbLAsTPtdU

— Charlotte Motor Speedway (@CLTMotorSpdwy) May 2, 2024

Blaney joined Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter and North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson in laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, continuing an annual tradition for the defending Coke 600 race winner to kick off Military Appreciation Month.

Ryan Blaney Talks About Experience

After his visit to the national cemetery was complete, the Team Penske X account shared a video of the 30-year-old driver talking about his moving experience.

A recap of @Blaney’s day at @ArlingtonNatl. pic.twitter.com/DuzG9f9lLy

— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) May 1, 2024

“We just finished up our day at the Arlington National Cemetery and what an unbelievable experience,” he said. “Very, very humbling for sure, to be able to witness the changing of the guard, to be part of the wreath ceremony was absolutely incredible. Appreciate everybody out here for letting us come visit. Appreciate Charlotte Motor Speedway for tagging along with me out here. Looking forward to getting back to the 600 on this Memorial Day weekend, and really honoring the men and women who have served and who have given their lives. Unbelievable day.”

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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.

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When it comes to statistics, the one that everyone cares about the most is wins. The drivers from Hendrick Motorsports are leading the way with William Byron (11 wins) followed by Kyle Larson (8), Denny Hamlin (7), with Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick — the only non-big team driver — all recording six wins each.

The numbers are interesting because they remind everyone that Elliott had a really good season in 2022 before last year’s performance, which was hindered by his time away from the car due to injury and suspension.

What makes these win totals even more interesting is when you combine the victories for each team all together. It definitely paints a more complete picture. In 82 races, HMS has won 26 times while JGR has recorded 17 victories. Team Penske is third at nine, followed by a tie for fourth, between Trackhouse and Richard Childress Racing with seven wins apiece (Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch’s numbers are combined in the No. 8 car).

Rounding out the team win totals is 23XI Racing at five, including three from Reddick, followed by RFK Racing  — all of them Chris Buescher —and Stewart-Haas Racing coming in with three. The teams with one win each include: Kaulig Racing, Front Row Motorsports, JTG Daugherty, and Legacy Motor Club.

By the percentages, it’s even more eye-opening with the top two teams winning more than 50% of the time — HMS winning almost a third of the time at 31.7% and JGR standing in Victory Lane 20.7%.

Individual Driver Numbers Reveal Crazy Kyle Larson Stat

When looking at individual statistics, wins are the most important, but it’s all the other numbers combined that ultimately determine whether or not a race ends in Victory Lane. And unsurprisingly, many of the winning drivers have the best numbers in many of these categories. In average finishing position, Chase Elliott is top of the board at 12.5, and is followed by Byron (12.9), Martin Truex Jr. (13.6), Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell (tied at 13.9) and Ross Chastain (14.0).

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the agony of defeat or DNFs. The fewest includes some surprising names. Elliott has lowest number at five, followed by Justin Haley at six and Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney tied for third with seven each.

But the biggest surprise in all of the numbers through 82 races comes in the most DNFs category. Unsurprisingly, Austin Dillon, whose struggles have been well-documented over the last year-plus, is the leader in this unfortunate category at 17. The shocker is who is sitting at No. 2 and it’s the same driver with the second-most wins in Kyle Larson, who has failed to finish 15 times. Larson is followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (13) and both 23XI Racing drivers of Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick (12 each).

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A couple of days after watching Michael Jordan make his first-ever trip to Victory Lane and celebrate with Tyler Reddick and the 23XI Racing crew for its first win of 2024 at Talladega, the rookie Fox analyst appeared on “NASCAR Race Hub” and said the fourth-year team is unquestionably heading in the right direction, and one of the reasons is because the organization has a distinct advantage over its competition.

Why Michael Jordan is more than another celebrity NASCAR owner. ⁦@NASCARONFOX⁩https://t.co/77ZkusmnYt

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 24, 2024

“What it is, is it’s an advantage and I’ll tell you why it’s an advantage,” Harvick told fellow analyst Jamie McMurray and show host Shannon Spake. “Because there are a lot of people who want to work for Michael Jordan. You walk into his shop that he and Denny have built, it’s beautiful. From the outside it’s a beautiful working environment. And when you have an owner that’s willing to lean in like that, show up to the racetrack, show up to the sponsor meetings, whatever it is, you have a massive advantage to build your team to be better than everybody else.”

Kevin Harvick Is Absolutely Right

Kevin Harvick saying “massive advantage” might even be an understatement when you think about it. Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the most famous athlete on the planet. That popularity allows him to walk into any board room or meeting and he’s already established as a proven success on an off the court before he sits down. His brand is also one of the most recognizable in the world. That’s why he’s worth $3.2 billion — that’s with a B. Who wouldn’t want to associate with a winner?

"The best thing that I've seen this year is Michael Jordan in Victory Lane." @KevinHarvick loved the emotion from MJ and Tyler Reddick at Talladega.@KaitlynVincie | @MambaSmith34 | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/cpe1ugRaHA

— HarvickHappyHour (@HarvickHappyPod) April 24, 2024

In addition to board rooms and bringing in sponsorship revenue, which is critical for any team’s survival, Jordan’s association with the team brings something else to the table, as Harvick suggested, including the top mechanics, engineers, and any other position affiliated with a Cup team. The best of the best want to work for the best.

And the end result is six wins in three years and 10 races. Championships are likely in the future. Jordan won’t accept anything less.

The post Kevin Harvick Calls Out 23XI Racing’s ‘Massive Advantage’ Over Competition appeared first on Beating and Banging.

@HailieDeegan and her crew were not happy after @TALLADEGA because they felt fellow Ford driver @rileyherbst had done her dirty. Here's the radio communication. pic.twitter.com/9j9R4tmWU5

— Kyle Dalton (@kdsportswriter) April 21, 2024

“I don’t know why the 98 did that at all,” Deegan’s spotter said over the team radio. “That was a really bad move. Good job all day. We capitalized like we needed to.”

“10-4,” she replied and paused. “F***!” the driver said, expressing her frustration. 

“He wasn’t ever going to stay with us,” her spotter suggested. “That’s his MO. P12. Good job all day.” 

“Are you f******* kidding me? 12th?” Deegan said in disbelief. A minute later, she called out Herbst and his move. “I can’t believe the 98 did that.” 

“I can,” another member of her team said. “He does it every time. It don’t matter who it is. He does it to everybody. Every time he will not help anybody out. He’s all about himself.”

Denny Hamlin Offers His Opinion on the Deegan-Herbst Move

Denny Hamlin isn’t one that sugarcoats what’s on his mind. He calls them like he sees them. That’s what he did on his April 22 “Actions Detrimental” episode when discussing the move by Riley Herbst on Hailie Deegan during that final lap at Talladega.

“But it was just utter chaos from everyone behind,” Hamlin said on the podcast.  “Like Riley, instead of pushing Hailie Deegan, he went to pass her. He had a massive run, and then like in that instance, you got to push the car in front of you to keep your run going. Just when he comes up, just push her because that keeps his momentum going.  It gains her momentum. You’re using her to keep advancing your position.

“So when does he then pull out and try to pass?” show co-host Jared Allen questioned.

“Well, he probably should push her to where then she gets beside — she probably would have been up beside Jesse love or whoever it was — I think she was probably third or fourth or something like that. So you use her to advance herself to the next group of cars and then the next group of cars. And, it’s not all Riley. I’m saying it’s all the whole top 10 was just so disorganized that it created kind of an easy win for Jesse Love because he never really had to defend anything.”

Joey Logano Weighs In on Deegan-Herbst Debate

Joey Logano doesn’t host his own podcast but does make weekly appearances on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. On his April 23 visit to “The Morning Drive,” the two-time Cup champion was asked for his perspective on the hot topic of conversation.

TUNE-IN ALERT

𝘽𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡 is LIVE on #TMDNASCAR this morning at 9 ET.@joeylogano will recap @TALLADEGA, look ahead to @MonsterMile, and take your calls!

LIVE → https://t.co/1aUirPWIgB pic.twitter.com/arxm9daqQA

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) April 23, 2024

“If I’m behind a car that I don’t feel comfortable behind it — I’m not saying Hailie Deegan was this at all, because, like I said, I didn’t see it, so take that piece out — but I’m just saying in general, if I’m behind a car that is a little squirrelly, that’s kind of moving around a little more than I like it, or it is somebody that hasn’t been up in a leading position before, and is not going to make the moves to make the win, you’re out.

“First chance I can get you out, yeah, I’m going to shuffle you out of there because I want to win the race. I’m not here to help anybody. No. I’m there to win. And so you’re going to put yourself around the cars that are going to help you win. And like I said, I’m not saying Hailie was that at all because I don’t know that, but from my own experience, that is definitely the case.”

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