Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images By Adam Carabine With the Cup Series playoffs in full swing, Power Rankings will now follow only the 16 playoff drivers (even after they’re eliminated) for the rest of this season.     While finishing position is important, it’s not always indicative of the full picture.  StatChat rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs, with an emphasis placed on the most recent 5 races.   Josh Berry – This week: 28 – Last week: 34 – Eliminated The biggest positive mover in the Power Rankings this week, Josh Berry moves up to 28 th  after a not-so-great run at Las Vegas.  However, with the most recent 5 races more heavily weighted, the formula has favoured a P28 instead of a dead last.  Berry has had much worse races in these playoffs, but it was certainly a fall after he won his lone race of 2025 at this track in the spring.   Austin Cindric – This week: 27 – Last week: 28 – Eliminated A solid P11 for Austin Cindric this past weekend in Las Vegas bumps him up a spot in the Power Rankings.  His average running position was around 25 th , so his near-Top-10 was a bit of a lucky break near the end. However, it was a decent enough day for a driver that is eliminated and doesn’t have much to worry about at this point in the season.   Austin Dillon – This week: 26 – Last week: 24 – Eliminated It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on at RCR, but things aren’t good.  Dillon’s teammate Kyle Busch actually had a solid day, but it felt more lucky than skilled.  Dillon finishes P25, and tumbles down two spots in the Power Rankings.   Bubba Wallace – This week: 20 – Last week: 11 – Eliminated Bubba was unfortunately this week’s biggest mover in the negative direction, losing 9 spots in the Power Rankings.  Vegas was not super kind to him, finishing P22, and never really seeming to have much speed.  He had the worst Pass Differential of any driver (-22), and while he was already eliminated, this left no doubt.   Alex Bowman – This week: 15 – Last week: 19 – Eliminated Bowman is a strange entity to keep tabs on.  As likely the 4 th  driver at Hendrick Motorsports, he does well enough to be happy with… if he didn’t drive for Hendrick.  However, he’s compared to his teammates who often outrun him.  This week, Bowman was solid, and he moves up in the Power Rankings after a nice P7 finish in Las Vegas, though his playoff hopes are already over.   Ross Chastain – This week: 12 – Last week: 15 – Eliminated While Chastain’s finishing position of P23 doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, his underlying numbers were actually decent at Las Vegas, and his finish didn’t tell the whole story.  He had the highest Pass Differential of any driver on the day (+20), and it helped him move up a few spots in the Power Rankings.   SVG – This week: 10 – Last week: 9 – Eliminated SVG is learning at the ovals, and that should probably scare the rest of the field.  He’s getting better and better each week on the left-turn-only tracks.  He’s already a menace on the road courses.  His P33 finish at Vegas didn’t show how his day truly went, as he was riding around the Top 15 most of the race.  A DNF at the end of the day took him out, but he’s one to watch at any race these days.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 9 – Last week: 10 – Eliminated A Top 5 for Tyler Reddick is quite something considering the personal turmoil he’s going through with his son, Rookie at the moment.  He had points in both stages, had the highest number of Quality Passes of anyone, and finished P5.  It only moves him up one spot, but it’s something that could help him build some momentum to finish this season out – last year’s Regular Season Champ is still looking for his first win of the year.   Chase Elliott – This week: 8 – Last week: 8 It was neither a great nor terrible day for Chase Elliott in Vegas.  He maintains his spot in the Power Rankings, but also has some work to do if he’d like to make it to the Championship Four.  His P18 wasn’t enough to help his spot in the Playoff Standings, and he now sits -23 to the cutline with two difficult races in Talladega and Martinsville coming up to finish out this round.   William Byron – This week: 7 – Last week: 7 Aside from the crazy end of William Byron’s race at Las Vegas (where he basically killed Ty Dillon as Dillon tried to merge onto pit road – jury is still out on who’s fault it was), Byron was having a decent day until that point.  He had led 55 laps, was running in the Top 10 all day, and won the first stage outright.  He is -15 to the cutline, but that’s enough to make up over the next two races if he wants.   Ryan Blaney – This week: 6 – Last week: 1 It was an unfortunate week for Ryan Blaney, who finds himself in quite the hole now after an unlucky flat tire at Vegas gave him his 8 th  DNF of the season. He finished 38 th , last place, after only 70 laps on the track.  Blaney is now -31 to the cut line, and has his work cut for him, though he’s won at both Talladega and Martinsville in the fall before.   Joey Logano – This week: 5 – Last week: 5 Since it’s an odd-numbered year, Logano didn’t win at Las Vegas, and is now no longer poised to add another championship to his resume.  Jokes aside, it was a decent day for the reigning champ, as he finished P6, earned some stage points, and even led a lap.  He’s still -24 to the cut line, so he’ll need some other stuff to go his way in the next two races.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 4 – Last week: 6 Has Chase Briscoe low-key been the star of these playoffs? His average finish over these playoff races has been just over 6, and his worst finish is P14 at the Charlotte Roval.  He’s proving the haters wrong, and looks poised to make it to the Championship Four, if things continue in the same way for him.  He led 57 laps in Vegas, and finished P4, and now has +15 to the good on the cut line.    Denny Hamlin– This week: 3 – Last week: 4 – Advanced Hamlin’s 60 th  Career win couldn’t have come at a better time for the veteran driver of the 11 car, as he now has a few extra weeks to prep for the ever-elusive championship he seeks.  While it wasn’t enough to bump him up to the top of our Power Rankings, I’m sure he doesn’t mind.  It wasn’t a dominant win, but it was just enough at the right time.  He’ll be hoping he can do it again in Phoenix in a few weeks.   Christopher Bell – This week: 2 – Last week: 2 If it hadn’t been for a terrible start to the playoffs (P29 at Darlington), Christopher Bell would definitely be the driver to beat this year.  Other than that first race, he has finished in the Top 10 in each of the last six races, including a win at Bristol.  He’s been a Championship Dark Horse before, but this year he might come in as a favourite – if he can make it to the final race.  He’s +20 as things stand right now.   Kyle Larson – This week: 1   – Last week: 3 Larson didn’t come away with the victory at Las Vegas, but he was the dominant car of the day.  He led 129 laps (most of anyone), had the best average running position (3 rd ), and scored the most stage points of anyone (19) all day.  He’s a threat to point his way into the Championship Four if he doesn’t win in these next two weeks, as he sits +35 on the cutline.    Biggest Movers   Bubba Wallace – This week: 20 – Last week: 11 Falls 9 places   Josh Berry – This Week: 28 – Last Weekend: 34 Gains 6 places   Best of the Rest: 11. Chris Buescher LW: 12 +1 13. Ryan Preece LW: 13 -- 14. Brad Keselowski LW: 16 +2 16. Michael McDowell LW: 14 -2 17. Carson Hocevar LW: 18 +1 18. Ty Gibbs LW: 17 -1 19. Todd Gilliland LW: 20 +1 21. Kyle Busch LW: 23 +2 22. Zane Smith LW: 22 -- 23. Erik Jones LW: 21 -2 24. Noah Gragson LW: 29 +5 25. AJ Allmendinger LW: 27 +2 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 26 -3 30. Riley Herbst LW: 32 +2 31. Ty Dillon LW: 30 -1 32. Justin Haley LW: 31 -1 33. JH Nemechek LW: 25 -8 34. Daniel Suarez LW: 35 +1 35. Cole Custer LW: 33 -2 36. Cody Ware LW: 36 --

Hamlin captures his 60th career win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, punching his ticket to the Championship 4 and delivering one of the most meaningful victories of his career. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 ampm Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) by Crystal Clay | October 13, 2025 LAS VEGAS — Denny Hamlin didn’t just score his 60th career win Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; he reached both a career and emotional milestone. In a race that demanded both precision and heart, Hamlin surged past Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe in the closing laps, sealing a victory that went beyond numbers on a stat sheet. With tears in his eyes, Hamlin called it one of the most meaningful wins of his career. It reflected the pressure, sacrifices, and persistence that have defined his journey to the Championship 4. Hamlin’s South Point 400 win began with the pole on Saturday . It’s a category he openly admits has never been his strong suit. “I have never been a driver that’s been fast for one lap,” Hamlin said. “But I noticed that it was something that could improve my chances of winning week in, week out, so I focused on getting better.” With this win, he had already surpassed Kyle Busch for the most victories as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver in the Cup Series, and tied Kevin Harvick on the all-time wins list. However, the numbers don’t paint the full picture. In his front stretch interview, Hamlin didn’t have a snarky jab for the crowd; unusual for a driver who often embraces the role of the villain. Instead, his voice carried the weight of what’s been a heavy year. Between his father’s illness, a growing family, and an ongoing lawsuit involving 23XI Racing and NASCAR, this win was about more than a trophy. Not only was this Hamlin’s ticket to Phoenix Raceway in the Championship 4 for the first time in the NextGen car, it stripped away his usual bravado. When asked about what made this moment different, he exhaled.  “Yeah, you know, just not doing well, not feeling well,” Hamlin said of his father. “He’s the one that got me into racing, took me to the racetrack when I was five, and made all the sacrifices financially to keep me going. Sold everything they had. We almost lost our house a couple times just trying to keep it all going. I’m glad he was able to see 60. That was super important to me.” Beyond the milestone, it was how it all unfolded. The emotional weight of the final 10 laps, clawing past Larson and Briscoe, hit Hamlin all at once. “I don’t know if I could have scripted it better,” he said. “I just can’t imagine there’s a win bigger for me than this one, just with all the family, the significance of it, now being back on top for most wins in the season, punching the ticket… all of it.” Smoke fills Victory Lane as Denny Hamlin celebrates his 60th career win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Photo by Ralph Garcia) Crew chief Chris Gale said the team stayed committed to their plan rather than chasing others’ strategies. “I thought maybe I had the car good enough to be a top two, top three car and do it another way,” he said. “Once he got into third, he realized he had a fast enough car to do it, and he closed it out.” For a driver often cast as one of NASCAR’s most polarizing voices, Sunday evening showed a different side. There were no sharp jabs, no cutting soundbites and no smug one-liners. There was only a veteran holding onto a moment he’s chased his entire career. Gale described Hamlin as completely locked in despite the personal and professional weight surrounding him. “No matter what’s going on, he walks into sim, looks at the screen, and puts the work hat on,” he said. “Not once have I heard any of the outside noise.” Hamlin admitted he doesn’t have a magic answer for why this year might be different. “I can’t sit here and give false promises,” he said. “I’m just going to try as hard as I can. Maybe I get lucky.” There was something quietly different in how he carried himself. The emotional weight seemed to anchor him. For Hamlin, this win was about the people who carried him here. From his father mortgaging everything to keep his childhood dream alive to the Gibbs family betting on a young short-track racer from Virginia, loyalty has always been at the center of his story. “My dad said to J.D. a long time ago, ‘He’s yours now,’” Hamlin said. “J.D. was my road dad, my track dad. When he passed, it became Joe. Father figures are the ones who keep you in the lane of life. I know I do outlandish things and say outlandish things at times, but I always know I have to answer to a higher power. Here on Earth, it’s Joe.” Denny Hamlin etched his name into NASCAR history by earning his 60th career win at Las Vegas. Dedicating the victory to his dad, Dennis, an emotional Hamlin reacts to punching his ticket to the Championship 4 and tying Kevin Harvick for 10th in all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins. That bond and Hamlin’s maturity is why the mask dropped at the checkered flag. It wasn’t just about punching a ticket to the Championship 4, let alone the Championship itself anymore. It was about making both of his fathers, the one at home and the one at the track, proud. “I’ve got two dads,” Hamlin said. “One’s at home and one’s here. Not a lot of drivers have that kind of relationship with their team owner. These guys found me and took a chance. My loyalty to them runs very deep.” In the golden hour of the Las Vegas sunset, the noise softened into something more human. For once, Denny Hamlin wasn’t the villain or the provocateur; he was the son of a family who gave everything so he could chase a dream, the driver who carried those sacrifices to the highest stage. It was a love letter to the people who built him, brick by brick, lap by lap. And as the sun dipped below the desert horizon, what lingered wasn’t the roar of the crowd, but the quiet weight of legacy, loyalty, and love; louder than anything the pylon could ever say.

LAS VEGAS— Aric Almirola outdueled Connor Zillisch and Jesse Love under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night, charging back on a late run to win the Focused Health 302, his third victory of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 11: Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) Driving the No. 19 Young Life Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Almirola took the lead in the closing laps after a key late-race adjustment and held off Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier to secure the win. The 41-year-old veteran led both Stage 1 and Stage 2 but faced fierce pressure in the final segment. “We were behind on adjustment. The track was changing as the sun went down,” Almirola said. “Thankfully that caution came out at the end, and we threw a pretty big change at it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was what I needed to compete.” Almirola emphasized how meaningful it was to share the victory with his family: “I love celebrating with my team, but it’s just different when my family’s here. At some point this will stop, but these moments with them will last forever.” The 88 and 2 cars, both long-run threats, forced Almirola to battle back after losing ground on older tires. “The 88 has been the class of the field this year,” Almirola said. “To run them down and pass them, that was really awesome.” He also held off the 48 in the early laps of the final run: “My car wasn’t where I needed it those first four or five laps. I was just trying to fend him off to have enough time to catch the 88.” This is Almirola’s 10th career Xfinity win in 132 starts, and his first at Las Vegas. It also positions the No. 19 team to pursue the Owners’ Championship, with Almirola confirmed to run the remaining races. “Justin (Allgaier) has been incredibly gracious,” Almirola explained. “He told me, ‘You’ve earned this. You deserve to finish it out.’ It means a lot to finish this with Coach Gibbs and this team.” Almirola acknowledged the unexpected nature of this late-career run: “There’s no explanation for why this is happening other than God’s hands in it. Nobody had to give me this opportunity, but Coach did. Now I get out of the race car and point people to Jesus Christ and Young Life. I’m having the time of my life.” Looking Ahead The victory locks Almirola and the No. 19 team into strong position for the Owner’s Championship battle at Phoenix Raceway. “We’ve got a two-week head start to work on Phoenix,” Almirola said. “You can’t just bring the same thing back ;everybody else will be better too. But staying in the car helps me stay sharp.”

LAS VEGAS— Round of 8 playoff driver Denny Hamlin will lead the field to green in Sunday’s South Point 400 after earning the Busch Light Pole Award with a lap of 29.213 seconds at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Denny Hamlin celebrates his Busch Light Pole Award after posting a 29.213-second lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — earning his 48th career pole and leading a Joe Gibbs Racing front-row sweep for Sunday’s South Point 400. (Photo: Ralph Garcia) Hamlin’s pole marks the 48th of his NASCAR Cup Series career in 718 starts and his first in 28 attempts at Las Vegas. His effort also headlined a dominant qualifying session for Joe Gibbs Racing, which locked out the top three starting positions for Sunday’s playoff race. “I never really consider myself a qualifier. And here, over the last few years, I feel like we’ve kind of revamped that a little bit… 47 is a lot,” Hamlin said. Denny Hamlin drives the No. 11 ampm Toyota Camry during qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Ralph Garcia) “I think this is one of the more finicky race tracks where… no matter when your practice is — either early in the morning or even in the afternoon — it’s just a different race track on Sunday.” Lining up alongside Hamlin on the front row is teammate Chase Briscoe, who earned his 20th top-10 start of the 2025 season and third in 10 races at LVMS. In Row 2, Christopher Bell secured his seventh top-10 start at the track and 16th overall this year. Chase Briscoe pilots the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota during qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, securing a front-row start for Sunday’s South Point 400. (Photo: Ralph Garcia) A total of six playoff drivers qualified inside the top 10, including last year’s South Point 400 winner Joey Logano, who will roll off ninth. The lone Round of 8 driver starting outside the top 10, Ryan Blaney will begin 14th on Sunday.

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday. This weekend NASCAR travels to Las Vegas, Nevada for the South Point 400.   Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval. The track opened in 1971, though NASCAR didn’t start racing there until 1998.  Mark Martin won the inaugural NASCAR Cup race at the track.  Joey Logano won this race last year, and Josh Berry won it earlier this spring.   Tomorrow’s race will be 267 laps long (for a total of 400.5 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 80 – 165 – 267.  Pit road speed is 45 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 55 mph.  The fuel window is between 62-67 laps.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 8,301 laps, for 11,364.01 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed every single lap - Tyler Reddick is closest, running 15 laps down.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Las Vegas: Kyle Larson 9.39 over 18 races (3 wins) Joey Logano 9.75 over 24 races (4 wins) Kyle Busch 12.07 over 28 races (1 win) Brad Keselowski 12.58 over 24 races (3 wins) Denny Hamlin 12.78 over 27 races (1 win)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Las Vegas: SVG 31.50 over 2 races Cody Ware 30.38 over 8 races Michael McDowell 28.17 over 23 races Todd Gilliland 27.14 over 7 races Carson Hocevar 26.00 over 4 races   Las Vegas is an Intermediate Track.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Intermediates: Denny Hamlin 11.91 over 348 races (29 wins) Kyle Larson 12.15 over 186 races (18 wins) Chase Elliott 12.35 over 167 races (8 wins) Kyle Busch 12.44 over 364 races (29 wins) Joey Logano 12.58 over 294 races (19 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Intermediates: Ty Dillon 22.37 over 134 races JH Nemechek 22.31 over 53 races SVG 22.24 over 18 races Ryan Preece 21.78 over 100 races Noah Gragson 21.37 over 48 races   Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano are the winningest drivers at Las Vegas, with 4 each.  Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Larson are all next, with 3 wins each.   Drivers who ran their first Cup Series race at Las Vegas: Cole Custer 2018, P25 Kyle Busch 2004, P41   Drivers who WON their first Cup Series race at Las Vegas: Josh Berry 2025   Drivers whose most recent Cup Series Victory was at Las Vegas: Josh Berry 27 races ago, 2025   Notable drivers who have not won at Las Vegas: Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) Ryan Blaney (has won at 11 other tracks) Christopher Bell (has won at 10 other tracks) Tyler Reddick (has won at 8 other tracks) Ross Chastain (has won at 6 other tracks)   Based on average finish, no drivers list Las Vegas as their BEST or WORST track.   Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2024 Chase Briscoe +322 pts JH Nemechek +234 pts Ryan Preece +223 pts Erik Jones +173 pts Zane Smith +119 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Brad Keselowski -200 pts Noah Gragson -199 pts Daniel Suarez -158 pts Ty Gibbs -101 pts Tyler Reddick -79 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Christopher Bell 11.69 Chase Briscoe 12.38 Ryan Preece 16.44 JH Nemechek 19.88   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.19 Carson Hocevar 21.25 Zane Smith 21.00   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 2,142 (5 wins) Riley Herbst 359   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1 st , 35 for 2 nd , 34 for 3 rd , etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings Chevrolet 1,170 Toyota 1,137 Ford 1,076   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Joe Gibbs 1,107 Hendrick 1,099 Penske 921 RFK 911 Trackhouse 887 23XI 841 Spire 807 Legacy MC 727 Front Row 718 RCR 715 Kaulig 670 Wood Bros 490 Hyak 459 Haas Factory 410 Rick Ware 218   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders Ryan Blaney 282 William Byron 272 Kyle Larson 253 Denny Hamlin 213 Bubba Wallace 192 Tyler Reddick 190 Christopher Bell 178 Chase Elliott 172 Alex Bowman 161 Chase Briscoe 155   Milestone Watch Denny Hamlin Looking for his 60 th  Career Cup Series Win Brad Keselowski Looking for his 160 th  Career Top 5 Ross Chastain Looking for his 70 th  Career Top 10 Bubba Wallace Looking for his 60 th  Career Top 10 Zane Smith Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10 Michael McDowell Looking for his 50 th  Career Top 10 William Byron Looking for his 120 th  Career Top 10 Cole Custer This will be his 150 th  Career Cup Series Start   Scorigami Update No one scored anything new at the Charlotte Roval   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 173 races Cole Custer 129 races Erik Jones 111 races Kyle Busch 89 races Michael McDowell 80 races Daniel Suarez 66 races Brad Keselowski 55 races AJ Allmendinger 52 races Alex Bowman 48 races Chris Buescher 40 races   The race begins Sunday, October 12 th  at 5:30 pm EST (2:30 pm PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Press Release | NASCAR NASCAR, America’s No.1 motorsport, is teaming up with iconic global streetwear brand Anti Social Social Club for the first time to launch a limited release capsule collection. The collaboration champions NASCAR’s and Anti Social Social Club’s bold and distinctive styles, creating a unique crossover between the racetrack and fashion.   Dropping at 8:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, October 11, during the NASCAR Playoff Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR x Anti Social Social Club Collection will be available for purchase online. The release features hoodies, T-shirts, jackets, hats, helmets, and other NASCAR-inspired pieces that channel the electrifying energy of motorsports, while showcasing Anti Social Social Club’s creative identity. In addition, Anti Social Social Club and NASCAR will be showcasing a car with custom-designed livery at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway during race weekend.   “NASCAR and Anti Social Social Club are coming together to create something fresh, bold, and unapologetic. Both streetwear and motorsports thrive on energy, culture, and individuality,” said Megan Malayter, vice president licensing and consumer products at NASCAR. “This drop brings those worlds into the same lane. We’re excited to see fans rock the collection trackside and beyond, repping NASCAR in a way that speaks to today’s style and culture.”   Since its inception in 2014, ASSC became an immediately recognizable pop culture symbol, driven by a passionate community. After an experimental run of 12 hoodies introduced its logo to the world, Anti Social Social Club has subsequently grown into a global business of scale. To shop the collection, visit NASCARShop.com and www.antisocialsocialclub.com .   The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue with the opening round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Sunday, Oct. 12, at 5:30 p.m. ET, live on USA Network.

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images By Adam Carabine With the Cup Series playoffs in full swing, Power Rankings will now follow only the 16 playoff drivers (even after they’re eliminated) for the rest of this season.     While finishing position is important, it’s not always indicative of the full picture.  StatChat rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs, with an emphasis placed on the most recent 5 races.   Josh Berry – This week: 34 – Last week: 35 – Eliminated Luck was certainly more on Josh Berry’s side this past week at the Charlotte Roval, where he finished P16.  Not necessarily known for his prowess on the lefts and rights, that’s a solid finish for Berry on a road course.   Austin Cindric – This week: 28 – Last week: 22 – Eliminated Coming into the Charlotte Roval, Austin Cindric needed to win to get to the next round.  Unfortunately, pretty much anything bad that could have happened, happened to the driver of the 2 – including at one point a broken toe-link care of Carson Hocevar.   Austin Dillon – This week: 24 – Last week: 28 – Eliminated RCR in general had a rough weekend at the Charlotte Roval.  Dillon’s teammate Kyle Busch was involved in an incident before they’d even made it through a few corners.  Austin was also less-than-fortunate, and finished P31.   Alex Bowman – This week: 19 – Last week: 18 – Eliminated It was neither a great day nor a terrible day for Bowman at the Charlotte Roval.  P18 finish, on the lead lap – not bad.  But a pass differential of -32, second-worst of any driver in the field undoes some of that good will.   Ross Chastain – This week: 15 – Last week: 14 – Eliminated Bonus style points for Chastain, perhaps, but despite crossing the finish line in reverse, he wasn’t able to make it to the next round of the playoffs, and he also wound up falling in the Power Rankings.  He wound up P21 after divebombing the final corner, taking himself and Denny Hamlin out in the process.    Bubba Wallace – This week: 11 – Last week: 9 – Eliminated Wallace may lament what could have been the week prior to the Charlotte Roval, when his team owner and fellow competitor, Denny Hamlin, took him out on the final corner.  That put him nearly into must-win territory for the Roval, a place that hasn’t exactly been kind to him.  A valiant effort gave him a P15 finish, but he is eliminated from the playoffs.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 10 – Last week: 10 – Eliminated When Tyler Reddick won the pole this past weekend (over SVG, no less) at the Charlotte Roval, there was more than just a glimmer of hope for his playoff chances.  Unfortunately, the strategy call to save an extra set of tires never paid off, and while he finished 10 th , it wasn’t enough to move to the next round.   SVG – This week: 9 – Last week: 25 – Eliminated What can be said about this road course beast?  SVG gets it done at the Roval with majorly beat up tires, and makes it look easy.  He’s still eliminated from the playoffs, but he is this week’s biggest mover, jumping back into the Top 10 of the Power Rankings.   Chase Elliott – This week: 8 – Last week: 7 It was a solid enough day for Chase Elliott, and he was never really in any danger of not making it through to the next round.  The Charlotte Roval has been kind to Elliott, and this week, while he finished P8, he also scored points in both stages and had the most Quality Passes of any driver.   William Byron – This week: 7 – Last week: 8 Byron struggled early at the Charlotte Roval this past week, though he had enough of a cushion to not really have to worry too much about his playoff hopes.  He rebounded with some good strategy and some solid tune-ups to his car, finishing P11.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 6 – Last week: 1 Briscoe was reportedly feeling very under the weather in the car at Charlotte, asking for anti-nausea medication during a pit stop.  However, he worked through it and finished in the Top 15, securing his spot in the Round of 8.    Joey Logano – This week: 5 – Last week: 5 Logano spent the entire race at the Charlotte Roval on the edge, not sure whether he was going to transfer into the next round.  In the end, he made it, but just barely.  He didn’t have a strong car most of the day, but luckily a few errors by Ross Chastain helped him make it through.   Denny Hamlin – This week: 4 – Last week: 3 Denny was shaping up to have a halfway decent finish until Ross Chastain came out of nowhere and spun him around at the last corner.  The two of them both slid across the finish line in reverse, and after the race, Denny was choked that his team didn’t warn him about the points situation.  Regardless, he moves onto the next round, and is the highest seeded driver before Vegas next weekend.   Kyle Larson – This week: 3 – Last week: 6 A P2 finish at the Charlotte Roval for Kyle Larson will surely bump him up the Power Rankings standings.  It was an unnecessary P2 for Larson, as he had clinched the next round of the playoffs by scoring points at the end of Stage 1, but he went hard for the win, ultimately falling short of SVG.   Christopher Bell – This week: 2 – Last week: 4 Another solid run for Christopher Bell at the Charlotte Roval, who won at that track two years ago!  He finished P3, scored stage points, and had an average running position of 5 th all day.  Certainly enough to rocket him farther up the standings in the Power Rankings.   Ryan Blaney – This week: 1   – Last week: 2 Blaney was already sitting pretty heading into the Charlotte Roval, having earned his way into the next round with a win at New Hampshire, but he still had a solid day.  He won Stage 2, earning an extra playoff point for good measure, and finished P13.  He, along with everyone else, head to Las Vegas this weekend for the start of the Round of 8.     Biggest Movers   Austin Cindric – This week: 28 – Last week: 22 Falls 6 places   Carson Hocevar – This week: 18 – Last week: 12 Falls 6 places   Brad Keselowski – This week: 17 – Last week: 11 Falls 6 places   SVG – This Week: 9 – Last Weekend: 25 Gains 16 places   Best of the Rest: 12. Chris Buescher LW: 13 +1 13. Ryan Preece LW: 15 +2 14. Michael McDowell LW: 20 +6 16. Ty Gibbs LW: 16 -- 17. Brad Keselowski LW: 11 -6 18. Carson Hocevar LW: 12 -6 20. Todd Gilliland LW: 24 +4 21. Erik Jones LW: 17 -4 22. Zane Smith LW: 23 +1 23. Kyle Busch LW: 19 -4 25. JH Nemechek LW: 21 -5 26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 29 +3 27. AJ Allmendinger LW: 27 -- 29. Noah Gragson LW: 26 -3 30. Ty Dillon LW: 30 -- 31. Justin Haley LW: 31 -- 32. Riley Herbst LW: 32 -- 33. Cole Custer LW: 33 -- 35. Daniel Suarez LW: 34 -1 36. Cody Ware LW: 36 --

Photo from www.x.com/f1 By Ryan Wu With the Constructors' Championship decided, all attention now turns to the Drivers’ Championship as Formula 1 heads into the final six races of the season. Norris Makes Up Ground While Verstappen Continues Strong Run of Form George Russell capitalized on his second pole position of the season to secure his second win, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Dutchman had some strong words for Norris after qualifying, as he was forced to abandon his final lap due to what he believed was dirty air caused by Norris cruising two seconds ahead of him. Verstappen remarked, “So let’s note it. Will be remembered as well.” In the end, he had the last laugh, finishing just under half a second ahead of the British driver. Lando Norris endured a difficult qualifying session, starting 5th and, importantly, two positions behind Oscar Piastri. In the opening corners, he damaged his front wing endplate while battling both Piastri and Verstappen for third place, making contact with each of his Championship rivals. McLaren’s team management did not favor Piastri, as they chose not to issue team orders for the drivers to swap positions, citing that Norris had to avoid Verstappen. Norris later gained an advantage through strategy, undercutting Piastri by pitting one lap earlier on lap 27 with a quick 2.1-second stop. Piastri’s stop the following lap was much slower at 5.1 seconds, costing him valuable time in his pursuit of Norris. This delay ultimately proved decisive, as he crossed the line 2.1 seconds behind his teammate. The late-race battle between Norris and Verstappen for second place reignited with about 10 laps remaining, but the reigning World Champion successfully held off Norris to retain the position. George Russell delivered a superb weekend overall, finishing comfortably ahead of both Verstappen and Norris to take the victory. McLaren Claims Constructors’ Title Once Again After going 26 years without a Constructors’ Championship win, the Papaya team has now claimed back-to-back titles with a dominant season. McLaren has won 12 of 18 races and secured 28 podiums, holding an astounding 325-point lead over Mercedes. Their dominance is so complete that even if you combined the total points of Mercedes and Ferrari, who currently sit second and third in the standings, their total would still fall short of McLaren’s tally. This marks the team’s first set of consecutive Constructors' titles since 1990 and 1991, signaling a triumphant return to the top of Formula 1. It is a remarkable turnaround for McLaren, who endured difficult years following Lewis Hamilton’s departure and their struggles with the Honda engine, failing to finish higher than 5th in the Constructors' standings between 2013 and 2018. Rookie Report Kimi Antonelli built on his strong performance in Baku with another solid result, finishing 5th to secure consecutive top-five finishes. Oliver Bearman returned to the points with a 9th-place finish, while rookie sensation Isack Hadjar missed out on points after experiencing engine troubles. Racing Refresh Driver of the Day George Russell, Mercedes Final Points Finishing Positions 1st: George Russell 2nd: Max Verstappen 3rd: Lando Norris 4th: Oscar Piastri 5th: Kimi Antonelli 6th: Charles Leclerc 7th: Fernando Alonso 8th: Lewis Hamilton 9th: Oliver Bearman 10th: Carlos Sainz Next on the F1 Schedule: United States Grand Prix: October 17th-19th

View of the virtual Chicago Street Course on iRacing - by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Press Release | NASCAR HALL OF FAME iRacing and NASCAR are pleased to announce the return of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte on Tuesday, October 7. For the fourth consecutive year, the top four drivers in virtual stock car racing will do battle on stage for a top prize of $100,000, plus the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cup.   “Returning to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the fourth year of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Championship is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of,” said Ray Smith, Sr. Director of Esports, NASCAR. “This venue not only honors the legends of our sport but also provides the perfect stage to showcase the next chapter of racing’s future. We look forward to creating history once again in this beautiful setting, surrounded by the passion and energy that makes iRacing such a vital part of NASCAR’s story.”   “We couldn’t be more excited to return to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to crown another eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series champion in 2025,” said iRacing executive vice president Steve Myers. “This event gives our drivers something major to strive for every year, and we’re looking forward to another dramatic finish to crown this year’s champion. Thank you as always to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for hosting us!”   “It’s an honor for the NASCAR Hall of Fame to serve again as the presenting sponsor and host venue for the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season finale,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “We’re proud to welcome major NASCAR events to the Hall throughout the year, and our iRacing simulators remain one of the most popular interactive experiences at the Hall. This partnership is a natural fit, and the energy of the live championship finale is something I look forward to every year. It truly brings the excitement of racing to life.”   The first live eNASCAR season finale at the NASCAR Hall of Fame took place in 2022, when Casey Kirwan held off Bobby Zalenski in a battle for second place to claim his first series title. Steven Wilson earned the 2023 championship with another second place finish, while defending series champion Parker White became the first driver to win the eNASCAR title on stage while winning the finale last year.   This year’s eNASCAR Championship 4 will be competing on the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Past eNASCAR champions Wilson and Zack Novak, as well as first-time Championship 4 driver Vicente Salas, earned their spots with wins in playoff races, while Kirwan earned the final spot on points.   As in past years, the live broadcast will be based in Charlotte and stream on eNASCAR.com/live . eNASCAR Countdown to Green will kick off the proceedings at 7:30 p.m. ET, while the green flag will drop at 8 p.m. ET.

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday. This weekend NASCAR travels to Concord, North Carolina for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course.   The Charlotte Roval is a 2.32-mile-long road course that uses parts of the oval and the infield.  The Roval was first run by NASCAR in 2019 – Ryan Blaney won the inaugural event. Kyle Larson won this race last season.   Tomorrow’s race will be 109 laps long (for a total of 252.88 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 25 – 50 – 109.  Pit road speed is 40 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 45 mph. The fuel window is approximately 35-40 laps.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 8,192 laps, for 11,111.13 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed every single lap - Tyler Reddick is closest, running 15 laps down.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Charlotte Roval: SVG 7.00 over 1 race Chase Elliott 7.71 over 7 races (2 wins) Tyler Reddick 7.80 over 5 races Joey Logano 8.57 over 7 races Christopher Bell 10.00 over 5 races (1 win)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Charlotte Roval: Cody Ware 36.00 over 1 race JH Nemechek 35.00 over 2 races Daniel Suarez 27.43 over 7 races Noah Gragson 27.00 over 2 races Zane Smith 24.50 over 2 races   Charlotte Roval is a Road Course   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: SVG 6.79 over 11 races (5 wins) Chase Elliott 7.71 over 40 races (7 wins) Tyler Reddick 11.12 over 31 races (3 wins) Chris Buescher 12.61 over 42 races (1 win) Christopher Bell 12.99 over 31 races (3 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Noah Gragson 24.39 over 14 races Austin Dillon 24.23 over 44 races JH Nemechek 23.75 over 12 races Ryan Preece 23.70 over 28 races Justin Haley 22.57 over 29 races Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are the winningest drivers at the Charlotte Roval, with two victories each. AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell have all won it once. Drivers whose most recent Cup Series Victory was at Charlotte Roval: AJ Allmendinger 51 races ago, 2023   Notable drivers who have not won at Charlotte Roval: Kyle Busch (has won at 24 other tracks) Denny Hamlin (has won at 20 other tracks) Joey Logano (has won at 19 other tracks) Brad Keselowski (has won at 17 other tracks) William Byron (has won at 11 other tracks)   Based on average finish, no drivers list the Charlotte Roval as their BEST track, but Cody Ware lists it as his WORST.   Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2024 Chase Briscoe +325 pts JH Nemechek +243 pts Ryan Preece +214 pts Erik Jones +187 pts Zane Smith +121 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Noah Gragson -195 pts Brad Keselowski -179 pts Daniel Suarez -176 pts Ty Gibbs -115 pts Tyler Reddick -89 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Christopher Bell 11.97 Chase Briscoe 12.32 Ryan Preece 16.77 JH Nemechek 19.68   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.26 Carson Hocevar 21.00 Zane Smith 20.90   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 2,086 (4 wins) Riley Herbst 358   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1 st , 35 for 2 nd , 34 for 3 rd , etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings Chevrolet 1,130 Toyota 1,103 Ford 1,043   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Joe Gibbs 1,073 Hendrick 1,064 Penske 897 RFK 878 Trackhouse 847 23XI 814 Spire 775 Legacy MC 716 RCR 710 Front Row 698 Kaulig 642 Wood Bros 469 Hyak 441 Haas Factory 395 Rick Ware 215   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders Ryan Blaney 272 William Byron 270 Kyle Larson 238 Denny Hamlin 213 Bubba Wallace 192 Tyler Reddick 181 Christopher Bell 167 Chase Elliott 161 Alex Bowman 161 Chase Briscoe 151   Milestone Watch Denny Hamlin Looking for his 60 th  Career Cup Series Win Chris Buescher Looking for his 30 th  Career Top 5 Brad Keselowski Looking for his 160 th  Career Top 5 Zane Smith Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10 Bubba Wallace Looking for his 60 th  Career Top 10 Ross Chastain Looking for his 70 th  Career Top 10 Tyler Reddick Looking for his 90 th  Career Top 10 William Byron Looking for his 120 th  Career Top 10   Scorigami Update Kansas was the first time that: Josh Berry finished 33 rd     Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 172 races Cole Custer 128 races Erik Jones 110 races Kyle Busch 88 races Michael McDowell 79 races Daniel Suarez 65 races Brad Keselowski 54 races AJ Allmendinger 51 races Alex Bowman 47 races Chris Buescher 39 races   The race begins Sunday, October 5 th  at 3:00 pm EST (12:00 pm PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images By Adam Carabine With the Cup Series playoffs now in full swing, Power Rankings will now follow only the 16 playoff drivers (even after they’re eliminated) for the rest of this season.     While finishing position is important, it’s not always indicative of the full picture.  StatChat rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs, with an emphasis placed on the most recent 5 races.   Josh Berry – This week: 35 – Last week: 36  - Eliminated Another week for Josh Berry, and unfortunately it’s another DNF.  This puts him at 8 on the year, tied for 2 nd  among all drivers.  His P2 finish last week at New Hampshire was his only finish better than 33 rd  in his last five races.  It’s been an abysmal run of weeks for Josh Berry, but he can hold his head high knowing that a lot of it has not been entirely within his control, and the 21 car has shown some speed.   Austin Dillon – This week: 28 – Last week: 27 - Eliminated Dillon drops another spot on the Power Rankings this week after a rough weekend at Kansas.  He was involved in one of the bigger wrecks near the end of the race, and wound up finishing two laps down – but he had been running poorly all day and his track position left him vulnerable to the carnage of a late race wreck.   SVG – This week: 25 – Last week: 23 - Eliminated I fully expect to see SVG rocket back up the Power Rankings one last time after next week’s race at the Charlotte Roval.  He’s always a threat on road courses.  And despite his Top 10 finish at Kansas, he falls a few spots on the Power Rankings this week.    Austin Cindric – This week: 22 – Last week: 28 Austin Cindric had a forgettable day in Kansas this past weekend, finishing P30 after getting caught up in some carnage.  Pair that with a P17 last weekend, and he’s the worst looking playoff driver heading into the dreaded Charlotte Roval this weekend.  He’s essentially in must-win territory, as he’s 48 points below the cut line.  While his road course prowess hasn’t exactly translated to the Cup Series, he once was a ringer on the lefts and rights down in the Xfinity Series, so it’s not completely out of the question.   Alex Bowman – This week: 18 – Last week: 25 - Eliminated Bowman actually jumps up a few spots in the Power Rankings this week, despite a less-than-stellar performance at Kansas.  His P28 finish shows much worse than his stats on the day, as he had an average running position of 16 th .  While that’s still not good enough for the Hendrick driver, his underlying stats helped him in the Power Rankings this week.   Ross Chastain – This week: 14 – Last week: 11 Ross Chastain was in the conversation at different times during last weekend’s race in Kansas.  Unfortunately for him it didn’t work out the way he hoped, and a respectable P11 wasn’t enough to keep him higher in the Power Rankings.  He’s got his work cut out for him next weekend, as he enters the Roval -13 to the cut line.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 10 – Last week: 8 It was a valiant effort for Reddick in the car last weekend in Kansas, battling some bad track position early on, but also battling some personal family distractions as well.  Reddick was in the mix at the end, but ultimately couldn’t pull out a win, and will likely need one to continue his playoffs next weekend at the Charlotte Roval.   Bubba Wallace – This week: 9 – Last week: 18 This week’s biggest gainer in the Power Rankings, Bubba Wallace battled a difficult car early on in Kansas, but some key adjustments had him in the mix at the very end.  His boss/team owner Denny Hamlin got into him on the last lap and opened the door for a Chase Elliott victory in the end, but it was a solid day for the 23 team.  Unfortunately, the hole that was dug the week prior in New Hampshire means he’s still 26 points away from the cutline, and will need a miracle at the Charlotte Roval to be able to move on.   William Byron – This week: 8 – Last week: 5 An uncharacteristically slow day for the 24 team eventually turned around in the end, but it was too little, too late for Byron.  While the P9 finish looks respectable, his average running position was actually 17 th  all day.  Luckily he had a good points cushion, so he’s going into the Roval with a +40 to the cut line, but Byron likely expects better from himself and his team.   Chase Elliott – This week: 7 – Last week: 9 It seems funny to see Chase Elliott win this weekend and to only move up two spots to 7 th  in the Power Rankings, but he was far from the dominant car.  He qualified well, which was a nice change of pace for the 9 team, and was able to translate that into being at the right place at the right time.  I’m sure Elliott doesn’t care how the victory came, though, and is happy to not have to worry about the Roval next weekend, despite being one of the best in the field at that track.   Kyle Larson – This week: 6 – Last week: 4 A solid outing for Kyle Larson at Kansas, and yet it does still feel like something is missing with this 5 team.  Gone are the days where we’ve seen Larson dominate a race from start to finish.  The fans might be happier to see him struggle, but Larson knows he can be better.  P6 in Kansas is good, and he’s likely a lock to make it into the next round at +56 to the cut line, but he’s not operating at full tilt.   Joey Logano – This week: 5 – Last week: 3 A bit of a stumble for Team Penske after a great race last weekend in New Hampshire.  Qualifying near the rear, and having a lot of work cut out for him to get any points in Kansas, Logano managed to finish P21.  He actually a bunch of the race up farther than that, but he wound up on the wrong side of the strategy near the end of the race and finished outside of the Top 20.  Logano’s only +13 to the good right now, and with the unpredictability of the Charlotte Roval next weekend, he should be concerned.   Christopher Bell – This week: 4 – Last week: 6 Christopher Bell looks to have rediscovered some of his form from earlier in the season.  After three wins in a row early on this year, he didn’t return to Victory Lane until Bristol a few weeks ago.  However, he’s finished inside the Top 10 in the last four races, and this is certainly the right time to be peaking.  His P3 at Kansas was the result of a strong Toyota showing again, and he’s +44 to the cut line heading into next weekend.   Denny Hamlin – This week: 3 – Last week: 7 Hamlin likely had the strongest car of the weekend at Kansas, but unfortunately fumbled it in the red zone.  With power steering issues in the last stint, he got super tight and got into Bubba Wallace, opening the door for Chase Elliott to steal the victory from him.  However, he was the dominant car for most of the day, leading the most laps, winning both stages, etc.  He’s comfortably +48 to the cut line heading into next weekend at the Charlotte Roval – a track he notoriously despises.   Ryan Blaney – This week: 2 – Last week: 1 Blaney and Briscoe seem to keep swapping the lead in the StatChat Power Rankings.  This week, chalk it up to a rough finish for the 12 team, after a solid day in a backup car.  Any time you’re starting from the rear, especially in a backup car, you’re already behind the eight-ball.  However, Blaney battled and rode around in the Top 10 for much of the day.  What was essentially a testing day for the 12 team after Blaney locked himself into the Round of 8 last weekend in New Hampshire, his P24 finish shouldn’t concern any of his fans, but Briscoe was able to capitalize and take the top spot from him this week.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 1   – Last week: 2 The qualifying king of 2025, Briscoe earned the pole again this past weekend in Kansas.  While it didn’t translate to a victory, it did earn him some more opportunities to move up in the Power Rankings again.  He finished P4, earned points in both stages, and had an average running position of 5 th .  Briscoe hasn’t finished outside of the Top 10 since starting the playoffs, and has a solid lead of +21 to the cut line heading into next weekend.   Biggest Movers   Justin Haley – This week: 31 – Last week: 24 Falls 7 places   Bubba Wallace – This Week: 9 – Last Weekend: 18 Gains 9 places   Best of the Rest: 11. Brad Keselowski LW: 13 +2 12. Carson Hocevar LW: 16 +4 13. Chris Buescher LW: 12 -1 15. Ryan Preece LW: 10 -5 16. Ty Gibbs LW: 14 -2 17. Erik Jones LW: 17 -- 19. Kyle Busch LW: 21 +2 20. Michael McDowell LW: 19 -1 21. JH Nemechek LW: 15 -6 23. Zane Smith LW: 22 -1 24. Todd Gilliland LW: 20 -4 26. Noah Gragson LW: 30 +4 27. AJ Allmendinger LW: 26 +1 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 31 +2 30. Ty Dillon LW: 32 +2 31. Justin Haley LW: 24 -7 32. Riley Herbst LW: 34 +2 33. Cole Custer LW: 29 -4 34. Daniel Suarez LW: 35 +1 36. Cody Ware LW: 33 -3

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday. This weekend NASCAR travels to Kansas City, Kansas for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.   Kansas is a 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway that was built in 2001.  Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR race there that same year.  Kyle Larson won here in the spring earlier this year, and Ross Chastain won in the fall last season.   Tomorrow’s race will be 267 laps long (for a total of 400.5 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 80 – 165 – 267.  Pit road speed is 45 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 55 mph.  The fuel window is between 62-67 laps.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 7,919 laps, for 10,701.63 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed every single lap - Tyler Reddick is closest, running 15 laps down.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Kansas: Chase Elliott 10.37 over 19 races (1 win) Christopher Bell 12.36 over 11 races Kyle Larson 12.43 over 21 races (3 wins) Denny Hamlin 12.88 over 34 races (4 wins) Brad Keselowski 13.32 over 31 races (2 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Kansas: Cody Ware 33.00 over 6 races Riley Herbst 31.00 over 2 races Justin Haley 27.11 over 9 races Michael McDowell 26.75 over 28 races Carson Hocevar 25.50 over 4 races   Kansas is an Intermediate Track.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Intermediates: Denny Hamlin 11.93 over 347 races (29 wins) Kyle Larson 12.17 over 185 races (18 wins) Chase Elliott 12.38 over 166 races (7 wins) Kyle Busch 12.43 over 363 races (29 wins) Joey Logano 12.57 over 293 races (19 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Intermediates: SVG 22.65 over 17 races Ty Dillon 22.41 over 133 races JH Nemechek 22.14 over 52 races Ryan Preece 21.76 over 99 races Noah Gragson 21.31 over 47 races   Denny Hamlin is the winningest driver at Kansas, having won 4 times there.  Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and Joey Logano are all tied for 2 nd with 3 wins each.   Drivers who ran their first Cup Series race at Kansas: Austin Dillon 2011 – P26 Ryan Blaney 2014 – P27 Denny Hamlin 2005 – P32 Erik Jones 2015 – P40   Drivers whose most recent Cup Series Victory was at Kansas: Kyle Larson 18 races ago, 2025   Notable drivers who have not won at Kansas: Ryan Blaney (has won at 11 other tracks) William Byron (has won at 11 other tracks) Christopher Bell (has won at 10 other tracks) Alex Bowman (has won at 8 other tracks) Chris Buescher (has won at 6 other tracks)   Based on average finish, no drivers list Kansas as their BEST or WORST track.   Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2024 Chase Briscoe +308 pts JH Nemechek +260 pts Ryan Preece +228 pts Erik Jones +185 pts Zane Smith +135 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Noah Gragson -197 pts Brad Keselowski -188 pts Daniel Suarez -180 pts Ty Gibbs -104 pts Tyler Reddick -91 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Christopher Bell 12.27 Chase Briscoe 12.60 Ryan Preece 16.47 JH Nemechek 19.27   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.40 Carson Hocevar 20.73 Zane Smith 20.57   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 2,059 (4 wins) Riley Herbst 343   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1 st , 35 for 2 nd , 34 for 3 rd , etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings Chevrolet 1,090 Toyota 1,068 Ford 1,014   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Joe Gibbs 1,038 Hendrick 1,024 Penske 881 RFK 849 Trackhouse 820 23XI 782 Spire 752 Legacy MC 695 RCR 692 Front Row 673 Kaulig 618 Wood Bros 465 Hyak 439 Haas Factory 378 Rick Ware 214   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders William Byron 270 Ryan Blaney 270 Kyle Larson 221 Denny Hamlin 193 Bubba Wallace 187 Tyler Reddick 181 Alex Bowman 160 Christopher Bell 151 Chase Elliott 146 Chase Briscoe 140   Milestone Watch Denny Hamlin Looking for his 60 th  Career Cup Series Win Chris Buescher Looking for his 30 th  Career Top 5 Ross Chastain Looking for his 70 th  Career Top 10 Brad Keselowski Looking for his 160 th  Career Top 5 Zane Smith Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10 SVG Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10 Kyle Larson Looking for his 200 th  Career Top 10   Scorigami Update No drivers scored a new finishing position at New Hampshire   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 171 races Cole Custer 127 races Erik Jones 109 races Kyle Busch 87 races Michael McDowell 78 races Daniel Suarez 64 races Brad Keselowski 53 races AJ Allmendinger 50 races Alex Bowman 46 races Chris Buescher 38 races   The race begins Sunday, September 28 th   at 3:00 pm EST (12:00 pm PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Press Release | KAULIG RACING Kaulig Racing announced today the promotion of Chris Rice from President to Chief Executive Officer. Rice, who has been with the team since its inception in 2016, has played a vital role in the organization’s growth and success in NASCAR.   Rice’s career in motorsports spans decades, beginning on pit road before moving into leadership roles across the sport. Since joining Matt Kaulig to launch Kaulig Racing, Rice has been instrumental in building the team’s foundation and shaping its winning culture. He was also a driving force in securing Kaulig Racing’s landmark partnership with RAM, a move that has further solidified the team’s future and expanded its competitive reach.   “Chris Rice is the real deal,” said Matt Kaulig, Founder and Team Owner of Kaulig Racing. “From his early days on pit road to President and now CEO of Kaulig Racing, his journey reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion that define this sport. Chris was with me from the very beginning, helping build Kaulig Racing from the ground up, and his leadership has been instrumental in shaping the culture and success of our team. I’m proud to call him a partner, a leader, and a friend.”   As CEO, Rice will continue to oversee all aspects of Kaulig Racing’s competition and business operations, driving the organization forward as it builds upon its established success in NASCAR.   “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for Matt’s trust in me,” said Rice. “From day one, our goal has been to create something special here at Kaulig Racing, not just wins on the track, but a culture where people love to come to work every day. With our partnership with RAM and the opportunity to continue grow in 2026, the future has never been brighter for Kaulig Racing.”

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images Press Release | JR MOTORSPORTS JR Motorsports today announced that former NASCAR Cup Series Champion crew chief Rodney Childers will be joining the organization in 2026 as crew chief of the No. 1 Chevrolet with drivers Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Childers, a 40-time race winner in the Cup Series, will enter into his first season as a crew chief in NASCAR’s second-highest level of competition.   “Rodney’s resume and career speak for itself,” said JRM team owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Rodney and I grew up together and have known each other since we were kids, That’s a relationship that has always been close and has remained close to this day. We’ve always had interest in working together in motorsports and I’m thankful that this opportunity came about and we could bring him into the JRM family.”   Childers most-recently served as crew chief for the No. 7 Chevrolet in the Cup Series for Spire Motorsports, but his most successful run came while calling the shots for former JRM drivers Kevin Harvick and Josh Berry at Stewart-Haas Racing, with the pairing of Harvick and Childers being one of the most successful in recent NASCAR history. From 2014 until Harvick’s retirement from Cup Series competition in 2023, the pair scored an astounding 37 wins, 148 top-fives, 230 top-10s and five Championship 4 appearances together, including the 2014 championship.   “I’m so excited to be joining the JRM family,” said Childers. “To see what Dale, Kelley and Mr. H have built here is quite amazing and their results show for themselves. Dale and Kelley have meant a lot to me for some 30 years and I can’t wait to be part of this group. Plus, I get to be the lucky guy to lead two amazing young men that have a huge amount of talent and a big future in our sport.”   Piloting the No. 1 Chevrolet for Childers in 2026 will be the dynamic duo of standout drivers Kvapil and Zilisch in a dual role.   Andrew Overstreet, who has been with JRM since 2020, will remain a key player within the organization for 2026.   Further announcements of the 2026 driver and crew chief lineup for JRM in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will come at a later date.

Photo from www.x.com/f1 By Ryan Wu A Wild Qualifying Session Max Verstappen won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after an impressive qualifying performance. The session itself was chaotic, with strong winds and intermittent rain contributing to a record six red flags, including two in Q3. Those late stoppages saw both the current World Championship leader and Charles Leclerc, who had started on pole at Baku every year since 2021, crash out. The disruptions in the final qualifying period created opportunities for unexpected names to secure strong grid positions, with Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson lining up second and third. Meanwhile, Lando Norris was unable to capitalize on Oscar Piastri’s rare mistake, managing only a seventh-place start. Is Verstappen Back in the Championship Conversation? Max Verstappen made a strong start, holding off Carlos Sainz into the first corner. Oscar Piastri’s nightmare weekend continued when his car triggered an anti-stall after a jump start, dropping him to last place as the lights went out. His race ended soon after when he crashed into the barriers at Turn 5, retiring far earlier than expected and leaving the door wide open for his closest rival, Lando Norris. The crash brought out a brief safety car, the last time Verstappen had any pressure behind him. From there, he cruised to victory, finishing more than 14.6 seconds clear of the field. Norris’s chances of capitalizing on Piastri’s retirement were hampered by a disastrous 4.1-second pit stop on lap 38, which cost him time to Charles Leclerc and Liam Lawson. He spent the remainder of the race chasing but could not pass Yuki Tsunoda for sixth, ultimately finishing seventh—the same position he started. As a result, he cut Piastri’s championship lead by only six points, with the Australian still 25 points ahead. Meanwhile, Verstappen’s back-to-back wins have closed the gap to 69 points with seven races and three sprints remaining. If his form continues, the year-long two-driver battle could soon welcome a third contender, especially as Red Bull appears to be finding its stride. The team introduced a tweaked floor design at Monza last week, and combined with a low-downforce setup that suits the RB21, Verstappen may yet mount a challenge for his fifth consecutive title. What a Performance from Sainz Carlos Sainz surprised many by choosing Williams for the 2025 season, and he validated that decision with an outstanding drive. He began the weekend strongly by qualifying second and went on to secure Williams’ first pole of the season after executing a brilliant undercut on Antonelli and Lawson on lap 28. His result marked the team’s first full-points podium since 2017, coincidentally at the same circuit when Lance Stroll was still driving for them. Tsunoda Bounces Back Tsunoda showed great pace all weekend and managed a 6th place finish which was not only his second points finish since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix but also his highest finish this year. Rookie Report Isack Hadjar endured a difficult weekend as throttle issues severely hampered his pace, though he still managed to bring the car home in 10th. Kimi Antonelli enjoyed a strong bounceback, finishing 4th for his first top-five result since Canada in mid-June. Liam Lawson also delivered a solid performance, starting third and once again finishing ahead of his replacement, Yuki Tsunoda. Racing Refresh Driver of the Day Carlos Sainz, Williams Final Points Finishing Positions 1st: Max Verstappen 2nd: George Russell 3rd: Carlos Sainz 4th: Kimi Antonelli 5th: Liam Lawson 6th: Yuki Tsunoda 7th: Lando Norris 8th: Lewis Hamilton 9th: Charles Leclerc 10th: Isack Hadjar Next on the F1 Schedule: SIngapore Grand Prix: October 3rd-5th