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

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images By Adam Carabine With the Cup Series playoffs starting, 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: 36 – Last week: 36  - Eliminated Honestly, Josh Berry had a great weekend in New Hampshire.  A great qualifying effort, and finished P2 with what was likely the fastest car on the track, at least in the final run.  Unfortunately it was too little, too late, for his playoff hopes, as he was eliminated the week prior in Bristol.  Berry’s previous few races were so abysmal, his P2 wasn’t enough to get him out of the basement of the Power Rankings, but that could change quickly with some better runs.   Austin Cindric – This week: 28 – Last week: 26 Cindric had a fairly quiet race in New Hampshire, but will need something a little flashier to make it onto the next round.  P17 isn’t terrible, but it’s not playoff-worthy at this point of the proceedings.  He’s -19 to the cutline at the moment and will need to step up his game.   Austin Dillon – This week: 27 – Last week: 21 - Eliminated Following the trend of the eliminated drivers having a decent day in New Hampshire, Austin Dillon finished P13.  The reason he falls so much in the Power Rankings is because his win at Richmond is now outside of the last five races, which are more heavily weighted in the formula.   Alex Bowman – This week: 25 – Last week: 24 - Eliminated Alex Bowman also had a solid day at New Hampshire, though his finishing position of P15 was worse than his car looked most of the day.  With an average running position of 10 th , and earning some stage points, again it left some questions of what could have been for the driver of the 48 who was eliminated last weekend.   SVG – This week: 23 – Last week: 22 - Eliminated Unfortunately for SVG, an accident ended up ruining what had been a great day up to that point.  After qualifying in the Top 10, and spending a good chunk of the day up in the Top 5, SVG has shown that he’s doing better with ovals.  He’s no longer in the playoffs, but he’s definitely a threat coming up at the Charlotte Roval.   Bubba Wallace – This week: 18 – Last week: 12 One of the breakout stars of the first round had a rough start to the Round of 12.  Bubba Wallace, after the points reset, and after finishing 26 th  at New Hampshire, is now -27 to the cutline, and has a steep hill to climb.  However, next week’s race at Kansas could be a good opportunity for him, as it’s a track he’s won at before.   Ross Chastain – This week: 11 – Last week: 11 Chastain wasn’t super flashy, but finished New Hampshire with a Top 10.  He had a few battles with Kyle Larson, and Carson Hocevar at times, but seemed to stay out of trouble where it counted.  He currently sits 12 points out of the playoff picture, but it’s too soon to count him fully out just yet.   Chase Elliott – This week: 9 – Last week: 17 After a poor showing in qualifying, Chase Elliott had a great day, making up a lot of track position in New Hampshire.  He finished P5, and secured himself back onto the positive side of the playoff cutline.  He’s now +14, and self-identified New Hampshire as the race he was worried about in this round of the playoffs.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 8 – Last week: 8 Reddick is still looking for consistency, though he still manages to do enough to keep himself in the Top 10 of the Power Rankings.  He finished P21 at New Hampshire, though he earned some stage points, and finished on the lead lap.  He, along with his 23XI teammate, Bubba Wallace, is in a hole to the cutline, -23 pts.    Denny Hamlin – This week: 7 – Last week: 4 It was a weird up and down day for Hamlin in New Hampshire, as he finally wound up with a P12 finish.  He tied with Christopher Bell for the most Quality Passes of anyone in the field, but also had a pass differential of -12.  He’s still sitting comfortably with +27 to the cutline heading into next week, assuming there’s no retribution from his teammate Ty Gibbs.   Christopher Bell – This week: 6 – Last week: 6 Bell holds serve this week with his Power Rankings position, and also finished P6 in the race at New Hampshire.  As stated above, he tied with Denny Hamlin for the most Quality Passes (68) of any drivers, and just barely missed the Top 5.  Bell is sitting comfortably at +29 to the cut line.   William Byron – This week: 5 – Last week: 7 Byron seemed to have a comfortable car all weekend in New Hampshire, but it just wasn’t quite enough to earn a victory.  He didn’t lead a single lap, but he managed to finish P3, and earned an additional 16 stage points along the way.  Other than Blaney, who won his way into the next round, Byron has the best position on the cutline, as he is +47 to the good.   Kyle Larson – This week: 4 – Last week: 3 Larson also had a solid day at New Hampshire, as did most of the Hendrick teams.  He finished P7, led a few laps, earned points in each stage, and looked solid out there.  It’s been a quiet few weeks for Larson, but he might be ramping up at the right time.  He’s just behind his teammate Byron in the standings, and is +41 to the cutline.   Joey Logano – This week: 3 – Last week: 5 Logano had a great day at New Hampshire, and it could have been even better if it weren’t for his meddling teammate, Ryan Blaney.  He won the pole, earned the most stage points of any driver (including a stage win), and led the most laps too.  However, he wasn’t a match for his teammate, and Blaney ultimately won the battle.  Logano will be happy with a P4 and being +24 to the cutline.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 2 – Last week: 1 The star of Round One, Briscoe had an underwhelming start to the race, seemingly unable to make up much ground.  But a gutsy call to go with just two tires by crew chief James Small earned him some track position, and he salvaged a Top 10 on the day.  While he’s on the bubble with a +12 to the good, these are the kinds of races that good teams need to continue their championship hunts.   Ryan Blaney – This week: 1   – Last week: 2 Blaney’s great day at New Hampshire puts him back to the top of the Power Rankings, understandably.  He led the second-most laps (after teammate Logano), he won the first stage, and was the fastest car on track 85 times (the most of any driver).  Blaney is again peaking at the right time, and could be a real championship threat.     Biggest Movers   Austin Dillon – This week: 27 – Last week: 21 Falls 6 places   Bubba Wallace – This week: 18 – Last week: 12 Falls 6 places   Daniel Suarez – This week: 35 – Last week: 29 Falls 6 places   Chase Elliott – This Week: 9 – Last Weekend 17 Gains 8 places   Best of the Rest: 10. Ryan Preece LW: 14 +4 12. Chris Buescher LW: 15 +3 13. Brad Keselowski LW: 10 -3 14. Ty Gibbs LW: 9 -5 15. JH Nemechek LW: 13 -2 16. Carson Hocevar LW: 18 +2 17. Erik Jones LW: 16 -1 19. Michael McDowell LW: 25 +6 20. Todd Gilliland LW: 23 +3 21. Kyle Busch LW: 19 -2 22. Zane Smith LW: 20 -2 24. Justin Haley LW: 28 +4 26. AJ Allmendinger LW: 27 +1 29. Cole Custer LW: 30 +1 30. Noah Gragson LW: 34 +4 31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 31 -- 32. Ty Dillon LW: 32 -- 33. Cody Ware LW: 33 -- 34. Riley Herbst LW: 35 +1 35. Daniel Suarez LW: 29 -6

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday. This weekend NASCAR travels to Loudon, New Hampshire for the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.   New Hampshire is a 1.058-mile oval track, with very minimal banking in the corners.  The track was originally built in 1965, but the oval as we know it now was reconfigured in 1990.  NASCAR’s Cup Series first visited in 1993, and Rusty Wallace won that race.  Last year’s race at New Hampshire wasn’t in the playoffs, but Christopher Bell won it.   Tomorrow’s race will be 301 laps long (for a total of 318.46 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 70 – 180 – 301.  Pit road speed is 45 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 50 mph.  The fuel window is between 90-96 laps.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 7,618 laps, for 10,383.17 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 New Hampshire: Josh Berry 3.00 over 1 race Denny Hamlin 9.87 over 31 races (3 wins) Brad Keselowski 10.54 over 24 races (2 wins) Tyler Reddick 11.20 over 5 races Kyle Larson 11.21 over 14 races   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at New Hampshire: Cody Ware 33.00 over 3 races Michael McDowell 30.77 over 22 races Zane Smith 30.00 over 1 race Noah Gragson 29.50 over 2 races Alex Bowman 24.38 over 13 races   New Hampshire, for the purposes of this article, is listed as a Short Track.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Shorts: Joey Logano 11.29 over 193 races (13 wins) Chase Elliott 11.68 over 106 races (4 wins) Ryan Blaney 12.27 over 110 races (3 wins) Christopher Bell 12.36 over 62 races (7 wins) Denny Hamlin 12.68 over 228 races (24 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Shorts: Michael McDowell 26.53 over 170 races Ty Dillon 25.36 over 82 races Zane Smith 24.75 over 23 races Noah Gragson 24.64 over 31 races JH Nemechek 22.71 over 31 races   Jeff Burton is tied with Kevin Harvick as the winningest drivers at New Hampshire – they each have four wins.  After that a collection of 8 drivers have all each won three races, including current drivers Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin.   Drivers who ran their first Cup Series race at New Hampshire: Joey Logano 2008 – P32 Ryan Preece 2015 – P32   Drivers who WON their first Cup Series race at New Hampshire: Joey Logano 21 st  Cup Series Race   Notable drivers who have not won at New Hampshire: Kyle Larson (has won at 18 other tracks) Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) William Byron (has won at 11 other tracks) Ryan Blaney (has won at 10 other tracks) Tyler Reddick (has won at 8 other tracks)   Based on average finish, Josh Berry ranks New Hampshire as his BEST track, and no one lists it as their 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 +308 pts JH Nemechek +280 pts Ryan Preece +229 pts Erik Jones +198 pts Zane Smith +144 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Noah Gragson -208 pts Brad Keselowski -180 pts Daniel Suarez -161 pts Kyle Larson -93 pts Chase Elliott -89 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Christopher Bell 12.48 Chase Briscoe 12.69 Ryan Preece 16.55 Ty Gibbs 17.28 JH Nemechek 18.76   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.41 Carson Hocevar 21.07 Zane Smith 20.34   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 2,050 (4 wins) Riley Herbst 328   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 1,056 Toyota 1,033 Ford 974   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Joe Gibbs 1,007 Hendrick 990 Penske 841 RFK 826 Trackhouse 792 23XI 766 Spire 723 Legacy MC 686 RCR 668 Front Row 652 Kaulig 601 Wood Bros 430 Hyak 427 Haas Factory 365 Rick Ware 208   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 254 Ryan Blaney 253 Kyle Larson 207 Denny Hamlin 190 Bubba Wallace 187 Tyler Reddick 179 Alex Bowman 157 Christopher Bell 146 Chase Elliott 142 Chase Briscoe 138   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 SVG Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10   Scorigami Update Bristol was the first time that: Riley Herbst finished 18 th Zane Smith finished 3 rd   Josh Berry finished 39 th Carson Hocevar finished 7 th     Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 170 races Cole Custer 126 races Erik Jones 108 races Kyle Busch 86 races Michael McDowell 77 races Daniel Suarez 63 races Brad Keselowski 52 races AJ Allmendinger 49 races Alex Bowman 45 races Chris Buescher 37 races   The race begins Sunday, September 21 st   at 2:00 pm EST (11:00 am 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 | RFK RACING Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing today announced the appointment of veteran sports and entertainment executive Chip Bowers as Team President. With nearly three decades of leadership in business operations, sales and marketing with multiple professional sports teams in the NBA, WNBA and MLB, Bowers has a proven track record of success. The move continues RFK Racing’s organizational evolution as it focuses on long-term growth and expanded opportunities.   Bowers succeeds Steve Newmark, who stepped down from the position in August after more than a decade of dedicated leadership, and will officially begin his role on September 22 nd .   “I’m honored and thrilled to be joining one of NASCAR’s premiere racing teams,” said Bowers.  “As both a fan of the sport and a North Carolina native, this is truly a full circle moment for me in my career. I’m incredibly appreciative of Jack Roush, John Henry, future hall of fame driver & owner Brad Keselowski, and our esteemed board of directors for asking me to be a trusted partner in leading the organization to new heights.”   In his new role at RFK Racing, Bowers will focus on scaling the business for sustained growth, strengthening long-term corporate partnerships, and driving innovation across the organization while building on the momentum already established under RFK Racing’s current leadership team to grow and increase the footprint of the team’s platform.   “RFK Racing has a rich and storied history of excellence both on and off of the track,” Bowers said.  “I’m excited to work closely with my new teammates, our impressive best-in-brand partners, and NASCAR officials in unlocking new opportunities that grow our collective businesses through creativity, innovation, strategic thinking, and the enhancement of the overarching fan experience. RFK Racing is realizing an incredible upward trajectory, and I look forward to establishing our team as a true thought-leader and one of the preeminent brands within the industry.”   Most recently, Bowers served as President of Elevate, where he oversaw rapid global expansion that included opening four international offices, hiring more than 160 employees, and achieving tenfold revenue growth. Under his leadership, Elevate was recognized as Sports Business Journal’s “Best in Property Sales and Consulting” in 2023.   “Chip brings a fresh perspective that we’re really excited about,” said RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski. “He has proven he can grow organizations and think creatively in some of the most competitive sports markets, and that experience will help us find new ways to strengthen our team.”   In addition to his agency leadership, Bowers has held senior roles with some of the most notable teams across professional sports, including the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and Seattle SuperSonics; MLB’s Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres; and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. His experience extends beyond traditional sports into competitive gaming, having helped launch both the Golden Guardians (League of Legends) and Warriors Gaming (NBA 2K League).   Bowers’ career includes guiding the Golden State Warriors marketing department through three NBA Championships while the organization twice earned Sports Business Journal’s “Sports Team of the Year” honors. He also played a central role in the design and development of Chase Center in San Francisco and the Amway Center in Orlando, securing landmark naming rights and founding partnerships at both venues. As President of the Miami Marlins, Bowers led a restructuring of the team’s business operations, reimagined the fan experience, and drove major ballpark enhancements.   “His extensive sales and marketing background will be a tremendous asset.” Keselowski added. “He understands how to build meaningful partnerships and enhance fan experiences and that will help RFK Racing’s growth long term.”   Bowers is a native of North Carolina and a graduate of Appalachian State University. He resides in Charlotte with his wife, April, and their daughters, Charlie and Poppy.   CAA Executive Search was retained to assist in the hiring process. Cover Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images

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: 36 – Last week: 35 In possibly the worst ever playoff appearance, Josh Berry finished last in all three races of the first round.  Understandably, he didn’t move on to the next one.  Berry is better than this three-race showing, but I’m sure he’d like a do-over.   Austin Cindric – This week: 26 – Last week: 22 Cindric survived the first round, partly due to some poor showings from Berry and Alex Bowman.  But in this playoff system, you need some luck as well as skill.  The second round is a grind, with three difficult tracks, but Cindric enters just one point under the cutline.   Alex Bowman – This week: 24 – Last week: 26 Bowman’s late surge at Bristol was unfortunately too little, too late.  He had a rough showing in the first two races at Darlington and WWT Gateway, and was unable to undo the damage.    SVG – This week: 22 – Last week: 12 There was a small chance that SVG might make it through to Round Two of the playoffs, and mostly because of the insane playoff point lead he had over others.  Ovals not being his forte just yet, he wasn’t able to hold serve and stay alive.  The other drivers are likely counting their lucky stars – watch for him to contend at the Charlotte Roval later in this round.   Austin Dillon – This week: 21 – Last week: 18 Austin Dillon didn’t have a great first round.  His best finish was P18 at WWT Gateway, and he was essentially below the cutline the entire run.  With both him and teammate Kyle Busch having down years so far, there might be something festering at RCR as a whole, but as long as they keep returning to Richmond, Dillon might be okay to sneak into the playoffs each year.   Chase Elliott – This week: 17 – Last week: 16 Chase falls in the Power Rankings again after a rough finish to the first round.  P38 is not the way to get it done, but luckily he had built up enough points to make it through to the next round.  He’s going to want some more consistency in the next round if he’s going to make it to the end.    Bubba Wallace – This week: 12 – Last week: 9 Aside from a tough finish at Bristol, Bubba Wallace’s first round was really solid.  Two top 10s in the previous two races was enough to ensure his safe passage into the Round of 12.  Wallace has shown some veteran-like poise this season, and the results are showing up as a result.   Ross Chastain – This week: 11 – Last week: 10 Ross Chastain was neither terrible nor amazing in the first round of the Playoffs.  In these uncharacteristically quiet first three races, he earned enough to make it through to the next round, but it was close.  He’ll need to step up his game for the next round.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 8 – Last week: 7 Reddick did well enough in the first race to be able to coast a little more through the next two of Playoff Round One.  His runner-up finish at Darlington was solid, but Reddick fans still need to see more.  Going for his first win of the season in Round Two might be just the place to start.   William Byron – This week: 7 – Last week: 5 Also having a quiet first round was William Byron.  The nice thing about his playoff points is that if he can survive the round, he starts the next one with a nice lead again.  He enters the Round of 12 +24 to the cutline – a nice buffer in case things go sour for him.   Christopher Bell – This week: 6 – Last week: 6 Things didn’t look great after a P29 at Darlington to kick off his playoffs, but Christopher Bell rebounded and won at the Bristol Night Race to secure his spot.  He was already in a decent position, points-wise, but the win cemented things for him.  Maybe more importantly, it was finally a return to Victory Lane after he won three in a row near the start of the season.  While he’s been solid, he hasn’t won again since.  This momentum could be hitting at the right time.   Joey Logano – This week: 5 – Last week: 8 The reigning champion still just keeps finding a way to get things done.  Two Top 5s in a row to finish out the Round of 16, and Logano is still looking to defend his title.  While it hasn’t seemed like the 22 car has had the speed lately, Logano is crafty and finds other ways to capitalize on others’ mistakes.    Denny Hamlin – This week: 4 – Last week: 4 Not sure if this really is truly “Hamlin’s Year This Year” ™, but he’s off to a strong start in the first three races.  He won at WWT Gateway to secure his spot in the next round, which afforded him the ability to have a rough finish at Bristol and still move forward.  He remains competitive year after year, is this the year it pays off?   Kyle Larson – This week: 3 – Last week: 3 It was also a weirdly quiet Round of 16 for Kyle Larson, though he had enough of a lead in points to still make it into the next round.  Bristol was not nice to Larson, as he finished 5 laps down, in 32 nd  place.  However, like his teammate Byron, the points have reset for Round Two, and he’s +24 to the cutline heading into New Hampshire.   Ryan Blaney – This week: 2   – Last week: 1 Blaney falls from the top spot despite a really solid first round of the playoffs.  He opened at Darlington with a P18, but finished strong with two P4s in a row.  He was a threat all night at Bristol, but came up a few spots short in the end.  He falls a spot due to Chase Briscoe’s sudden surge in the last few weeks.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 1 – Last week: 2 Briscoe took all of the pressure off of himself with a win at the opening race of the playoffs, but continued to keep the pressure up on his opponents with two other solid finishes at WWT Gateway and Bristol.  He came 2 nd  in St. Louis and a respectable 9 th  place in Bristol.  The new addition to the Joe Gibbs Racing camp this year is starting to click really well, and that should worry the others.   Biggest Movers   SVG – This week: 22 – Last week: 12 Falls 10 places   Ty Gibbs – This Week: 9 – Last Weekend 19 Gains 10 places   Best of the Rest: 9. Ty Gibbs LW: 19 +10 10. Brad Keselowski LW: 17 +7 13. JH Nemechek LW: 14 +1 14. Ryan Preece LW: 11 -3 15. Chris Buescher LW: 13 -2 16. Erik Jones LW: 15 -1 18. Carson Hocevar LW: 25 +7 19. Kyle Busch LW: 23 +4 20. Zane Smith LW: 29 +9 23. Todd Gilliland LW: 24 +1 25. Michael McDowell LW: 27 +2 27. AJ Allmendinger LW: 20 -7 28. Justin Haley LW: 31 +3 29. Daniel Suarez LW: 21 -7 30. Cole Custer LW: 30 -- 31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 28 -3 32. Ty Dillon LW: 33 +1 33. Cody Ware LW: 32 -1 34. Noah Gragson LW: 34 -- 35. Riley Herbst LW: 36 +1

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Imgaes Press Release | PHOENIX RACEWAY NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing is roaring back to the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix Raceway announced today that the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will return to the iconic 1-mile oval on Saturday, March 7, 2026, for a highly anticipated showdown, joining forces with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for an action-packed doubleheader. This marks the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Phoenix Raceway since 2018 and continues a legacy that spans more than five decades. The track, which first hosted INDYCAR SERIES competition in 1964, has long been a proving ground for some of the sport’s greatest legends. “We’re thrilled to welcome the NTT INDYCAR SERIES back to Phoenix Raceway,” said Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey. “This track has deep roots in open-wheel history, so we’re pleased to bring that tradition back to our race fans as part of a doubleheader Saturday with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.” The 2026 return of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES underscores a Phoenix Raceway commitment to blending tradition with innovation, providing fans with a weekend featuring the best of NASCAR and INDYCAR. The Saturday doubleheader will showcase the high-speed precision of INDYCAR followed by the door-to-door intensity of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series — all in one unforgettable day. The spring race weekend will also include the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, March 8 and an ARCA Menards Series race. Additional event details will be announced in the near future. In the meantime, Phoenix Raceway is gearing up for 2025 NASCAR Championship Weekend, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2. It will include four championship races over three days, culminating with the Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, Nov. 2. Tickets are going fast, so fans are encouraged to get their tickets now by visiting www.phoenixraceway.com .

From Dirty Mo Media Press Release | DIRTY MO MEDIA Dirty Mo Media President & Executive Producer Mike Davis today announced a series of strategic promotions designed to strengthen the company’s leadership team and position the organization for continued success in original programming, client partnerships, and digital media innovation. Tiff Powers has been named Executive Vice President. In this role, she will oversee company operations, guide strategic initiatives, and support the president in executing the long-term vision for Dirty Mo Media. Kolby Bass has been promoted to Vice President of Content & Digital Strategy, where she will lead the company’s data-driven growth strategies, digital audience development, and platform innovation. Alex Timms has been named Head of Original Programming, with a focus on Dirty Mo Media’s expanding podcast portfolio and social media presence. Travis Rockhold has been named Head of Content Operations, managing the execution and delivery of client-driven podcast productions. Both Timms and Rockhold will continue producing their highly successful podcasts, including Dale Jr. Download, Bless Your Hardt, Door Bumper Clear and Actions Detrimental. “These promotions are both a recognition of the exceptional talent within our organization and a critical step toward scaling for opportunities ahead,” said Davis. “It’s so important to stay versatile in the always-changing media landscape, and each of these individuals bring unique skillsets, expertise, and drive that help us do just that.” Dirty Mo Media has established itself as one of the most dynamic voices in sports and entertainment media, producing award-winning podcasts, digital content, and branded programming. With these leadership moves, the company is reinforcing its commitment to both original storytelling and client success.

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Press Release | CR7 MOTORSPORTS CR7 Motorsports announced Monday that Jeff Stankiewicz will no longer serve as crew chief of the No. 9 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Grant Enfinger. Veteran crew chief Michael Shelton will assume interim duties beginning with this weekend’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in Loudon, NH. “Jeff has played an essential role in our growth and success,” said CR7 Motorsports team owner, Codie Rohrbaugh. “His leadership and dedication helped position our team to win races and contend for championships. We are grateful for everything he has contributed to CR7 Motorsports, and wish him the very best moving forward.” Shelton, a Truck Series championship-winning crew chief, brings a wealth of experience to the pit box. The Alabama native, and current CR7 Motorsports General Manager, has guided teams, and drivers to success across multiple seasons, including seven wins and a Championship as a crew chief on his resume. His leadership will be pivotal as CR7 Motorsports continues its push to advance in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs. “Jeff and I have shared a lot of success together,” said Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports entry. “His knowledge, preparation, and commitment were big strengths for our team. I’ll always be appreciative of the effort he put into helping us compete at a high level.” The team remains focused on keeping the No. 9 in playoff contention, with Loudon serving as a critical opportunity to secure valuable points. Further details regarding a permanent crew chief for the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports entry will be made at a later date.

Reigning 2024 Champion Joey Logano speaks at last year's banquet - Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images Press Release | NASCAR NASCAR today announced that the annual NASCAR Awards will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona on Nov. 4, capping off what promises to be a thrilling Championship Weekend.   The prestigious event will bring together drivers, teams, industry executives, and fans to celebrate the 2025 season and honor the newly crowned champions from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Most recently held in Charlotte, N.C., this marks the first time the event will be held in Arizona, reflecting NASCAR’s continued commitment to delivering memorable experiences in new and dynamic markets.   The awards ceremony and preceding red carpet will be livestreamed exclusively from 6 p.m. ET on the NASCAR Channel, allowing fans to join in the celebration. The NASCAR Channel – a free ad-supported streaming channel – can be found on Xumo Play, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus and Prime Video.   “Scottsdale offers the perfect backdrop for this year’s NASCAR Awards,” said Tim Clark, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer. “The incredible excitement from Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway will immediately carry into this year’s Awards, adding a level of energy we’ve never seen for this celebration.”   Following the championship races at Phoenix Raceway, which conclude on Sunday, Nov. 2 with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, the move to Scottsdale allows for a seamless transition into the awards celebration. The city’s renowned hospitality, culture, and scenic desert landscapes are expected to deliver an unforgettable experience for both guests and viewers.   NASCAR will host a celebration for the NASCAR Regional Series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and the NASCAR International Series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), on Friday, Nov. 21 in Charlotte, N.C. at the Charlotte Convention Center.

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday (on a Friday!). This weekend NASCAR travels to Bristol, Tennessee for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.   Bristol is a 0.533-mile oval with heavy banking in the corners, and two pit roads to make room for all of the teams.  The track opened in 1961, and Jack Smith won the first NASCAR race there that same year.  Kyle Larson has won the last two races in a row here.   Tomorrow’s race will be 500 laps long (for a total of 266.50 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 125 – 250 – 500.  Pit road speed is 30 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 35 mph.  The fuel window is between 165-180 laps.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 7,118 laps, for 10,116.67 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed every single lap - Tyler Reddick is closest, running 14 laps down.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Bristol: Chase Elliott 11.00 over 18 races Kyle Larson 12.19 over 21 races (3 wins) Christopher Bell 12.55 over 11 races (1 win) Ty Gibbs 12.83 over 6 races Denny Hamlin 13.51 over 39 races (4 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Bristol: SVG 38.00 over 1 race Riley Herbst 28.00 over 1 race Cody Ware 27.75 over 4 races Zane Smith 26.33 over 3 races Noah Gragson 25.80 over 3 races   Bristol is a Short Track.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Shorts: Joey Logano 11.33 over 192 races (13 wins) Chase Elliott 11.50 over 105 races (4 wins) Ryan Blaney 12.35 over 109 races (3 wins) Christopher Bell 12.48 over 61 races (6 wins) Denny Hamlin 12.62 over 227 races (24 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Shorts: Michael McDowell 26.57 over 169 races Zane Smith 25.48 over 22 races Ty Dillon 25.34 over 81 races Noah Gragson 24.69 over 30 races JH Nemechek 22.81 over 30 races   Darrell Waltrip is the winningest driver at Bristol, with 12 wins at the track.  There’s a four-way tie after that, with Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, and Kyle Busch each having 9 wins.   Drivers who ran their first Cup Series race at Bristol: AJ Allmendinger 2007 – P40    Notable drivers who have not won at Bristol: Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) William Byron (has won at 11 other tracks) Ryan Blaney (has won at 10 other tracks) Tyler Reddick (has won at 8 other tracks) Alex Bowman (has won at 8 other tracks)   Based on average finish, no drivers list Bristol as their BEST track, but SVG 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 +310 pts JH Nemechek +274 pts Ryan Preece +239 pts Erik Jones +201 pts Zane Smith +113 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Brad Keselowski -210 pts Noah Gragson -210 pts Daniel Suarez -141 pts Ty Gibbs -112 pts Christopher Bell -82 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Chase Briscoe 12.82 Ryan Preece 16.39 JH Nemechek 18.93   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.11 Carson Hocevar 21.57 Zane Smith 20.96   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 2,039 (4 wins) Riley Herbst 309   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 1,026 Toyota 993 Ford 939   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Joe Gibbs 967 Hendrick 961 Penske 808 RFK 791 Trackhouse 774 23XI 744 Spire 693 Legacy MC 663 RCR 647 Front Row 618 Kaulig 591 Wood Bros 429 Hyak 412 Haas Factory 361 Rick Ware 200   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 246 Ryan Blaney 234 Kyle Larson 207 Denny Hamlin 189 Tyler Reddick 179 Bubba Wallace 177 Alex Bowman 149 Christopher Bell 146 Chase Elliott 142 Chase Briscoe 138   Milestone Watch Denny Hamlin Looking for his 60 th  Career Cup Series Win Chris Buescher Looking for his 30 th  Career Top 5 SVG Looking for his 10 th  Career Top 10   Scorigami Update There were no new finishes for any drivers at WWT Gateway.   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 169 races Cole Custer 125 races Erik Jones 107 races Kyle Busch 85 races Michael McDowell 76 races Daniel Suarez 62 races Brad Keselowski 51 races AJ Allmendinger 48 races Alex Bowman 44 races Chris Buescher 36 races   The race begins Saturday, September 13 th   at 7:30 pm EST (4:30 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!

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images By Adam Carabine With the Cup Series playoffs starting, 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: 27 Berry has another unlucky week and finishes last in the two opening playoff races.  He’s not mathematically in must-win territory for Bristol, but he’s as good as toast if he can’t get it to victory lane this Saturday evening.    Alex Bowman – This week: 26 – Last week: 24 Bowman might be faring better than Berry, but he’s still in a dire spot heading to the cutoff race in Bristol this week.  P26 at WWT, and he’s got 35 pts to make up to the cut line.    Austin Cindric – This week: 23 – Last week: 22 Cindric currently is 11 points to the good on the cut line, but that’s far from comfortable.  It wasn’t his best showing at WWT, where he finished P19, but he’ll be hoping that others falter at Bristol and he can capitalize on their mistakes.   Austin Dillon – This week: 18 – Last week: 18 No one really expected Dillon to even make the playoffs, and now he’s here only 11 points out from the cut line.  RCR seems to have taken a big step backward lately, so it’s actually a pretty impressive feat for him to still be in the conversation.    Chase Elliott – This week: 16 – Last week: 19 Chase Elliott rebounds after a rough opening round finish at Darlington, with a P3 at WWT.  He led a few laps, earned points in both stages, and now heads to Bristol +23 to the cut line.  It wasn’t the smoothest of paths, but he should be okay at Bristol, barring any unforeseen calamity early.   SVG – This week: 12 – Last week: 11 Surprisingly, SVG has still looked quite a bit better at ovals as of late.  Obviously he’s a threat on any road course now, but his results in the first two races of the playoffs don’t necessarily tell the story of his oval improvements.  He’ll need to make up 15 points on the cutline at Bristol to advance.   Ross Chastain – This week: 10 – Last week: 5 Not a great showing for Ross Chastain or Trackhouse Racing at WWT this past weekend.  While Chastain had built himself a lead coming into the race, he now is only 19 points to the good, and will need everything to go well at Bristol this week in order to advance.   Joey Logano – This week: 9 – Last week: 12 A much-needed Top 5 at WWT for the reigning champion to salvage his first round of the playoffs puts Logano +21 to the good heading to Bristol.  He had some pace in that 22 car last weekend, and has historically been quite good at short tracks.  He might be a safe bet to move on to the next round.   Bubba Wallace – This week: 8 – Last week: 15 Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the playoff field, Bubba Wallace goes back-to-back with Top 10s at Darlington and WWT, setting him up for a solid +50 heading into Bristol.  He should be able to make it through to the next round.   Christopher Bell – This week: 7 – Last week: 7 Bell had one of the fastest cars at WWT, and managed a P7 finish.  He had the most quality passes of anyone in the field, and he’s 32 points up on the cut line heading to the elimination race at Bristol this weekend.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 6 – Last week: 4 Reddick has had some moments of great speed in the playoffs.  Unfortunately for him at WWT, that didn’t translate to a great result, due to being on a differing strategy than the winner.  However, his runner-up finish the week prior at Darlington sets him up with a +37 buffer to the cut line.   William Byron – This week: 5 – Last week: 3 William Byron has had some decent speed in his 24 car, but has also finished outside of the Top-10 in both playoff races so far.  He’ll need to clean up a few things for the next round, but should be safely in with a +39 to the line right now.   Denny Hamlin – This week: 4 – Last week: 10 Hamlin earns a solid victory at WWT and locks himself into the next round.  He didn’t always have the fastest car on the track, but he made it count when he needed to.  He also led the most laps of anyone, and earned the bonus point for the fastest lap of the race.   Kyle Larson – This week: 3 – Last week: 9 Larson is as good as locked into the next round without being officially mathematically clinched.  He’s +60 to the good heading to Bristol.  He can thank his regular season numbers for giving him a good buffer, as he also hasn’t actually finished in the Top 10 yet this playoffs.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 2   – Last week: 2 Chase Briscoe’s been the best driver of the playoffs so far, with a win at Darlington and a P2 at WWT.  He’d be locked in on points if he didn’t have the win already too.  If you’re still doubting his fit at the 19 team with Joe Gibbs Racing, you might never change your mind at this point!   Ryan Blaney – This week: 1 – Last week: 1 With our Power Rankings taking the most recent five races as the heaviest influence on the formula, Ryan Blaney is a no-brainer at the top spot again.  Four of his last five starts are in the Top 6, and one of them is a win at Daytona.  He’s comfortably +42 to the good heading into Bristol.    Biggest Movers   Brad Keselowski – This week: 17 – Last week: 8 Falls 9 places   Bubba Wallace – This Week: 8 – Last Weekend 15 Gains 7 places   Best of the Rest: 11. Ryan Preece LW: 6 -5 13. Chris Buescher LW: 14 +1 14. Erik Jones LW: 13 -1 15. JH Nemechek LW: 16 +1 17. Brad Keselowski LW: 8 -9 19. Ty Gibbs LW: 23 +4 20. AJ Allmendinger LW: 20 -- 21. Daniel Suarez LW: 17 -4 22. Kyle Busch LW: 21 -1 24. Todd Gilliland LW: 25 +1 25. Carson Hocevar LW: 26 +1 27. Michael McDowell LW: 31 +4 28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 30 +2 29. Zane Smith LW: 28 -1 30. Cole Custer LW: 29 -1 31. Justin Haley LW: 32 +1 32. Cody Ware LW: 35 +3 33. Ty Dillon LW: 34 +1 34. Noah Gragson LW: 33 -1 36. Riley Herbst LW: 36 --