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When you look at a NASCAR stat sheet, it can sometimes be overwhelming. Beyond the usual race wins, top-fives, and top-tens, there is an underlying world of stats in NASCAR. Here are five stats to look for in NASCAR.
While most people know this statistic, what it can tell you about a race is rather interesting. NASCAR is different from other sports for many reasons. One is, of course, that you can dominate a race but not win.
The debate over consistency versus wins in NASCAR raged on years prior to the Playoffs existing because leading the most laps does not mean you will come home a winner. In 2024 for example, Kyle Larson led 1700 laps in 35 races, 555 more than Christopher Bell’s 1145 laps, neither driver won the championship.
On a race-to-race basis, laps led can tell you who may have been the best driver in a race or a stretch of races. A good example is Martin Truex Jr. at Richmond this spring. MTJ led 228 laps, but race winner Denny Hamlin led 17 races.
This stat is found in the loop data collected by NASCAR during a race. It shows where a driver ran on every lap.
For example, keeping with Chase Elliott, in his lone with this season at Texas, Chase led just 39 laps, which on the face is not that great. However, his average position in that race was eighth, showing that he ran towards the front for a majority of the race.
The average starting position is the average of the driver’s starting spot in that season’s races. This statistic does not mean much on race day; that’s because being fast in qualifying doesn’t necessarily mean you will be fast on race day.
However, it can show if a driver or team, who may not have the best stats, actually has speed but can’t find it on race day.
For example, there were high hopes for Front Row Motorsports this season as they took on Tier One support from Ford. However, a look at their race day stats suggests they may not have had the fastest Mustangs on track. But, Michael McDowell’s average starting position of 14.6 was 12th best in NASCAR. This stat shows a team that has speed on Saturday but not on Sunday.
The average finishing position is the exact same concept translated to where a driver finishes. This stat is moderately controversial, as many traditional fans feel it should be reflected in the championship winner.
For example, the average finish or most consistent driver in 2024 was Chase Elliott, who averaged 11.7. Meanwhile, 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano averaged 17.1, which was the 13th best.
Away from the championship, this stat can help find drivers who are great racers but lack speed on Saturdays. To find these drivers, you want a driver with a low average starting position but a high average finish.
A good example of this from 2024 is Parker Kligerman and his underdog team, Big Machine Racing. Last season, Kligerman had an average start of 13.4, good for 10th among full-time drivers. However, Parker improved during races, averaging a finish of 11.9, the fifth-best in the series.
When looking for a driver who may not have the most success but is good enough to finish races, laps completed is a good stat to use. But, the leaders in this stat aren’t the typical names you’d expect.
In 2024, the top five in the NASCAR Cup Series in laps completed were:
These drivers, minus Elliott, combined for two wins this season; however, teams still value their abilities to bring the car home race in and race out. In a spot so focused on cost, keeping this number high can keep a driver employed.
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