NASCAR: Grading Every Team At The All-Star Break

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Stewart Haas Racing: (B)

Kurt Busch

2015 did not start the way that Busch and the No. 41 team were hoping for. Busch missed the first three races of the season after being suspended by NASCAR as a result of the domestic violence claims of Patricia Driscoll. When Busch returned to the track it was almost as though he was never gone. In only eight races Busch has already won and moved into the top-15 in points. In those eight races Busch also has yet to have a finish outside of the top-15.

GRADE: A-

Tony Stewart

Stewart would like to restart 2015, or at least that’s what you would think he would want to do. The 11 races in 2015 have been nothing short than miserable for the driver of the No. 14 machine. In 11 races Stewart has one top-10 finish to go along with six finishes of 30th or worse. Stewart currently finds himself 30th in the point standings. That puts him behind the likes of Paul Menard, Danica Patrick, AJ Allmendinger, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., David Gilliland, Trevor Bayne and Justin Allgaier. Something needs to change and it needs to change fast with Stewart and the No. 14 team

GRADE: D

Danica Patrick

Patrick continues to improve every season and 2015 has been no different. Through 11 races Patrick already has five finishes of 19th or better, two of which were top-10 finishes. Patrick has also improved on her finishes outside of the top-20 as her worst finish of the season is 27th. Patrick will need to improve on this pace if she wants to contend for a spot in the chase. A win will obviously go a long way but if she doesn’t win she will need more top-20 and top-10 finishes to be high enough in the points to possibly get in.

GRADE: B-

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick has been dominant in 2015 and there is no other way to even look at it. Harvick has 10 top-10 finishes in the first 11 races. Of those finishes eight of them are top-two finishes including his two wins on the season. Harvick’s only finish outside of the top-10 came when he wrecked in a race that he was leading. Harvick has not only been the anchor at SHR this season but he has also been the most dominant car in the series.

GRADE: A+