NASCAR: Post-Season Driver Grades

DALE EARNHARDT JR.. D. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final season as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver was not great, as he finished in the top 5 just once with six other top 10 finishes en route to a 21st place finish in the standings. After a season during which he did not have much success, his decision to retire looks smart, especially given his concussion history.. No. 88. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

C-. In his final season as a Hendrick Motorsports driver, Kasey Kahne won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2014 season. However, his season as a whole, which ended in the Round of 16, was not very impressive, as he recorded just three top 5 and six top 10 finishes.. No. 5. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet. KASEY KAHNE

B. Jimmie Johnson won three races toward the beginning of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season, but he was unable to win after that. He finished in 10th in the final standings after being eliminated in the Round of 8 and failing to qualify for the Championship 4, where he would have had a chance to compete for a record eighth career championship.. No. 48. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet. JIMMIE JOHNSON

A-. Chase Elliott has still not won a single race in his NASCAR Cup Series career. However, that did not stop him from qualifying for the playoffs for the second time in his two full-time seasons in the sport, and it did not stop him from making the Round of 8, where he was just a handful of miles away from securing a spot in the Championship 4 in two of the three races in that round. A 5th place finish in the final standings for a driver who has no career victories is very impressive.. No. 24. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet. CHASE ELLIOTT