NASCAR: Post-Season Driver Grades

D-. Matt DiBenedetto tripled his career total of top 10 finishes this season by finishing in 9th place in the Daytona 500 and 8th place in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. However, he was unable to finish in the top 5 for the first time, as his career-high finish is still 6th place at Bristol in the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series season.. No. 32. Go FAS Racing, Ford. MATT DIBENEDETTO

C-. Despite missing seven NASCAR Cup Series races with a back injury he suffered in a wreck at Kansas, Aric Almirola still finished ahead of several full-time drivers in the final standings in 29th place. In 29 races, he racked up six top 10 finishes, including three top 5 finishes in the three restrictor plate races he got to race in this season.. No. 43. Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford. ARIC ALMIROLA

B+. Without winning at Pocono for his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory, Ryan Blaney would not have qualified for the playoffs. However, he did, and he advanced to the Round of 8 and came close to advancing to the Championship 4, where he would have had a chance to win his first career championship at just 23 years old. He ended up finishing in 9th in the final standings.. No. 21. Wood Brothers Racing, Ford. RYAN BLANEY

LANDON CASSILL. F. Among full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers this past season, Landon Cassill’s top finish was the worst. He had just three top 20 finishes throughout the entire season, and his best result was a 16th place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. After that race, he finished no higher than 19th.. No. 34. Front Row Motorsports, Ford

D-. David Ragan’s 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season was not great, especially in non-restrictor plate races. In three of the four restrictor plate races this season, he finished in the top 10, including a season-high 6th place finish at Daytona. However, those three top 10 finishes were his only three top 10 finishes of the season.. No. 38. Front Row Motorsports, Ford. DAVID RAGAN