The NASCAR Cup Series is set for its lone 2022 bye week, but before the move from Fox to NBC, let’s take a look at where the top teams stand.
The lone 2022 NASCAR Cup Series bye week is officially here, and it has been an eventful season thus far to say the least. It started out with the Busch Light Clash preseason exhibition race, when the Cup Series drivers headed out to the City of Angels to compete on a 0.25-mile track in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Team Penske rookie Austin Cindric officially kicked off the season by winning the Daytona 500 to secure his first ever Cup Series win in just his first race as a full-time driver. First-time winners quickly became a trend, with Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe, and Daniel Suarez also earning victories.
But not all teams have been able to flourish in the Gen 7 era. While some such as Petty GMS Motorsports have found stability and made improvements, others such as Wood Brothers Racing have taken a hit.
Certain drivers tend to continue their success no matter where they go, but that doesn’t necessarily equal an overall team improvement. Kurt Busch has continued his winning ways, but 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace has struggled, and mechanical failures and pit crew miscues have regularly hindered his shot at decent results.
And while Briscoe has a win, Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola are fighting for the last playoff spot, and Cole Custer leads the series with the most DNFs. With a week off from the Cup Series, let’s take a look at the top five teams as things stand right now.
NASCAR team power rankings: No. 5 – Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing may not have either of their drivers currently in the playoff picture, but they’re both right on the edge. Tyler Reddick has shown flashes of greatness, most notably in his dominant performance at Auto Club Speedway, only to be hindered by a blown tire that took him out of contention.
He came close to winning the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but a slide job gone wrong by Chase Briscoe took him out on the last lap. While luck may not have been on his side just yet, that first Cup Series win seems to be in grasp for the two-time Xfinity Series champion.
Austin Dillon came close to winning his second Coca Cola 600 this year, but when he went for it all, he got too loose, resulting in a big wreck. Dillon is known to run mid-pack, but he can pull out surprise runs like he did when he won at Texas Motor Speedway in 2020.
Both Dillon and Reddick have six top 10 finishes, with the latter having the edge with four top five finishes compared to three. They may not be championship contenders, but both are flirting with the playoffs.
NASCAR team power rankings: No. 4 – Team Penske
Team Penske find themselves on the top of the board among Ford teams. Joey Logano has already punched his ticket into the playoffs with two wins, and Austin Cindric looks to be a lock with his Daytona 500, even if there end up being more than 16 winners.
Cindric may be adapting to the Cup Series level with some growing pains, just as any other rookie would, but his road course experience makes him a threat to earn more victories.
Ryan Blaney grabbed a checkered flag (two, actually) as well, but his win came in the non-points-paying All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Nevertheless, Blaney has scored three pole positions, five top five finishes, and eight top 10 finishes, and he leads the series in stage wins with four. The driver of the #12 Ford has quietly been performing well, and a win should be in his future.
All three drivers seem to be dialed in at a variety of venues, with Logano winning at unique-shaped ovals in Darlington Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Cindric winning on a superspeedway, and Blaney winning on a 1.5-mile oval.
Team Penske leadership, driven by team owner Roger Penske, definitely deserves credit for the team’s success. A historic name in motorsports as whole, “The Captain” should be pleased by the performance his drivers have shown throughout the first half of the regular season.
NASCAR team power rankings: No. 3 – Joe Gibbs Racing
The first four-car team is the first Toyota team to make the list. Joe Gibbs Racing’s performance should come as no surprise. Having dominated in the Cup Series for two decades, the stable led by NFL Hall of Fame coach and team owner Joe Gibbs has had another outstanding season.
Denny Hamlin locked himself into the playoffs with a win at Richmond Raceway and his first Coca-Cola 600 win, and Kyle Busch infamously “backed into” a win during the finish of the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. But with six top five finishes, a series-high 11 top finishes, and an average finish of 11.8, Rowdy will continue to be a threat for the Cup Series championship when he’s “backing into” wins or dominating races.
Martin Truex Jr. has two top five finishes and seven top 10 finishes, and he is tied for the second most stage wins with three. But the unknown future surrounding the 2017 champion continues to be a storyline. Regardless, Truex’s experience should make him a threat, even if this is the last season for the Mayetta, New Jersey native behind the wheel of the #19 Toyota.
Christopher Bell has had a solid year as well, scoring three pole positions, four top five finishes and nine top 10 finishes. His three DNFs have been costly, but his ability to bounce back is what keeps him in contention at any track.
While a win is still missing for both Truex and Bell, their consistent speed piloting their Toyotas and all-around racing ability has Joe Gibbs Racing positioned as a solid number three team at this point.
NASCAR team power rankings: No. 2 – Trackhouse Racing Team
What Trackhouse Racing Team have been able to build this year has been as different as day and night from last year. In 2021, they started out as a single-car team with Daniel Suarez piloting the #99 Chevrolet, and Suarez finished in 25th place in the championship with a single top five finish in the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
This year, Suarez has a win, three top five finishes, and five top 10 finishes. New teammate Ross Chastain has reaped the benefits of Trackhouse Racing Team’s breakout year as well, and even more so.
Driving the #42 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing last year, Chastain finished winless and in 20th place in the championship standings. But after Trackhouse Racing Team acquired Chip Ganassi Racing and kept Chastain onboard to drive the #1 Chevrolet, his career has skyrocketed.
He is tied for the series lead with two wins, he leads the series with seven top five finishes, he is tied for second with 10 top 10 finishes, and he is also tied for second in stage wins with three.
We also can’t neglect to mention Trackhouse Racing Team’s PROJECT91. Team owner Justin Marks has been a man on a mission since transitioning from driver to owner, and he has established a winning culture that shows his belief in his drivers.
Both Chastain and Suarez spent years as journeymen in NASCAR before they were finally given homes at Trackhouse Racing Team, and the results speak for themselves. Chastain has locked himself in the playoffs with two wins, and Suarez’s win should do the same.
A sale that shocked the sport has resulted in a young and hungry team that could be the next powerhouse of NASCAR.
NASCAR team power rankings: No. 1 – Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports are still the premier Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Cup Series. After a few down years, they rallied in 2020 with Chase Elliott’s championship, and they made even more improvements in 2021, when they won 17 of 36 races and another championship, this time with Kyle Larson. They can definitely make it three in a row in 2022.
All four drivers had wins after the season’s 11th race, and Elliott and William Byron are tied for second most stage wins with three. Alex Bowman’s win came as somewhat of a surprise in overtime at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Larson won with a late pass for the lead at Auto Club Speedway. Byron was the first driver to reach two wins and officially punch his ticket into the 2022 playoffs.
Despite not winning in a month and a half, Hendrick Motorsports still have a series-high five wins this year, two more than any other team. They are set to send all four of their drivers to the playoffs for the second straight year.
The team started off the season strong, with Larson and Bowman sitting on the front row for the Daytona 500. Elliott took the pole position at Martinsville Speedway, and Larson got his second at Sonoma Raceway.
Additionally, Byron and Elliott have led more laps than anybody else this season, and Elliott has led the point standings after each of the last 12 races.
While Trackhouse Racing Team have picked a good time to knock on the door of the premier Chevrolet team in NASCAR, the edge still goes to the 14-time Cup Series champions, with NASCAR Hall of Famers Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon calling the shots. The team had two drivers in the Championship 4 last year, and the number seems obtainable for the 2022 Championship 4 as well.