Seven winners in seven races. Could this be the year that we get more than 16 winners in the first 26 races and a winner misses the playoffs?
I’ve always stood by history, which says that we may get to 15, but that’s about it. 14 is the more likely number.
Ahh, but the new car has changed things you say. We already have three first-time winners this year. And, while that may be true, let’s take a closer look at the numbers before we send a winner to the sidelines for the post-season.
And, I’m talking about numbers. Car numbers.
Of the seven winners so far this year, only Chase Briscoe’s #14 did not make the post-season last year. Ross Chastain’s #1 and Austin Cindric’s #2 both made the playoffs with Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski respectively. So, we’re really only plus one at this point, and three drivers made it on points last year.
Also, keep in mind that, in 2021, we started the year with 7 different winners and 10 in the first 11 races. And we still had just 13 post-season eligible winners by Labor Day.
The car may be different and the names may be different, but the numbers don’t lie. You win; you’re still in.