Front Runners – 2023 Cook Out 400, Richmond Raceway

Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway

Front Runners highlights the drivers that lead laps, run fast laps, and run inside the top 10, 5, & 3 the most at correlated track types.

This week I’ve added a new data column to Front Runners. The far right column is the driver’s average running position for the races in the dataset. This is weighted by laps run, so running 301 laps at New Hampshire with an average position of 15 will have three times the weight of running 100 laps with an average position of 10 at Phoenix before wrecking out. It also only accounts for laps run, so drivers are not penalized for 200 laps in 36th after the lap 100 wreck.

The NASCAR Cup Series makes its second trip of the year to Richmond Raceway on Sunday. Richmond is a .75-mile D-shaped oval, with limited banking. Of the short flat tracks it has by far the most tire wear and with Sunday projected to be in the 90s, fall off should be a major issue for teams to contend with. There is nothing fancy about projecting Richmond, Richmond itself is a big predictor, but performance at the other short flat tracks of Phoenix and New Hampshire is also important. With eight races in the books on these tracks in the Gen 7 Car I’m just focused on those three venues.

Below we have three datasets, all Gen 7 short flat tracks, the three 2023 races so far, and the three Richmond races.

The charts below are sorted by percentage of laps led by default. There are also a few more columns that you can choose to display but for ease of display those columns are hidden by default.

Laps run inside the Top 10, 5, 3, and led as percentage laps driver completed at Phoenix (3 races), Richmond (3 races), and New Hampshire (2 races)

wdt_ID Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos
1 Martin Truex Jr 8 4 1,804 68.08 3 1,238 46.72 1 897 33.85 1 560 21.13 219 9.37 2,650 96.61 8.32
2 Joey Logano 8 5 1,913 69.79 2 1,054 38.45 2 830 30.28 1 440 16.05 114 4.88 2,741 99.93 9.75
3 Ryan Blaney 8 5 1,943 70.89 3 1,251 45.64 2 730 26.63 0 384 14.01 183 7.83 2,741 99.93 8.23
4 William Byron 8 3 1,884 68.68 2 1,340 48.85 2 984 35.87 1 324 11.81 187 8.00 2,743 100.00 7.74
5 Kyle Larson 8 5 2,119 79.42 4 1,537 57.61 2 1,072 40.18 1 312 11.69 182 7.79 2,668 97.27 6.98
6 Christopher Bell 8 6 1,844 67.32 3 888 32.42 2 471 17.20 1 133 4.86 167 7.15 2,739 99.85 9.56
7 Chase Briscoe 8 4 1,186 43.30 2 564 20.59 1 318 11.61 1 118 4.31 93 3.98 2,739 99.85 12.56
8 Kevin Harvick 8 8 2,226 81.15 7 1,146 41.78 2 565 20.60 1 101 3.68 191 8.17 2,743 100.00 7.56
9 Denny Hamlin 8 5 1,627 59.31 2 936 34.12 1 656 23.92 1 99 3.61 99 4.24 2,743 100.00 9.69
10 Ross Chastain 8 4 1,593 58.14 3 732 26.72 3 401 14.64 0 96 3.50 86 3.68 2,740 99.89 10.14
11 Chase Elliott 6 2 1,265 62.50 2 673 33.25 1 402 19.86 0 64 3.16 93 3.98 2,024 73.79 10.27
12 Erik Jones 8 0 178 6.91 0 62 2.41 0 42 1.63 0 14 0.54 24 1.03 2,577 93.95 21.31
13 Austin Dillon 8 2 409 14.93 0 60 2.19 0 33 1.20 0 12 0.44 27 1.16 2,739 99.85 19.09
14 Alex Bowman 8 3 817 33.54 0 254 10.43 0 32 1.31 0 9 0.37 63 2.70 2,436 88.81 14.93
15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 8 0 69 2.54 0 41 1.51 0 18 0.66 0 9 0.33 38 1.63 2,713 98.91 26.70
16 Cole Custer 6 0 208 11.25 0 66 3.57 0 22 1.19 0 5 0.27 19 0.81 1,849 67.41 20.17
17 Aric Almirola 8 1 730 28.24 0 269 10.41 0 97 3.75 0 4 0.15 56 2.40 2,585 94.24 16.78
18 Harrison Burton 8 0 91 3.34 0 18 0.66 0 7 0.26 0 3 0.11 8 0.34 2,728 99.45 23.02
19 Kyle Busch 8 5 947 37.68 0 309 12.30 0 110 4.38 0 2 0.08 41 1.75 2,513 91.62 13.07
20 Brad Keselowski 8 3 1,257 46.57 1 250 9.26 0 15 0.56 0 2 0.07 36 1.54 2,699 98.40 12.89
21 AJ Allmendinger 7 0 10 0.43 0 2 0.09 0 2 0.09 0 1 0.04 22 0.94 2,337 85.20 22.80
22 Justin Haley 8 0 3 0.11 0 1 0.04 0 1 0.04 0 1 0.04 12 0.51 2,733 99.64 25.64
23 Bubba Wallace 8 2 456 16.66 1 145 5.30 1 108 3.95 0 1 0.04 25 1.07 2,737 99.78 17.46
24 Austin Cindric 8 0 267 9.75 0 45 1.64 0 10 0.37 0 1 0.04 15 0.64 2,738 99.82 19.27
25 Tyler Reddick 8 3 1,002 36.64 2 369 13.49 2 116 4.24 0 0 0.00 62 2.65 2,735 99.71 15.44
26 Chris Buescher 8 2 417 15.22 1 165 6.02 1 139 5.07 0 0 0.00 89 3.81 2,740 99.89 17.15
27 Daniel Suarez 8 2 365 13.32 0 44 1.61 0 17 0.62 0 0 0.00 19 0.81 2,740 99.89 18.14
28 Ty Gibbs 4 1 139 11.61 0 7 0.58 0 6 0.50 0 0 0.00 12 0.51 1,197 43.64 16.44
29 Michael McDowell 8 1 183 6.71 0 27 0.99 0 15 0.55 0 0 0.00 40 1.71 2,728 99.45 24.23
30 Ryan Preece 3 0 67 6.59 0 5 0.49 0 2 0.20 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,017 37.08 22.85
31 Todd Gilliland 8 0 31 1.14 0 7 0.26 0 4 0.15 0 0 0.00 2 0.09 2,730 99.53 24.92
32 Noah Gragson 4 0 14 1.09 0 8 0.62 0 4 0.31 0 0 0.00 7 0.30 1,284 46.81 25.40
33 Ty Dillon 8 0 9 0.37 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 9 0.39 2,438 88.88 25.35
34 Corey LaJoie 8 0 3 0.14 0 2 0.09 0 1 0.05 0 0 0.00 10 0.43 2,126 77.51 30.35
35 Ryan Newman 1 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 299 10.90 32.20
36 BJ McLeod 7 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,738 63.36 34.06
Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos

Laps run inside the Top 10, 5, 3, and led as percentage laps driver completed in 2023 at Phoenix, Richmond, and New Hampshire (1 race each)

wdt_ID Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos
1 Martin Truex Jr 3 1 597 58.64 1 487 47.84 1 428 42.04 1 308 30.26 109 12.67 1,018 100.00% 8.65
2 Kyle Larson 3 3 933 91.65 3 780 76.62 2 603 59.23 1 300 29.47 103 11.98 1,018 100.00% 4.19
3 William Byron 3 1 816 80.16 1 747 73.38 1 659 64.73 1 190 18.66 107 12.44 1,018 100.00% 6.17
4 Denny Hamlin 3 1 825 81.04 0 412 40.47 0 262 25.74 0 71 6.97 42 4.88 1,018 100.00% 9.08
5 Kevin Harvick 3 3 736 72.30 3 357 35.07 0 178 17.49 0 46 4.52 88 10.23 1,018 100.00% 8.86
6 Christopher Bell 3 2 865 85.14 1 501 49.31 0 208 20.47 0 28 2.76 70 8.14 1,016 99.80% 6.76
7 Ross Chastain 3 1 625 61.39 1 306 30.06 1 169 16.60 0 17 1.67 25 2.91 1,018 100.00% 10.99
8 Erik Jones 3 0 38 3.74 0 27 2.66 0 22 2.17 0 14 1.38 15 1.74 1,016 99.80% 24.54
9 Austin Dillon 3 1 91 8.95 0 35 3.44 0 27 2.65 0 12 1.18 1 0.12 1,017 99.90% 19.76
10 Alex Bowman 3 2 481 47.25 0 235 23.08 0 28 2.75 0 8 0.79 10 1.16 1,018 100.00% 12.44
11 Aric Almirola 3 0 221 25.09 0 167 18.96 0 97 11.01 0 4 0.45 12 1.40 881 86.54% 19.49
12 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 3 0 40 3.99 0 18 1.80 0 4 0.40 0 3 0.30 16 1.86 1,002 98.43% 28.36
13 Joey Logano 3 2 414 40.67 1 196 19.25 1 130 12.77 0 3 0.29 17 1.98 1,018 100.00% 16.43
14 Brad Keselowski 3 2 873 85.76 1 183 17.98 0 14 1.38 0 2 0.20 16 1.86 1,018 100.00% 6.49
15 Kyle Busch 3 1 164 20.81 0 33 4.19 0 3 0.38 0 1 0.13 8 0.93 788 77.41% 16.05
16 Bubba Wallace 3 1 167 16.40 0 5 0.49 0 3 0.29 0 1 0.10 4 0.47 1,018 100.00% 15.65
17 Ryan Blaney 3 1 605 59.49 1 248 24.39 1 87 8.55 0 0 0.00 39 4.53 1,017 99.90% 10.68
18 Tyler Reddick 3 2 537 52.75 1 240 23.58 1 61 5.99 0 0 0.00 36 4.19 1,018 100.00% 12.08
19 Chase Briscoe 3 2 301 29.57 0 2 0.20 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 11 1.28 1,018 100.00% 14.06
20 Daniel Suarez 3 0 252 24.75 0 16 1.57 0 4 0.39 0 0 0.00 4 0.47 1,018 100.00% 15.50
21 Michael McDowell 3 1 183 17.98 0 27 2.65 0 15 1.47 0 0 0.00 4 0.47 1,018 100.00% 17.12
22 Ty Gibbs 3 1 139 13.67 0 7 0.69 0 6 0.59 0 0 0.00 12 1.40 1,017 99.90% 14.55
23 Ryan Preece 3 0 67 6.59 0 5 0.49 0 2 0.20 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,017 99.90% 22.85
24 Chris Buescher 3 0 55 5.41 0 1 0.10 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 43 5.00 1,016 99.80% 19.08
25 Chase Elliott 1 0 12 3.99 0 1 0.33 0 1 0.33 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 301 29.57% 17.80
26 Austin Cindric 3 0 37 3.64 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 1 0.12 1,016 99.80% 23.24
27 Todd Gilliland 3 0 19 1.87 0 6 0.59 0 4 0.39 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,015 99.71% 22.99
28 Harrison Burton 3 0 17 1.68 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 2 0.23 1,011 99.31% 24.69
29 Noah Gragson 3 0 1 0.11 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 1 0.12 887 87.13% 26.88
30 Justin Haley 3 0 1 0.10 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,016 99.80% 26.81
31 AJ Allmendinger 3 0 1 0.10 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 2 0.23 1,017 99.90% 23.85
32 Cole Custer 1 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 130 12.77% 29.30
33 Ty Dillon 3 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 7 0.81 1,014 99.61% 30.55
34 Corey LaJoie 3 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 4 0.47 892 87.62% 31.35
35 Ryan Newman 1 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 299 29.37% 32.20
36 BJ McLeod 2 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 345 33.89% 33.69
Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos

Laps run inside the Top 10, 5, 3, and led as percentage laps driver completed at Richmond in 2022 (2 races) and 2023 (1 race)

wdt_ID Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos
1 William Byron 3 1 758 63.17 1 648 54.00 1 563 46.92 0 239 19.92 85 8.03 1,200 100.00 7.40
2 Joey Logano 3 2 788 65.72 0 407 33.94 0 292 24.35 0 222 18.52 57 5.38 1,199 99.92 12.07
3 Martin Truex Jr 3 2 923 76.92 1 539 44.92 0 367 30.58 0 136 11.33 70 6.61 1,200 100.00 6.90
4 Ryan Blaney 3 2 766 63.89 0 461 38.45 0 178 14.85 0 129 10.76 50 4.72 1,199 99.92 9.19
5 Kyle Larson 3 2 899 74.98 2 622 51.88 1 540 45.04 1 104 8.67 70 6.61 1,199 99.92 6.97
6 Denny Hamlin 3 2 871 72.58 2 591 49.25 1 451 37.58 1 99 8.25 70 6.61 1,200 100.00 8.57
7 Ross Chastain 3 1 839 70.09 1 536 44.78 1 355 29.66 0 95 7.94 44 4.15 1,197 99.75 7.86
8 Christopher Bell 3 3 830 69.17 2 473 39.42 1 285 23.75 0 89 7.42 66 6.23 1,200 100.00 8.33
9 Kevin Harvick 3 3 918 76.50 3 385 32.08 2 164 13.67 1 55 4.58 46 4.34 1,200 100.00 8.73
10 Alex Bowman 3 2 545 45.49 0 239 19.95 0 30 2.50 0 8 0.67 47 4.44 1,198 99.83 14.39
11 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 3 0 60 5.09 0 34 2.89 0 15 1.27 0 6 0.51 22 2.08 1,178 98.17 26.49
12 Cole Custer 2 0 105 13.21 0 4 0.50 0 4 0.50 0 2 0.25 15 1.42 795 66.25 21.50
13 Kyle Busch 3 2 551 45.92 0 255 21.25 0 87 7.25 0 2 0.17 30 2.83 1,200 100.00 11.27
14 Chase Elliott 2 1 535 66.88 1 170 21.25 0 25 3.13 0 1 0.13 19 1.79 800 66.67 9.50
15 Justin Haley 3 0 2 0.17 0 1 0.08 0 1 0.08 0 1 0.08 12 1.13 1,193 99.42 25.87
16 Bubba Wallace 3 0 50 4.18 0 7 0.59 0 2 0.17 0 1 0.08 8 0.76 1,196 99.67 19.06
17 Brad Keselowski 3 1 665 55.46 0 85 7.09 0 7 0.58 0 1 0.08 27 2.55 1,199 99.92 9.77
18 Aric Almirola 3 1 394 32.89 0 103 8.60 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 40 3.78 1,198 99.83 13.86
19 Chris Buescher 3 1 317 26.46 1 125 10.43 1 103 8.60 0 0 0.00 85 8.03 1,198 99.83 16.98
20 Chase Briscoe 3 0 308 25.73 0 82 6.85 0 12 1.00 0 0 0.00 11 1.04 1,197 99.75 14.54
21 Ty Gibbs 2 1 115 19.83 0 7 1.21 0 6 1.03 0 0 0.00 6 0.57 580 48.33 14.89
22 Ryan Preece 1 0 59 14.75 0 1 0.25 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 400 33.33 26.70
23 Daniel Suarez 3 0 161 13.44 0 24 2.00 0 11 0.92 0 0 0.00 10 0.94 1,198 99.83 18.86
24 Tyler Reddick 3 0 131 10.97 0 67 5.61 0 23 1.93 0 0 0.00 18 1.70 1,194 99.50 20.25
25 Austin Dillon 3 1 112 9.35 0 24 2.00 0 6 0.50 0 0 0.00 10 0.94 1,198 99.83 19.03
26 Erik Jones 3 0 80 7.72 0 26 2.51 0 15 1.45 0 0 0.00 10 0.94 1,036 86.33 24.29
27 Austin Cindric 3 0 50 4.18 0 1 0.08 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 8 0.76 1,197 99.75 18.43
28 Michael McDowell 3 1 49 4.12 0 20 1.68 0 11 0.92 0 0 0.00 33 3.12 1,190 99.17 26.91
29 Todd Gilliland 3 0 28 2.35 0 7 0.59 0 4 0.34 0 0 0.00 2 0.19 1,194 99.50 21.28
30 Noah Gragson 2 0 13 1.86 0 8 1.14 0 4 0.57 0 0 0.00 6 0.57 700 58.33 22.88
31 Ty Dillon 3 0 9 0.75 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 9 0.85 1,194 99.50 23.37
32 Harrison Burton 3 0 3 0.25 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 6 0.57 1,196 99.67 21.76
33 AJ Allmendinger 2 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 4 0.38 795 66.25 28.15
34 Corey LaJoie 3 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 2 0.19 1,189 99.08 31.74
35 Ryan Newman 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 36.00
36 BJ McLeod 2 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0 0.00 778 64.83 34.30
Driver Races T10 Fin T10 Laps T10% T5 Fin T5 Laps T5% T3 Fin T3 Laps T3% Wins Led LL% Fast Laps FL% Laps Laps Run % Ave Running Pos

Thanks for checking out the Front Runners! Let’s WIN THE RACE!

, , , ,

Greg Matherne

Director of Betting Content, WIN THE RACE. NASCAR DFS & Betting.