NASCAR’s ‘Driver Rating’ is a special formula similar to the NFL’s quarterback rating in which a number of performance-related factors are taken into consideration.
NASCAR Driver Rating Season Leaders: The Truth Revealed
This stat often tells the truth about drivers because it uses their finishes as well as in-race statistics to determine which ones are running the best.
It may surprise you to learn that Jimmie Johnson was not only the best driver in the Chase, but by far the best driver all season according to the driver rating. Kevin Harvick scored the most points for the season as a whole, but was only fourth in driver rating.
Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch were second and third, respectively, but finished ninth and eighth in points. Busch was even better than teammate Denny Hamlin (fifth in driver rating), who came closest to toppling Johnson.
Some of the major overachievers (based on their points position in relation to driver rating) included Greg Biffle, who was 12th in driver rating but sixth in the point standings, and Matt Kenseth, who was 14th in driver rating and fifth in the points.
Underachievers included Juan Pablo Montoya, who was statistically the 11th-best driver but only 17th in points, and Kasey Kahne, who was 15th in driver rating and 20th in points.
The full list of season leaders:
Driver Rating Season LeadersFormula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race. Must have raced in 75 percent of scheduled point-paying races.
Rank Car Driver Pts Position SEASON DRIVER RATING1 48 Jimmie Johnson 1 107.72 24 Jeff Gordon 9 98.53 18 Kyle Busch 8 98.24 29 Kevin Harvick 3 98.05 11 Denny Hamlin 2 96.26 31 Jeff Burton 12 96.27 99 Carl Edwards 4 91.88 33 Clint Bowyer 10 91.79 14 Tony Stewart 7 91.210 2 Kurt Busch 11 91.011 42 Juan Montoya 17 90.912 16 Greg Biffle 6 88.413 1 Jamie McMurray 14 86.514 17 Matt Kenseth 5 86.015 83 Kasey Kahne 20 82.816 5 Mark Martin 13 82.817 00 David Reutimann 18 82.718 39 Ryan Newman 15 82.219 56 M Truex Jr. 22 82.220 20 Joey Logano 16 80.321 43 AJ Allmendinger 19 79.122 88 D Earnhardt Jr. 21 75.723 98 Paul Menard 23 70.924 47 Marcos Ambrose 26 68.925 6 David Ragan 24 66.226 12 Brad Keselowski 25 65.127 77 Sam Hornish Jr. 29 61.528 19 Elliott Sadler 27 58.929 78 Regan Smith 28 58.430 82 Scott Speed 30 57.331 7 Robby Gordon 34 47.332 09 Bobby Labonte 31 45.933 37 David Gilliland 32 43.234 34 Travis Kvapil 33 41.835 38 Dave Blaney 37 34.236 87 Joe Nemechek 38 33.237 7 Kevin Conway 35 32.5
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