Whatever its faults (and there are some), the Next Gen car, along with some other factors, has made this NASCAR Cup Series season among the most unpredictable in the sport’s history.
A rookie -- Austin Cindric -- won the Daytona 500. Nineteen different drivers have won races. Six drivers who won races last year haven’t been able to score a victory this year.
The circuit raced in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and announced plans to race on the streets of Chicago next year.
Scattered along the way are some interesting numbers, heading into Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Roval (3 p.m. ET on NBC):
46 -- Number of lead changes in the season’s first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the most at a track other than Daytona or Talladega since 2000.
19 -- Wins by different drivers this year. The total ties a record with five races remaining.
15 -- In the past 15 races, Hendrick Motorsports has won five times, and Richard Childress Racing has won four times. A return to the days of Earnhardt versus Gordon?
11 -- Number of consecutive road course races won by Chevrolet, a series record.
9 -- Different teams with race wins this year.
7 -- Number of races decided in overtime.
6 -- Of the 12 drivers who remain eligible for the Cup championship, a half dozen would have been considered unlikely champions at the start of the season. Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, William Byron and Christopher Bell have risen to the occasion this year.
6 -- Drivers ended a winless streak of 40 or more races this season
5 -- First-time winners (Cindric, Briscoe, Chastain, Suarez, Tyler Reddick).
3 -- Past champions (Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott) remaining in the Round of 12, the fewest ever.
2 -- Drivers with three or more wins (Elliott with five, Reddick with three).
1 -- Number of watches presented to Kyle Busch by Richard Childress, his new boss for 2023.
0 -- Number of points wins this year by Ryan Blaney, who is second in the standings (but did win the All-Star Race in May).