NASCAR: Driver Ratings for the 2023 United Rentals 500 at Phoenix Raceway

Crash NASCAR journalist Chad Smith goes through the field to hand out driver ratings for the United Rentals 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports

William Byron: 10

Byron is clearly on a roll, with two race wins, three stage෴ wins, and 240 laps led in the last eight days.

Ryan Blaney: 9

Yet a꧑nother runner-up result for Blaney, who is still searching for tha🌳t elusive next race win.

Tyler Reddick: 9

This was a major shot in the arm for Reddick, who has had a dreadful start to the﷽ season.

2023 Phoenix United Rentals 500 Driver Ratings

Kyle Larson: 10

Had the caution flag not come out🐼 with three laps to go, Larson had the win all but wrapped up.

Kevin Harvick: 9

His 10th Phoenix victory was in plain sight, but the ill-time💖d caution (and four-tire pit stop) cost him tꦿhe race.

Christopher Bell: 7

Bell’s consistent s🧸eason marches on with another solid finish as he continueꦬs to carry the flag for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Chase Briscoe: 8

Things started out poorly but Briscoe and the Stewart Haas Racing team were able to make co🌌nsistent improvements throughout the afternoon to earn a 7th place finish.

Kyle Busch: 7

An issue on pit road tripped them up but t𝐆hey were still able to regain the♛ir composure and earn another top-ten result.

Alex Bowman: 7

It was another mඣediocre day for Bowman, while the rest of his teammates were able to excel in different ways.

Josh Berry: 9

Berry is probably still sm𓂃iling, earning a top-ten finish in just his second career Cup start.

Joey Logano: 7

Consideไring how he dominated at this track last fall, an 11ꦍth place finish is far better than Logano ran for most of the afternoon.

Ryan Preece: 9

Aꦉfter a shaky first few weeks, Preece was finally able to put together an entire race𒁃, and a solid finish to go along with it.

Michael McDowell: 8

This is Mc🤪Dowell’s home track, so earning a solid finish had t♐o feel good.

2023 Phoenix United Rentals 500 Driver Ratings

Bubba Wallace: 7

It wasn’🥂t the day that Bubba envisioned headi🐷ng into the weekend but the team is improving.

Martin Truex Jr: 6

Penalties and 🌠contact on track made for a rough afternoon for the veteඣran JGR driver.

Brad Keselowski: 6

After qualifying in Row 2, an 18th place finish for Keselowski in the race ꧅seems li𝓀ke a punch in the gut.

Erik Jones: 6

He was able to lead 14 laps but when things cycled back arouꦍnd, he was unable to stay inside the top 20.

Daniel Suarez: 5

Contact with other drivers and not showing the sam🌸e speed that his teamma𒊎te had made for a frustrating afternoon for the driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet.

Denny Hamlin: 6

Hamlin spent the majority of the race near the front of the field but contact with his good friend Ross Chastain on the final lap saw them both slide down the finishi♎ng order.

Ross Chastain: 6

See above. Chastain was primed for another top-five finis✃h before he and Hamlin got together.

Austin Cindric: 5

Moꦐꦡre penalties and not enough speed for Cindric, who might be going through his sophomore slump.

Read More