NASCAR: Driver Ratings for the 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Crash NASCAR journalist Chad Smith goes through the field to hand out driver ratings for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Joey Logano, Team Penske
Joey Logano, Team Penske

Joey Logano: 10

Logano finally got a win at Atlanta, and did so in style. He qualified on pole, wonᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ the first Stage, led the most laps, and made the race-winning pass on the final lap and now leads the drivers championship.

Brad Keselowski: 9

Although Brad's bid to end his 66-race winless streak came up just short, his runner-up finish today 🤡is even more evidence that his RFK Racing organization is miles ahead of where they were last year.

Christopher Bell: 9

Bell continues to carry the flag for Toyota, earning another 3🍬rd place finish today at Atlanta. He gave Logano the massive push to 💎the lead, and was in contention to win all afternoon.

Corey LaJoie: 10

There is something in the water at Spire Moto🤡rsports. LaJoie continued his breakout season today with a career-best 4th place finish.

Tyler Reddick: 9

Considering that he wasn't feeling well this morning and even had a driver on standby ওduring the race, a top-five finish for Reddick had to have made him feel better.

2023 Atlanta Ambetter Health 400 Driver Ratings

Denny Hamlin: 8

Although he was never a serious threat🍸 to win, Hamlin managed to stay out of trouble and deliver a 6th place finish. Considering how the last week played out, Hamlin should be happy with this result.

Ryan Blaney: 6

It seems every week th♎at Blaney has a car capable of winning, but something always happens to the No. 12 team. They shot themselves in the foot again today with a p🐎enalty on pit lane, where they lost 30 positions on track.

Erik Jones: 8

It was a quiet 8th place result for Jones and Legacy Mo꧅tor Club.

Ty Gibbs: 8

This may have been the best race of the season so far for th⛦e high-profile rookie, who did bounce off the wall a couple of times.

Kyle Busch: 8

Today wasn't a race that Kyle was expected to win, but ﷽the champ was able to deliver another top-ten finish💃.

Austin Cindric: 7

Cindri🌄c won Stage 2 with a dramatic last-lap pass on Logano, but this is a race thaᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚt he should have been able to compete for the win.

Ross Chastain: 5

Whether it was his fault or not, Chastain was the instigator𝐆 in another major race incident, spinning race leader 𓆉Kevin Harvick and triggering a 12-car crash.

Alex Bowman: 6

Another mediocre finish for🌳 the leader in that category.

Martin Truex Jr: 4

This type of racing has never been Marti🎃n's strong suit, but today was another day where he was never in the camera shot.

Bubba Wallace: 1

After 💛qualifying near the back of the field, Wallace spun by himself less than 10 laps into the race🌸 and slammed into the inside wall.

2023 Atlanta Ambetter Health 400 Driver Ratings

Aric Almirola: 3

The gamble to not take tires on a pit stop got him to the lead, but the subsequent⛎ blown tire in front of the entire field was costly, especially to Kyle Larson.

Kyle Larson: 6

He was taken out while running in 2nd place, which is where he ran for most of the day. He was𓆉 fast yet again, but circumstances like today have p෴ut him outside of the top 30 in the drivers standings.

William Byron: 5

Ju🐷st like his tea💟mmate, Byron was running up front before being taken out in a crash.

Kevin Harvick: 7

Atlanta has always held a special place in ✱Harvick's heart, but today was 𝔍a real gut punch, getting spun from the lead late in the race.

Chris Buescher: 7

He was collected in the 12-car crash but up until that point, Buescher was running inside the top-five and had a legitimate shotꦍ at the win.

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