Grading NASCAR Cup Series field at Olympics break

The NASCAR Cup Series is off until Aug. 11 because of the Olympics, so this is the perfect time to analyze the field's performance so far. 

Here are grades for all 34 full-time drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series through the first 22 races of the season. 

Grades are relative to past performance and the equipment with which the driver is provided. Cup Series standings are here.

No. 1 | Ross Chastain: C-

After winning four races over the past two seasons, Chastain has disappointed and now finds himself on the playoff cut line. The break couldn't come at a better time for the No. 1 team, which desperately needs to find speed. 

No. 2 | Austin Cindric: B

Cindric drove the race of his life at Gateway, finding himself in position to win when leader Ryan Blaney ran out of fuel on the last lap. That win ensures a playoff berth, but Cindric and the No. 2 team still must put together more consistent runs to be considered a contender. 

No. 3 | Austin Dillon: F

In his 11th Cup Series season, Dillon sits 32nd in points, ahead rookie Zane Smith and third-year driver Harrison Burton. It may be time for him to change from a firesuit to a suit and tie, because his performance this season can only be described as abysmal. 

No. 4 | Josh Berry: B

The top rookie on the tour, Berry has been better than his 22nd-place position would indicate. Don't be surprised if he's in the mix to win at Richmond — the best runs of his young Cup Series career have come at short tracks. 

No. 5 | Kyle Larson: A+

Larson has the most wins of any driver in the series this season (four) and leads the regular-season standings despite missing the World 600. The 2021 champion looks every bit as good as he did in his championship season, and it'd be a surprise if he's not going for the title at Phoenix. 

No. 6 | Brad Keselowski: A-

Keselowski, who broke a 110-race winless streak at Darlington in May, is one of the more consistent drivers through the first 22 races of the season. The crafty veteran clearly has more left in the tank and could be a dark-horse threat for the championship. 

No. 7 | Corey LaJoie: D

After three consecutive seasons of noticeable improvement, LaJoie has taken a step back in 2024. His lovable underdog mentality will soon be on its last legs. It's time for him to either perform or face the reality of not being in the Cup Series. 

No. 8 | Kyle Busch: D

2024 is worst season of Busch's 20-year career so far, and there's little hope it will get better. His teammate, Austin Dillon, sits 32nd in points, and even when Busch has speed, his car always seems to find the outside wall. 

No. 9 | Chase Elliott: A

After a disappointing 2023, Elliott has returned to form, breaking a long winless drought at Texas and sitting second in points. Self-imposed penalties have hurt the 2020 champion over the past two races, but the No. 9 team seems poised to make another playoff push. 

No. 10 | Noah Gragson: C+

Gragson has faltered a bit over the summer, but after putting together the worst rookie season of all time in 2023, he is 23rd in points and has seven top-10 finishes. That's nothing to scoff at. 

No. 11 | Denny Hamlin: A

It has been another championship-caliber year for Hamlin, who has three wins and sits fourth in points. Still searching for his first championship, he picked a good season to finally break through. 

No. 12 | Ryan Blaney: A

Two wins and a fifth-place standing in points have Blaney marked down as one of the favorites to defend his 2023 championship. It almost seems like winning the title turned Blaney into a weekly threat. He could easily have four wins if luck were on his side. 

No. 14 | Chase Briscoe: C

Briscoe sits 18th, 83 points out of a playoff spot with four regular-season races remaining. It'll take a win for the Indiana native to make the playoffs, but signing a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2025 and beyond more than makes up for a stale 2024 campaign. 

No. 17 | Chris Buescher: B+

Only 17 points separate Buescher from being out of the playoffs. Like Blaney, Buescher could have two wins if not for unfortunate situations at Kansas and Darlington, but hope is not lost. He won at Richmond and Michigan in 2023, and those are the next two races on the schedule. 

No. 19 | Martin Truex Jr: B+

A would-be win at Richmond and a would-be runner-up finish at Sonoma were both erased in heartbreaking fashion for Truex, who is looking to end his full-time driving career with a second championship. Race-winning speed has eluded the No. 19 group lately, but all it takes is one race for Truex to find his winning mojo again.

No. 20 | Christopher Bell: A

Three wins and 12 top-10s make Bell a favorite to make the Championship Four for a third straight season. The No. 20 team looked to be the team to beat early in the summer, and Bell is as good as anyone else in a pressure-filled situation. Look for the Oklahoma native to only get stronger as the season progresses. 

No. 21 | Harrison Burton: F

Rookie Zane Smith bumped Burton to the basement Sunday. The 23-year-old sits 34th in points of 34 full-time drivers. Without a deal signed for 2025, he must use the last 14 races of 2024 as an audition or his long climb back to the Cup Series will become even longer. 

No. 22 | Joey Logano: C

A win at Nashville is the saving grace for the two-time champ, who performed quite poorly through the first half the season. The No. 22 team has had more speed lately, however, and you can never count out Logano as a title threat. 

No. 23 | Bubba Wallace: B-

After making the Round of 12 last season, Wallace had high expectations entering 2024. He has fallen a bit short of those expectations, however, but four straight top-13 finishes have him just seven points from a second consecutive playoff bid. 

No. 24 | William Byron: A

A recent summer slump is the only factor that keeps Byron from the highest mark available. Three wins — including a victory in the Daytona 500 — have solidified Byron as a championship favorite for the second straight season. Don't be surprised to see the No. 24 team back in Phoenix with unfinished business. 

No. 31 | Daniel Hemric: D

Hemric hasn't been flat-out awful, but it's easy to forget that he's even out on the racetrack. Sitting 30th in points, he has only a miraculous win at Daytona this season. 

No. 34 | Michael McDowell: C-

Expectations were through the roof for McDowell entering the season, but he has regressed slightly. His teammate, Todd Gilliland, currently leads him in points, but McDowell should be focused on the future — he has a multi-year deal with Spire Motorsports signed for 2025 and beyond. 

No. 38 | Todd Gilliland: B

Gilliland has climbed all the way to 20th in points in his third full-time season and has 10 top-20 finishes in the past 11 races. Don't be surprised if the 24-year-old driver pulls a rabbit of the hat at Daytona. He's improving by the week. 

No. 41 | Ryan Preece: D-

In a season in which he must be auditioning for a future opportunity, Preece has done little to convince team owners to pick up the phone. Preece sits 26th in points — lowest of all Stewart-Haas Racing drivers — and can't seem to find any semblance of speed. 

No. 42 | John Hunter Nemechek: C-

2024 started out promisingly for Nemechek, who has mostly struggled since. The second-year Cup Series driver sits 31st in points, and even when he has speed — such as Sunday at Indianapolis — something seems to go wrong. 

No. 43 | Erik Jones: C

A back injury kept Jones out for two races, but a 27th-place points standing after 22 races is still disappointing. Legacy Motor Club has shown few signs of life this season, but keep an eye on Jones at Darlington — he's a two-time Southern 500 winner. 

No. 45 | Tyler Reddick: A

If it were Reddick himself giving this grade, he'd likely fail himself. Reddick is as tough on himself as any driver in the field, but he has proved to be one of the top talents in the series. With a win and 15 top-10 finishes to his credit through the first 22 races, Reddick deserves to be billed as a championship favorite. 

No. 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr: C-

The No. 47 team has picked up the pace lately, but Stenhouse's biggest highlight so far would likely be his fight with Kyle Busch at North Wilkesboro. Daytona, like for many drivers, is his best chance to make the playoffs. After a promising 2023, 2024 is a disappointment for Stenhouse. 

No. 48 | Alex Bowman: B+

Bowman's 2023 season was derailed due to injury, but he has returned to form in 2024. He won the Chicago Street Race and grabbed 12 top-10s through the first 22 races of the season. Look for the No. 48 team to be a dark horse for the championship. 

No. 51 | Justin Haley: B-

Coming into the season, Haley was thought to be making a grave mistake by going to Rick Ware Racing, which had largely been a laughingstock in the Cup Series. However, Haley has led the No. 51 team to its best season to date, and while a 29th-place points standing doesn't seem like much, Haley has consistently put RWR's flagship car inside the top-15 — a feat thought to be impossible coming into the season. 

No. 54 | Ty Gibbs: B+

The 21-year-old was as high as second in points early in the season, and despite engine failures over the past two races, Gibbs still resides above the playoff cut line. Making the playoffs would be quite the accomplishment for Gibbs in his second Cup Series season. His first career win seems inevitable. 

No. 71 | Zane Smith: D

Smith finally got out of the basement Sunday, moving up to 33rd in points. His rookie season has fallen well short of expectations, but the No. 71 team has turned up the wick in recent weeks. A runner-up finish at Nashville proved that Smith belongs at NASCAR's highest level. 

No. 77 | Carson Hocevar: B

Hocevar has grown exponentially on the track in 2024, putting together top-20 runs consistently. Despite an incident at Nashville with Harrison Burton, he also seems to be more mature than he was in the Truck Series. Look for Hocevar to be around the playoff cut line in 2025. 

No. 99 | Daniel Suarez: B-

Four top-10 finishes aren't a good mark for Suarez, but his saving grace was a win at Atlanta in February. If there's any driver in need of a Cinderella postseason run, it's Suarez. However, Trackhouse's consistent 2024 struggles make such a run seem preposterous.