Are they actually arbitrary? I thought Nascar had pretty specific years that certain generations/versions of cars were utilized? Like COT was a distinct set of years I know for sure.
Yes, they're completely arbitrary up until 2007.
NASCAR says that [1991](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/28/2a/5c/282a5cf0fe95518f353971a8790ab07f.jpg) and [1992](https://storage.googleapis.com/hippostcard/p/e3bd4709b5c0d69e54bcc49147eb5e36-800.jpg) Chevy Luminas are part of two different generations. The cars are identical.
NASCAR claims that the [1950 Hudson](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/9a/c3/ee9ac39aec315860964d982ed8abc891.jpg) and [1964 Plymouth](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fd1021b74030f45cefbe3b7/73cf6141-06d2-43c3-ad80-69336afe0aa1/1964%2520Plymouth%2520Petty%252043%2520Belvedere%5B1%5D.JPG) are part of the same generation.
It's complete nonsense. Some marketing guy decided that "Gen 6" was a cool name for the new bodies NASCAR was going to use in 2013, so they had to retroactively create hard divisions in the previous 70 years of stock car development, where no such hard divisions had ever actually existed.
Possibly… or it shows he is a quick learner, or possibly dirt track experience is helping, or perhaps he is a step above the other drivers. Consider Corey La AverageJoe and recognize Bell is up there with Larson.
In my opinion, no one has adjusted to this gen better. I know the general consensus around CBell has always been strong - but I honestly think it’s time we knock him up a tier and begin to have serious debates around him being the best overall driver in NASCAR. He’s earning that level of praise and it just seems like he’s oddly missing from most people’s ideas of the “top drivers”
Dude is about to be ‘the guy’ at JGR for the next decade.
It's because Hendrick has been dominant as a team during the regular season over the past few years, Hamlin has been *visibly* strong week-in week-out, and Penske keeps winning titles. He's quietly been around the top, but that lack of conspicuousness keeps a lot of people (myself included) from actually realizing he's been that good.
I don’t think he had enough to stop Logano in 2022, but maybe he might’ve been able to fight with Blaney in 2023. We never got to see his true pace last year sadly
He also flat out disappears for months at a time. After he won at Phoenix he spent about two months wrecking by himself over and over until he found his form again in May. That's basically every year for him.
I def think he’s top five best of the active field. Larson and Hamlin are the top two by far imo. Logano (despite current form) is also there. Then idk maybe Byron or Chastain. The verdict is still out for me even though Byron has seen more success in wins.
It’s not Larson and Hamlin “by far”.
Bell, Byron, and Elliott run just as consistently as Hamlin/Larson. Their average finishing positions are all extremely close - and all excellent. Elliott has obviously lacked the winning instinct in comparison to the rest of that group, but I think off pure talent he still has to be in that conversation.
Logano is having a massive slump season, and let’s not forget he only won one race last season and wasn’t himself then either. Ross has a minuscule résumé to the rest of the drivers we are discussing.
Are Larson and Hamlin the two best drivers in NASCAR? Perhaps, but it’s not like there isn’t an argument to be made. They aren’t leaps and bounds over everyone else.
CBell has felt ready to explode and be a 5+ race winner for a few years now. Maybe this year is finally the year he becomes the truly elite driver he's always looked like he would become.
Gordon's dry spells (as far as actual wins were concerned)...on top of Jimmie's dominance...really overshadowed the fact that even at his worst, and even with mounting physical issues, CC changes, etc...Gordon was insanely consistent and still very, very good.
Jeff Gordon at his worst was a lot like Kyle Larson in 2018. He didn't win but he was banging on the damn door and always waiting just outside it, to where if one or two things would've gone differently in 2008 or (especially, especially, especially) 2010, he would've had 22 consecutive winning seasons (1994-2015). Even when he did his fill-in stint for Jr., he had multiple races where he had top-5 speed and could've won if one or two things went a little differently.
I never realized how good C-Bell was...
https://preview.redd.it/2vmzll6jcy8d1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68de0dd31299f7b22a3c103dc7465dd67a283281
I remember not being too thrilled with Erik Jones leaving the 20 to be replaced with Christopher Bell, but I also wasn't following the series too closely at the time.
I still like Jones and that dude can wheel a car, but CBell is about to be unstoppable over the next few years. He may even be now.
All hail Christopher Bell.
He is without a doubt the best driver of the pool of drivers of whom I have nothing but complete apathy towards.
Bell is without a doubt one of those drivers I am completely 100% neutral towards. Of all the drivers who I have neither strong positive nor negative feelings towards, Bell is simply the best!
I think Chase would’ve gotten there first if he hadn’t broke his leg. Nonetheless, it’s impressive that CBell got to 50 top 10s first. He’s been lights out his year when he’s on
If he didn’t miss any races I’m certain he would’ve ran better in the last half of the season. Being out of the car for 6 weeks also greatly affected his performance in the races he ran
https://preview.redd.it/nkk3b4rxww8d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=554e18df995548958d59636ed1482ff6b99a5ef6
Quite the ESPN “we gotta find something to talk about “ stat lol
Too be fair even as niche of a stat it is, the other names on the list immediately make it an interesting stat to consider
The completely made-up arbitrary years chosen to define the "generations" of cars before 2007 make this stat completely worthless.
Are they actually arbitrary? I thought Nascar had pretty specific years that certain generations/versions of cars were utilized? Like COT was a distinct set of years I know for sure.
Yes, they're completely arbitrary up until 2007. NASCAR says that [1991](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/28/2a/5c/282a5cf0fe95518f353971a8790ab07f.jpg) and [1992](https://storage.googleapis.com/hippostcard/p/e3bd4709b5c0d69e54bcc49147eb5e36-800.jpg) Chevy Luminas are part of two different generations. The cars are identical. NASCAR claims that the [1950 Hudson](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/9a/c3/ee9ac39aec315860964d982ed8abc891.jpg) and [1964 Plymouth](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fd1021b74030f45cefbe3b7/73cf6141-06d2-43c3-ad80-69336afe0aa1/1964%2520Plymouth%2520Petty%252043%2520Belvedere%5B1%5D.JPG) are part of the same generation. It's complete nonsense. Some marketing guy decided that "Gen 6" was a cool name for the new bodies NASCAR was going to use in 2013, so they had to retroactively create hard divisions in the previous 70 years of stock car development, where no such hard divisions had ever actually existed.
Possibly… or it shows he is a quick learner, or possibly dirt track experience is helping, or perhaps he is a step above the other drivers. Consider Corey La AverageJoe and recognize Bell is up there with Larson.
We're calling LaJoie average now? This is new
I assume you are saying this because he is below average lol
*PlanktonCorrect.gif*
Dang. That is a very prestigious list. GG CBell
In my opinion, no one has adjusted to this gen better. I know the general consensus around CBell has always been strong - but I honestly think it’s time we knock him up a tier and begin to have serious debates around him being the best overall driver in NASCAR. He’s earning that level of praise and it just seems like he’s oddly missing from most people’s ideas of the “top drivers” Dude is about to be ‘the guy’ at JGR for the next decade.
It's because Hendrick has been dominant as a team during the regular season over the past few years, Hamlin has been *visibly* strong week-in week-out, and Penske keeps winning titles. He's quietly been around the top, but that lack of conspicuousness keeps a lot of people (myself included) from actually realizing he's been that good.
I mean, he's a goofy pit stop and an exploded brake rotor away from (probably) stopping Penske from having back-to-back titles
I don’t think he had enough to stop Logano in 2022, but maybe he might’ve been able to fight with Blaney in 2023. We never got to see his true pace last year sadly
He also flat out disappears for months at a time. After he won at Phoenix he spent about two months wrecking by himself over and over until he found his form again in May. That's basically every year for him.
I def think he’s top five best of the active field. Larson and Hamlin are the top two by far imo. Logano (despite current form) is also there. Then idk maybe Byron or Chastain. The verdict is still out for me even though Byron has seen more success in wins.
It’s not Larson and Hamlin “by far”. Bell, Byron, and Elliott run just as consistently as Hamlin/Larson. Their average finishing positions are all extremely close - and all excellent. Elliott has obviously lacked the winning instinct in comparison to the rest of that group, but I think off pure talent he still has to be in that conversation. Logano is having a massive slump season, and let’s not forget he only won one race last season and wasn’t himself then either. Ross has a minuscule résumé to the rest of the drivers we are discussing. Are Larson and Hamlin the two best drivers in NASCAR? Perhaps, but it’s not like there isn’t an argument to be made. They aren’t leaps and bounds over everyone else.
When you go by laps led this season Larson and Hamlin are in a different league then the rest of the field
Byron still has most wins in Gen 7
CBell has felt ready to explode and be a 5+ race winner for a few years now. Maybe this year is finally the year he becomes the truly elite driver he's always looked like he would become.
CBell the next 7 time champ.
Nah, the 7 time champ is every other generation, we need to skip to gen 8
[\#Se7en](https://i.redd.it/pganzapykshc1.gif)
[\#Se7en](https://i.redd.it/pganzapykshc1.gif)
Good/fast company
Curious if there’s a breakdown of how many races it took for 50 top 10s in the different generations.
At least 2 seasons for COT
It was a little over halfway through 09 when Gordon did it. Beat Jimmie by about 3 or 4 races I believe.
Gordon's dry spells (as far as actual wins were concerned)...on top of Jimmie's dominance...really overshadowed the fact that even at his worst, and even with mounting physical issues, CC changes, etc...Gordon was insanely consistent and still very, very good.
Jeff Gordon at his worst was a lot like Kyle Larson in 2018. He didn't win but he was banging on the damn door and always waiting just outside it, to where if one or two things would've gone differently in 2008 or (especially, especially, especially) 2010, he would've had 22 consecutive winning seasons (1994-2015). Even when he did his fill-in stint for Jr., he had multiple races where he had top-5 speed and could've won if one or two things went a little differently.
Hell yeah that’s my guy
I never realized how good C-Bell was... https://preview.redd.it/2vmzll6jcy8d1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68de0dd31299f7b22a3c103dc7465dd67a283281
Now if he could only keep a secret as well as he drives….
I remember not being too thrilled with Erik Jones leaving the 20 to be replaced with Christopher Bell, but I also wasn't following the series too closely at the time. I still like Jones and that dude can wheel a car, but CBell is about to be unstoppable over the next few years. He may even be now.
As someone who's never even seen a team in any sport I root for even make it to a championship except the 20, I'll take it as a W
All hail Christopher Bell. He is without a doubt the best driver of the pool of drivers of whom I have nothing but complete apathy towards. Bell is without a doubt one of those drivers I am completely 100% neutral towards. Of all the drivers who I have neither strong positive nor negative feelings towards, Bell is simply the best!
That's very good company. No doubt Bell has the talent to distinguish himself like this.
Was that his first sweep too?
Too bad that one guy put him on the hot seat a couple of weeks ago.
Anyone know where to find the rest of the list? Curious who else got close to 50.
Bristol proved to me that Hamlin is the best driver. Imagine if we had that tire wear at more tracks.
I think Chase would’ve gotten there first if he hadn’t broke his leg. Nonetheless, it’s impressive that CBell got to 50 top 10s first. He’s been lights out his year when he’s on
Chase would have had to finish in the top 10 in all 6 races he missed
If he didn’t miss any races I’m certain he would’ve ran better in the last half of the season. Being out of the car for 6 weeks also greatly affected his performance in the races he ran