NASCAR
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Preview: Chevrolet
By far the most well-represented manufacturer in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs, Chevrolet has eight of 16 drivers. Responsible for a whopping 15 victories in 26 races, Chevrolet put three entire organizations into the postseason. Between the Hendrick quartet, Team Trackhouse, and Richard Childress Racing, there’s a 50% chance that a bowtie takes the 2022 title. With the last two championships coming from Hendrick Motorsports, can Chevrolet or HMS make it a hat-trick? In terms of seeding, Camaros populate both ends of the Playoff grid. Who’s sitting pretty entering the Round of 16, and who needs to rally starting in Darlington?
Chase Elliott – First Seed (2,040 points)
By almost all accounts, regular season champion Chase Elliott has been the driver of the year for 2022. Entering the Playoffs as the top seed and overwhelming favorite for the first time, can the 2020 Cup champion make it three-straight title finale appearances? Winning the regular season title by an astounding 130 points, the Hendrick 9 team is on an unparalleled level of weekly consistency. Elliott leads all drivers in wins (four), top-10s (17), laps led (719), and average finish (10.5).
Look no further than Elliott’s results in five-straight weeks from June through July, no finish worse than second with three wins. With such a commanding points lead, Elliott is perhaps the only driver with little worries over the opening Playoff rounds. It is likely that his 40 bonus points will only grow, in turn only making his pathway to Phoenix easier. With six career Playoff wins, expect that stat to grow over the next 10 weeks.
Ross Chastain – Third Seed (2,020 points)
The most improved driver this year, Ross Chastain took his first two career wins in the first 10 weeks. Since winning at COTA and Talladega though, Chastain’s constant speed and over-aggression has made a few high-profile enemies. Entering the Playoffs with a target on his back from some of his competitors, is the third seed safe? Drivers including Denny Hamlin could pay Chastain back at any time, completely unraveling the championship hopes of the Trackhouse 1 team.
While Chastain is tied with Elliott for a series-best 10 top-fives, Chastain’s fate may very well be in other’s hands. Chastain has also failed to earn a top-10 in the last six weeks, dating back to New Hampshire. Can Chastain get back on track in Darlington? He was a strong third-place in last year’s Southern 500. The Round of 16 can go smoothly for the 1, but the future may be in doubt for NASCAR’s most controversial driver of 2022.
Kyle Larson – Fourth Seed (2,019 points)
Defending series Champion Kyle Larson has had an intriguing year to say the least. Larson’s two wins came six months apart—Auto Club in February and Watkins Glen just two weeks ago. Finishing week 26 fifth in points, the 5 is reset as the fourth seed. The Round of 16 goes to three of Larson’s best tracks, so he could escape this opening segment with at least one win. Just a year ago, Larson’s Playoff run saw five wins in the last 10 weeks. Expect the 5 to be a weekly contender and favorite across nearly every Playoff race. As the fourth seed, Larson is pegged as a favorite to make a second-straight Championship 4 appearance.
William Byron – Fifth Seed (2,014 points)
The Hendrick 24 team of William Byron truly is a tale of two seasons. Despite two wins in the opening eight races, the 24 only has one top-10 since. As the fifth seed now largely thanks to both victories, can the 24 get back on track in the Playoffs? Darlington in May was Byron’s last true shot at a victory, before being punted out of the way by Joey Logano. Byron needs something to go right, as he plummeted from second to 10th in points over the last three months. Maybe a Playoff reset is just what the 24 team needs, but they cannot afford any misfortunes in this first round.
Tyler Reddick – Tied for Eighth Seed (2,012 points)
Another driver to score their first two wins this year, Tyler Reddick took July victories at Road America and Indianapolis. In his second Playoffs, Reddick is well poised to make a deep run. Should the Childress 8 team make the Round of 12, their road course prowess could shine again on the Charlotte Roval. With Homestead also in the Round of 8, Reddick is a sleeper pick for a Championship 4 berth. 2022 could be the best Playoff showing for RCR in years with Reddick and the 8 team.
Daniel Suarez – 13th Seed (2,007 points)
Also making his first Cup Series Playoffs, Daniel Suarez locked himself in by winning Sonoma in June. In the 10 races since, the Trackhouse 99 has five top-10s. Suarez was however leading at Daytona when the rain hit last week, getting caught up in the huge field-clearing crash. Starting off the postseason already below the cut line, Suarez must be on the offensive from the start at Darlington. Both Trackhouse cars have shown incredible week-by-week speed at times this year. Should Suarez recapture some of that consistency then he could make a deep run in his maiden Playoff journey.
Alex Bowman – Tied for 14th Seed (2,006 points)
Despite an early-season win at Las Vegas, Alex Bowman has largely had a year to forget. The past 12 races have only seen one top-10 for the 48 team, ending the regular season at 14th in points. With the recent announcement that crew chief Greg Ives will retire after 2022, how far can the 48 team go? The past two years, Bowman has had surprisingly consistent Playoff appearances. Even with an early 2021 elimination, the 48 did still win at Martinsville last fall. 2020’s Playoffs also saw Bowman rally with seven top-10s, finishing that year sixth in points. While far from a championship favorite, the 48 could upset with another string of solid results. Already starting from behind the eight ball though, Bowman may need a win or top-five runs in the Round of 16 to transfer onwards.
Austin Dillon – 16th Seed (2,005 points)
The last Chevrolet driver to make the Playoffs, Austin Dillon put the 3 in the postseason with a Daytona win. Only having the five bonus points from the win, Dillon has the steepest path ahead for the Round of 12. However, Dillon’s last Playoff appearance saw great momentum built in the opening three races. In 2020, Dillon was second at Darlington, and fourth at Richmond. This unprecedented speed and execution saw the RCR team advance past the Round of 16. Should any of this speed return, Dillon could be facing the ultimate underdog run in these Playoffs.
Between all three manufacturers, Chevrolet has had the most fruitful year to date in the Next Gen car. Can the strength in numbers translate into the Bill France Cup in 10 weeks? With Elliott’s points lead, he is all but safe for another trip to Phoenix, with plenty of other strong Chevrolet teams behind him. Starting off with Darlington, the eight-man effort between Hendrick, RCR, and Trackhouse will be chasing checkered flags as they go for a third-straight Chevrolet championship.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR
