Well, here we are, another beautiful Saturday night. The sky is perfectly overcast, not a cloud in sight. It’s going to be another warm day, which probably means the start of another heat wave. The air is thick and hazy, so the stars seem farther away than they usually do at this time of year. But all of this is the perfect setting for auto racing. Which is why you’ll definitely want to check out one of the events this weekend. If you’ve never been to one of these races, then it’s well worth the trip. Even if you’ve been to a hundred of them. There’s just something about the roar of an airplane engine, thudding bass drum, and piercing whistle that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. There’s nothing quite like taking in a packed stadium full of people, all with their eyes fixed on the track, nothing but raw, unbridled energy as far as the eye can see.
The sport itself didn’t suffer a single major accident last year. So, in the grand scheme of things, it was pretty damn safe. There were several minor accidents and about 20 minor injuries. But that’s racing. You never know what’s going to happen. And that’s half the fun.
This weekend is going to be the final hurrah for the 2019 NASCAR season. There are only three races left, and for whichever ones you’ve chosen to attend, you might just have to wait a bit before you can find out the results. Who knows? Maybe there’ll be a last-minute cancellation, but for the most part, these things tend to run their course. And that means one thing: it’s time for another awards ceremony. Which is why we’re going to take a look at some of the top performers from last year’s NASCAR races, and see how they did.
The Top Earners From Last Year’s NASCAR Races
There are four major categories in which to find the top earners from last year’s NASCAR races: Rookie of the Year, Driver of the Year, Owner of the Year, and manufacturer of the year. We’ll begin with the rookie of the year. Simply put, the rookie of the year is the person who recorded the highest number of rookie points last season. Of the 2020 NASCAR draft eligible drivers, there were three standouts:
1. Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe finished the 2019 NASCAR season with 3 wins and 8 poles. And all those wins came in the last 5 races of the season. Not bad for a driver who just a year ago wasn’t even on the NASCAR radar. And in the process, he became the first rookie in history to win the championship. The most remarkable thing about Chase Briscoe is that he’s only 20 years old. And he achieved all of this despite competing in a series that is the equivalent of an old-school American football league. Chase Briscoe’s ascension to the top of the NASCAR ranks is truly remarkable. And considering where he came from (a small town in Alabama), it’s even more remarkable.
The only other rookie to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship was Kevin Harvick in 2005, also at the age of 20. And like Harvick, Chase Briscoe also won the Rookie of the Year in his first full NASCAR season. Briscoe had 12 top-five finishes and 22 top-ten finishes in 2019, accumulating 4,611 points. And he was a force to be reckoned with on some of NASCAR‘s biggest stages. In the final race of the season, for example, he finished 3rd, which was 2nd on the race grid. The only other competitors in the top 5 were Hendrick Motorsports teammates and drivers, William Byron and Aric Almirola. But Almirola was disqualified for speeding.
Briscoe’s performance in his rookie year earned him a spot on the 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. It’s only fitting that he’ll be the first member of the 2020 class, as he was certainly one of the best rookies last season. There aren’t many drivers who can say they’ve won 3 races in their first full season. And considering half of NASCAR‘s top circuits are now run as limited-engagement tournaments, it’s safe to say that Chase Briscoe will be back in a big way in 2020.
The top-ranked rookie from last season was easily Chase Briscoe. It’s no surprise that he won the Rookie of the Year award, as he was incredibly responsible for all his victories. Briscoe led 581 laps overall in 2019, and his average finish was 8th place. Considering how impressive that is, you’d have to think he’ll be back in the championship hunt in at least a few of NASCAR‘s top circuits in the near future.
2. Daniel Hemric
On the back row of the 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees is Daniel Hemric. Hemric, whose nickname is simply “Dan”, won 4 races in 2019 and led a total of 312 laps during those 4 races. With those efforts, Hemric collected 474 points and finished 2nd in the championship. The only driver who beat Hemric in 2019 was Kyle Busch. And like Chase Briscoe, Hemric’s success is even more impressive when you consider his competition. This past season, Hemric drove for the Joe Gibbs Racing team. And aside from Kyle Busch, who he beat for the championship, his other teammates were Denny Hamlin, who he also lost to in the final race, and Martin Truex Jr., who he beat in the season-opener. In other words, Hemric had some serious competition. But even so, he was still able to rack up 474 points, proving that even in the toughest of circumstances, a driver’s potential is truly unrivaled. It’s safe to say that when October rolls around, fans are going to be very happy that Daniel Hemric is back in the garage.
3. Aric Almirola
The 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion was Aric Almirola. Almirola took the checkered flag five times in 2019, winning the last four races of the season. And just think, he won the championship despite only having one team for the entire season. He finished every single one of the 200 laps he drove, and even when he was penalized for speeding in the last race, he still managed to land on the podium. The speedster from Birmingham, Alabama posted a 3rd place finish in that race, and eventually took 3rd in the championship. And even though Almirola only had one win this year, finishing 3rd in the championship was arguably his finest hour. It’s safe to assume that when NASCAR’s offseason is over, fans are going to be seeing a lot more of Aric Almirola.
4. William Byron
William Byron won the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series championship despite only competing in 9 of the 26 races during the season. And what’s more impressive is that he won despite posting only 3 top-five finishes and 6 top-ten finishes. The 2019 championship was Byron’s third in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, having also won in 2016 and 2018. The only other driver to win 3 straight NASCAR championships is Richard Petty, who did so in 1976, 1977, and 1978. Like Petty, Byron dominated on the intermediate tracks. He placed 3rd or higher 3 times on intermediate tracks, something no other driver can say they did. This year, Byron also became the first NASCAR driver to compete in every single Monster Energy Series race. At one point in his career, Byron ran 543 races without a single miss.
The 2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion will be presented with the Ted Musgrave Rookie of the Year Award at the 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The award is given to the drivers who demonstrate a great deal of leadership, skill, and drive throughout their rookie seasons.
The Top Earners From Last Year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is a bit of an intermediate series, which means it’s somewhere between the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Naturally, this makes it a bit more tame than the Cup Series, but it also means it gets a bit more respect. Last year, the Xfinity Series had its own unique set of rookie contenders, including: