When it comes to delivering results, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske are always expected to outperform other teams in the NASCAR top tier.
And more often than not, the drivers from these teams post the best statistics in the season and end up winning the Cup Series championship. However, this season has been a bit different compared to the last one.
Statistics show that around seven teams out of ten have had their cars in the top ten finishes per race in the first six races of the 2022 season. Compared to last season’s record of 6.1 teams, it is almost like having one extra team in the top-10 this season.
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Former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty showed his concern about the underperforming “establishment” and the loosening of grip hold in their dominance in the NASCAR top tier.
“I’m worried about the establishment and what I mean by that is Hendrick, Penske, and Gibbs. The guys that run upfront week in and week out. Eight cars in the top 10 with two organizations. These guys are showing up individually, Kyle Busch might show up. Joey Logano might show up. If we look at it, this past weekend at COTA, six different organizations in the top 10.”
“We’ve had races where nine different organizations were in the top 10. Where is the establishment? Where is that cornerstone that what we felt was the solid part of the sport, the sharp end of the stick, those guys dominating week in and week out. They haven’t shown up. I’m not saying they won’t show up. I am concerned. I am concerned because they haven’t shown up.”
While this particular statistic that Petty highlighted might explain his concern but when it comes to winning, it is still these teams that get the most wins. Three of four HMS drivers have already registered a win, and the other one, Chase Elliott, leads the series standings.
While the other teams might not be up to this standard but there are still a lot of races remaining, giving these “establishment” enough time to assert their dominance again.