After the Daytona 500, you would be arduous pressed to discover a NASCAR fan who thought Ford could be mentioning the rear of the pack in wins six weeks into the season.
Whereas a Chevy in William Byron received the Nice American Race, Fords led 106 of the race’s 200 laps. Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and David Ragan have been all viable threats to win earlier than an enormous crash worn out the sector.
Fords have been as soon as extra robust at Atlanta, with defending champion Ryan Blaney developing simply three one thousandths of a second in need of victory.
Nevertheless, after six races, Fords are nonetheless but to win a race. After Toyota destroyed the sector at Phoenix and Bristol, they have been crushed by Hendrick Motorsports at COTA on Sunday. The one producer to not be present in race-winning rivalry? Ford.
The best ending blue oval on Sunday was Chris Buescher in eighth, the Texas native’s fourth high 10 within the first six races. Ryan Blaney is the Ford driver highest within the standings at present, sitting third, 80 factors above the playoff cutline.
Whereas Blaney and Buescher have been constant to open the season, they, together with the remainder of the Ford drivers, have did not do crucial factor in racing: win.
Toyota and Chevy have every had weekends the place they’ve blown away the competitors. Daytona is the closest Ford has come to that, however they nonetheless did not seize the final word prize.
Apart from Buescher and Blaney, just one different Ford, 2012 champion Brad Keselowski, resides within the playoff image in sixteenth. Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric sit proper exterior the highest 16, however simply three Fords inside the present postseason image simply is not adequate for a producer that has received the final two NASCAR Cup Sequence championships.
Probably the most stunning info of the 2024 season to this point is that two-time Cup Sequence champion Joey Logano sits simply twenty second in factors, 33 factors again of the Keselowski for the ultimate playoff spot. Logano solely has one high 10 via the primary six races, a ninth place end at Las Vegas. For a driver and group with a championship pedigree, one thing has to vary to ensure that the No. 22 group to search out themselves in title rivalry.
Noah Gragson, who was essentially the most constant driver out of the Stewart-Haas steady for the primary few weeks completed thirty fourth on uncooked pace, whereas his SHR teammates in Josh Berry and Ryan Preece did not fare significantly better, with each drivers ending exterior the highest 20. Even the lovable underdogs in Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland have fallen off after they confirmed profitable pace within the first two races.
Rick Ware Racing driver Justin Haley was essentially the most constant Ford all through the day, working wherever from ninth to thirteenth all through the race earlier than ending a stable seventeenth.
For a younger race group making an attempt to develop, that is a stable day so as to add to what’s been a stable season. Nevertheless, all good issues should come to an finish — Haley was disqualified after post-race inspection, relegating him to a final place end.
Whereas Ford does have the defending champion doing good issues for them, most of their drivers are within the slums of the pack to start out the season. One thing has to vary going into Sunday’s race at Richmond, however it looks like no one in Detroit is aware of the reply.
Loads of Ford executives will likely be pacing the boardrooms this week, and so they want to determine a solution earlier than Toyota and Chevy run away with the season.
