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The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season has been a year of firsts. From the introduction of a brand new formula for stock cars in the form of the Next Gen NASCAR to the rare occurrence of a team contending for driver and owner titles with different cars, the 2022 season has seen it all. Races ranging from the twists and turns of Road America to short track bonanzas such as Martinsville Speedway, the year has given fans of the sport enough storylines to linger over the off-season.
The Cup Series' final outing for 2022 at Phoenix Raceway saw a certain #22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang visit Victory Lane with Joey Logano behind the wheel. The 32-year-old managed to add yet again to his existing championship tally.
The 1-mile-long track in Avondale, Arizona saw two existing champions make it to the final four, along with two first-timers. Dominating the race on Sunday, Logano and Team Penske proved the importance of timely preparation ahead of the Championship Race, courtesy of their win in Sin City.
Apart from the Middletown, Connecticut native claiming the ultimate prize in the sport, however, there were various other storylines throughout the season. In a year where there was something new to talk about every weekend, incidents on the track lived in the limelight for a short period before the fraternity's focus shifted to the next.
5 notable events to look back at from the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season
Here are five storylines that caught the fraternity's attention throughout the 2022 season of the highest echelon in stock car racing, a season that saw numerous variables and multiple unknowns on the track:
#5 Teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott's on-track shenanigans
Teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, arguably one of the best teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have had their fair share of disagreements on track in 2022. Both drivers are known for their capabilities behind the wheel of a stock car and their competitive spirit. Things, however, were on the brink of boiling over between the two champions twice this year.
The first instance of Larson and Elliott coming together on track came early in the season when the former cut across the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver's line at Auto Club Speedway, sending him into the wall. The incident was shrugged off due to a lack of attention on Larson's part. Things boiled over again between the two when the #5 hendrickcars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver pushed Elliott wide at Watkins Glen on the last lap to take the checkered flag in P1.
Both drivers seem to have sorted out their differences after their run-ins on the track, with Larson also helping Elliott in his bid for the championship in the dying stages of the season.
#4 Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe's coming together at Bristol Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick was on his way to clinching his first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Reddick, who has been regarded as one of the greatest upcoming talents in NASCAR, however, had to wait a little longer to visit Victory Lane.
Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe, who was hot on the heels of Reddick, sent a hail-mary into the final corner on the last lap, which saw both drivers spin out spectacularly. Third-place man Kyle Busch lucked into his sole victory of the season as a result.
Reddick was seen handling the situation with Briscoe with the utmost respect as the latter apologized to the #8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver during post-race interviews.
#3 Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman missing races due to concussion injuries
The Next Gen NASCAR, which made its debut this season, bought along with itself a new level of parity seen in the sport. In a year that saw 19 different winners get a chance to visit Victory Lane, the stats speak for themselves.
Not everything was great about the new formula of the car, however, as mid-way through the season, drivers started complaining about the forces the new cars exerted on drivers in case of accidents. This was seen as mere conjecture before turning into facts after 23XI Racing's Kurt Busch and Hendrick Motorsports' Alex Bowman missed several races after suffering concussion injuries in the car.
The Next Gen NASCAR's rear impact structure was deemed 'unsafe' as a result and is due for an overhaul in 2024.
#2 Bubba Wallace Jr.'s retaliation towards Kyle Larson
NASCAR's visit to Sin City saw 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace Jr. en route to a victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the #45 Toyota Camry TRD driver was forced into the wall by a hard-charging Kyle Larson.
What ensued next was one of the most talked about topics of the year when Wallace Jr. spun Larson out on the front straightaway of the track, taking out playoff contender Christopher Bell in the process.
Bubba Wallace Jr. was then seen physically confronting Kyle Larson after the duo got out of their wrecked racecars. The incident saw the 23XI Racing driver receive a race ban for his actions on the track.
#1 Ross Chastain's run-ins with Denny Hamlin and the ultimate videogame move
Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain developed a reputation for his aggressive driving style over the 2022 season. The 'Melon Man', as he is often referred to, Chastain's shenanigans on the track were witnessed by several drivers, with Denny Hamlin being the front-runner in that regard.
The duo came together multiple times throughout the season, with their rivalry boiling over clearly as Hamlin retaliated during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono.
The latter half of the season saw the duo make peace with each other to some extent before Ross Chastain's video game-style wall ride at Martinsville Speedway saw him advance into Championship 4, knocking the #11 FedEx driver out as they crossed the finish line. Bound to go down as a historical move in NASCAR history, Chastain was applauded by the fans for his dedication and 'win at all costs' mentality.
With the 2022 season already behind us, the NASCAR Cup Series is bound to go live from the LA Memorial Coliseum next year in February for the Clash at the Coliseum.
