NASCAR Cup Series drivers with the best average finish in every postseason since the playoff era began

The NASCAR Cup Series postseason has produced some of the sport’s fiercest stretches of racing. Each year, ten weeks decide a champion, and drivers who stay mistake-free often separate themselves.

The current playoff format unveiled a 16-driver, elimination-style Chase in 2014. Three-race rounds would trim the field from 16 to 12, then eight, leaving a Championship 4 at the finale. In 2017, stage racing added another twist by awarding points throughout each event, but the elimination ladder remained the same.

As the Cup Series turns its attention to Race 2 of the Round of 16 for the Enjoy Illinois 300 on September 7, it’s worth looking back at the best average finish in each year since the format began.

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NASCAR Cup Series drivers with the best average finish in every playoff season

2024 - Christopher Bell (7.1 average finish)

Christopher Bell before the NASCAR Cookouts Southern 500 at Darlington. Source: Imagn

Bell cemented his “Clutch Christopher” label for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024 when he finished inside the top five in six of the ten playoff races. He kept the No. 20 Toyota inside the top-10 in nearly every playoff stop, despite not winning the title.

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2023 - William Byron (6.1 average finish)

Byron’s five-win season set the tone for a deep playoff run. The Hendrick Motorsports driver finished outside the top-10 in just two out of the ten playoff races and reached the Championship 4 for the first time, showing his arrival as a contender.

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2022 - Denny Hamlin (6.6 average finish)

Hamlin’s steady hand delivered yet another deep run. Top-10s piled up while a single stumble at Roval kept him shy of the title race. He had 16 top ten finishes this year, 9 of which came in the playoffs - showing why he remains one of the strongest drivers never to claim a Cup crown.

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2021 - Denny Hamlin (6.8 average finish)

Denny Hamlin drives during the 2021 NASCAR Burnouts on Broadway event in Nashville. Source: Imagn

Darlington and Las Vegas wins launched Hamlin’s postseason, setting up a third consecutive Championship 4. While he fell short in the finale, clean execution across the final stretch kept his average elite.

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2020 - Joey Logano (7.6 average finish)

Joey Logano appears thrice in the list and has the best playoff average among all active drivers (10.6). A Kansas victory punched his Phoenix ticket, and while he couldn’t match Chase Elliott in the finale, the No. 22 Ford delivered consistent results.

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2019 - Martin Truex Jr. (5.8 average finish)

Martin Truex Jr. struck early and often with wins at Richmond, Las Vegas, and Martinsville. No driver has maintained such composure across ten weeks, and his sub-six average stands as one of the best of the elimination era.

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2018 – Joey Logano / Aric Almirola (8.6 average finish)

Logano’s “Big Three and Me” story peaked with wins at Martinsville and Homestead, clinching the championship. Almirola quietly mirrored the pace, stringing together top-10s for Stewart-Haas Racing to tie Logano’s average despite no title.

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2017 - Martin Truex Jr. (4.3 average finish)

Martin Truex Jr. after winning the 2017 NASCAR Cup Championship. Source: Imagn

Truex controlled the field with victories at Charlotte, Kansas, and Homestead, and is the only driver on the list to win the title with the best average finish in a playoff. Rarely lower than fifth, his 4.3 mark is still the benchmark for NASCAR postseason consistency under the current format.

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2016 - Kyle Busch (7.2 average finish)

The defending NASCAR champion kept the Joe Gibbs Toyota in contention with repeated top-five finishes. Though Jimmie Johnson stole the headlines with a record-tying seventh title, Busch’s steadiness put him on the Phoenix bubble until the end.

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2015 - Jeff Gordon (7.6 average finish)

Jeff Gordon’s farewell tour peaked with a Martinsville victory and an emotional Phoenix send-off. Though he fell short in Homestead, his final postseason average reflected the precision that defined a Hall of Fame career.

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2014 – Joey Logano (6.4 average finish)

Joey Logano (22) during media day for the NASCAR Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn

In the debut year of the NASCAR playoffs, Joey Logano shone with wins at New Hampshire and Kansas. A late Homestead tire issue robbed him of a shot at the championship, but the numbers confirmed he was every bit title-worthy.

With the Enjoy Illinois 300 looming, the next nine weeks will once again reveal who handles adversity, nails pit calls, and strings together clean runs.