2022 Bank of America Roval 400 Driver Ratings: Playoff Drivers

Christopher Bell won a wild race on the Roval to advance into the Round of 8 in the playoffs. Crash NASCAR journalist Chad Smith goes through the field to hand out driver ratings in the 2022 Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing

Christopher Bell - 10

With his back up against the wall, Bell delivered a blockbuster performance on Sunday by winning the race. The only way Bell could advance was with a win, and he delivered in a year where Toyota has struggled mightily on road courses. This is the second win of the season for Bell, who now carries a ton of momentum into the next race.

Chase Briscoe - 9

Oddly enough, Briscoe was the only other playoff driver in this race to finish inside the top-ten. It didn’t look good for the Stewart Haas Racing driver for most of the day, but as other drivers had major issues, Briscoe found himself in a position to pounce. With the help of teammate Cole Custer on the final lap, Chase was able to squeak his way into the final playoff spot with a 9th place finish.

2022 Bank of America Roval 400 Driver Ratings: Playoff Drivers

Denny Hamlin - 7

While his teammate won the race, Hamlin himself did not have much to cheer about on Sunday. The JGR driver finished 13th in another lackluster performance. The veteran is still in contention to win his first Cup championship, but he will have to have better results if he wants to advance into the final round.

William Byron - 7

The weekend started off great for Byron, as his 15-point penalty for wrecking Hamlin under caution at Texas was rescinded. That put him back above the cut line, where he was able to stay after this race. Despite starting on the front row, Byron was unable to contend for the win, but a 16th place finish was just enough for him to advance.

Joey Logano - 8

Logano also started on the front row, earning pole position and won the opening stage of the race. He ended up finishing 18th today but that was due in large part to a couple of spins on the final two restarts. Joey finds himself back in second place in the standings after the playoff points were reset.

Chase Elliott - 8

Elliott was in position to win the race, but he was spun on one of the final restarts, which sent him to the back of the field. His 20th place finish was not indicative of the way his day went, and he holds a 20-point lead in the championship heading into the Round of 8 next week.

Austin Cindric - 4

Cindric nearly suck his way into the Round of 8 but a spin on the final lap took it all away. He ended up finishing 21st today but the Daytona 500 winner had a fantastic rookie season, and could still play the spoiler role in these final few races.

Ryan Blaney - 6

Although he remains winless, Blaney still found a way to advance into the next round with a 26th place finish. He too was racing at the front of the field for most of the day, only to be spun late in the race. Blaney could become the first non-winning champion, but could easily win any of these final four events.

Kyle Larson - 2

No one envisioned Larson being one of the drivers eliminated after today’s race. The reigning Cup champion had a solid cushion heading into the event, but a broken toe link on his No. 5 Chevrolet derailed his entire season. It was a bitter end (35th place) to a disappointing season for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

2022 Bank of America Roval 400 Driver Ratings: Playoff Drivers

Daniel Suarez - 2

It was a terrible day for Trackhouse Racing as both of their drivers had issues. Suarez got the worst of it, as his power steering went out, which led to him dropping through the field like a rock. He was ultimately unable to recover, and was eliminated from the playoffs.

Ross Chastain - 5

Chastain’s issue was self-inflicted, as the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet clipped the wall with the right-rear of his car. The damage ultimately ended his race, finishing just behind his teammate in 37th. The good news for him is that he still advanced to the Round of 8 with enough points.

Joey Logano - N/A

Bowman missed his second consecutive race as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered in the race at Texas.

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