After making the playoffs in 2023 and finishing 16th in the standings, expectations for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were to at least crack the Round of 12 the following year. But although he won at Talladega during the postseason, he had already missed the playoffs entirely and ended the season 25th in points.
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By this stage last season, Stenhouse had logged one top-five and one top-10 — the same tally he holds this year. However, he’s doubled his top-20 finishes from four to eight through the first 12 races.
The numbers reflect progress. His pace has improved, and his consistency has taken a step forward. As it stands, Stenhouse ranks 14th in the driver standings, trailing Kyle Larson by 211 points. Evaluating their season so far, Stenhouse said the team is pleased with their current form and believes there’s more to extract from the #47 Chevrolet.
“We haven’t nearly got the speed out of our car that I feel like we have in it somewhere,” Stenhouse said. “So, we’re continuing to look for that. We’re continuing to try and figure out how we can qualify better. That’ll make our race days go better. But we’re executing. We’re finishing races well. Making sure we get to the end and capitalizing on that.”
He emphasized that if they can unlock more speed, the team could put themselves in contention where it matters most. While acknowledging that wins and points will ultimately dictate playoff positioning, Stenhouse made it clear he’s encouraged by where they currently stand.
Stenhouse reacts to ranking above Kyle Busch, Keselowski
While Ricky Stenhouse Jr. currently holds a spot inside the top 16 in the Cup Series standings, veterans Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski — both mired in extended winless streaks — sit just outside the cutline at P17 and P33, respectively. One breakthrough win from either could shake up the playoff picture and potentially bump Stenhouse out of contention.
Stenhouse, however, remains focused on building his case through consistency. He continues to prioritize points racing until a win falls into place. Citing his Talladega run earlier this season, he explained how, despite starting from 35th, he climbed to third in Stage 1, collected eight stage points, and wrapped up the day in 12th overall, netting 33 points.
That approach, he said, will carry into Charlotte and the races that follow as he aims to stay ahead of drivers like Busch and Keselowski in the standings. For Stenhouse, repeat winners are the best-case scenario for those [like himself] trying to reach the playoffs on points alone.
“If we have no more new winners, even including myself, I would probably take that chance over new winners and then even me having a shot at a win because I like what we’re doing as a race team right now,” he said.
While fans keep an eye on when Busch and Keselowski might snap their dry spells, the points battle — and Stenhouse’s efforts to hold his ground — will be interesting to watch in the upcoming weekends.
