First, a simple explanation of the formula so that it can be criticized. I encourage it; it’s the only way I’ll know how to improve the formula as I learn about the sport.
Start with 40 points minus one’s finish in the race. So Denny Hamlin starts with 39 points. Second add 20 points for winning the race, 10 points for an otherwise top 5 finish, 5 points for an otherwise top 10 finish. So now Hamlin is at 59 points. Finally take the number of laps led and divide them by 5 and add them to the score (1 point for every 5 led), so Hamlin’s 30 laps led give him a total of 65 points after Daytona, so he’s the leader after week 1.
Is the formula perfect? Nope. I won’t even pretend it is. But it’s a start for me and one has to start somewhere.
Second, the top 20 (which is how I’ll rank them each week):
#20 Matt DiBenedetto (LW: N/A)
#19 Corey LaJoie (LW: N/A)
#18 Chase Elliott (LW: N/A)
#17 Austin Dillon (LW: N/A)
#16 Parker Kligerman (LW: N/A)
#15 Ryan Newman (LW: N/A)
#14 William Byron (LW: N/A)
#13 Brad Keselowski (LW: N/A)
#12 Alex Bowman (LW: N/A)
#11 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (LW: N/A)
#10 Ross Chastain (LW: N/A)
#9 Jimmie Johnson (LW: N/A)
#8 Ryan Preece (LW: N/A)
#7 Kyle Larson (LW: N/A)
#6 Ty Dillon (LW: N/A)
#5 Michael McDowell (LW: N/A)
#4 Erik Jones (LW: N/A)
#3 Joey Logano (LW: N/A)
#2 Kyle Busch (LW: N/A)
#1 Denny Hamlin (LW: N/A)
Again, I doubt my list will go along with everyone else’s as the season goes on, but hey, I’m giving it a try. Feel free to fire shots across the bow. . .