Stat Pack Recap: 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600

Race: Results | Analytics | Loop Data | Lap-by-lap Download

Qualifying: Busch Pole Qualifying results and lap download

Practice: NCS Final Practice results and lap download

It's a testament to Byron's dominance in this race that he had a better PGAE (positions gained above expected) than the guy who went from last to first.

Mathematically, why did this happen? Look at the table below. PGAE is calculated: for every lap, look up the driver's position in the Running Position column, then credit them with the difference between their position on their next lap and the corresponding Avg. Position on Next Lap column. Thus, Byron accumulated 0.071 PGAE for every lap he held the lead. Meanwhile, any lap Chastain didn't gain position while running at the back, he lost PGAE.

I like that. Nobody cares if you move up from 35th to 25th, but we all applaud holding the lead. That's that math that PGAE is built on.