Week 37 GFT NASCAR AI Driver Rankings: Bell “Win and In” Take 2, Championship 4 set for Phoenix
30 October 2022
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Christopher Bell does it again. In a must win scenario to earn a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4, Bell had only one option- win at Martinsville. For the second time in the NASCAR Playoffs, Bell drives to the win joining Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Ross Chastain as the 4 drivers eligible for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. As exciting as Bell’s thrilling “win and you’re in” victory was, it was Ross Chastain who stole the show with an unbelievable video-game move in the final corners of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. (Video below) Chastain went from 10th place to 5th in the final 1/2 lap, narrowly beating Denny Hamlin to the line, securing a spot in the Championship 4 and eliminating Hamlin.
Pole winner Kyle Larson was 2nd, finishing .869 seconds behind Bell. Ryan Blaney was 3rd, Brad Kaselowski was originally scored in 4th, but his № 6 RFK Ford Mustang failed post-race inspection and he was DQed and credited with a 36th place finish.
Preliminary NASCAR GFT AI Driver Rankings after Martinsville:
With 5 wins, our algorithms rank Chase Elliott as the favorite at P1, Joey Logano at P2, Ross Chastain at P3, and Christopher Bell at P4.
Ross Chastain’s video game move to advance to the Championship 4 | NASCAR
On to Phoenix Raceway!
