Left Turns, Right Hooks Episode #42: NASCAR Stats & Projections with Daniel Cespedes
The regular season is winding down and the Chase picture is coming into focus — but who's actually positioned to win it all? Dan Lindsey brings back stat guru and graph aficionado Daniel Cespedes for a deep dive into the numbers behind the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
In this episode we break down:
🎤 What average vs. median finish data actually tells us about the field
🎤 Stat stories Daniel's been following this season so far
🎤 Daniel's Substack stat cards — the inspiration and the process
🎤 Under-the-radar drivers who deserve more attention
🎤 How projected standings from May have changed, but also remained the same
🎤 Whether we're headed for a Toyota-dominated Chase
🎤 Who below the cut line could still sneak in
We also gave some well-deserved shine to a handful of drivers making noise this season — Denny Hamlin, Austin Cindric, Ty Gibbs, Shane van Gisbergen, and Chris Buescher all came up in conversation. And we didn't shy away from the elephant in the room: Toyota looks dominant right now, and Chevrolet teams may have some ground to make up heading into the Chase.
If you love NASCAR data, honest analysis, and two guys who are equal parts excited and nervous
about Denny Hamlin's road course schedule — this one's for you.
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Follow Daniel Cespedes:
Substack: https://danielcespedes.substack.com/
🐦 X (Twitter): @_DanielCespedes
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📸 Instagram: @leftturnsrighthooks
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00:11:51 - Avg Finish vs. Median Finish
00:14:22 - Stat Stories
00:19:02 - Substack / Driver Stat Cards
00:25:30 - Guys Under the Radar
00:32:23 - Projecting the rest of the Regular Season
00:43:22 - Toyota Domination & Chase Predictions