NASCAR Cup Series off to a historically-competitive start in 2022
LAS VEGAS – For the first time since 1971, no driver has led more than 100 laps through the first three races of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
Tyler Reddick has led the most laps this season – 90 of 675 – of any NASCAR Cup Series driver.
In 1971, Ray Elder and Richard Petty each led 67 laps through three NASCAR Cup Series races. There were 291 total laps run in the first three races, compared to 675 laps this season.
Elder led 67 laps during his win at the season-opening race at Riverside Int’l Raceway. Petty led 62 laps during the Riverside race and 5 laps during his Duel at Daytona – when the Duels counted as official points races.
This is the first time since 2009 that no driver has led 100 laps in a single one of the first three races.
In 2009, Jimmie Johnson led 92 laps at Las Vegas – the most dominant performance during the three races in 2009.
Reddick led 90 laps in the Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway – the most dominant performances during the first three races this season.
NASCAR Cup Series’ Top 10 Lap Leaders, following the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Tyler Reddick (90 at Auto Club)
Ross Chastain (83 at Las Vegas)
Kyle Busch (77; 28 at Daytona, 49 at Las Vegas)
Brad Keselowski (70; 3 at Las Vegas; 67 at Daytona)
Kyle Larson (56; 1 at Daytona, 28 at Auto Club, 27 at Las Vegas)
Ryan Blaney (47; 36 at Daytona, 1 at Auto Club, 10 at Las Vegas)
Christopher Bell (32 at Las Vegas)
Denny Hamlin (31 at Las Vegas)
William Byron (25; 1 at Daytona, 16 at Auto Club, 8 at Las Vegas)
Austin Cindric/Erik Jones (21 at Daytona/21 at Auto Club)
denotes most laps led in a race
SOURCES:
NASCAR
Racing-Reference.Info
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com