Getty Elliott Sadler has the most top-10s in a 33-race season.
The 2022 season ended after Ty Gibbs won the Xfinity Series championship. Several drivers had strong performances but none tied Elliott Sadler’s historic mark.
Back in 2016, Sadler finished second in the championship standings while driving for JR Motorsports. He won three races and posted 29 top-10 finishes and 14 top-fives. The 29 top-10s were the most in a single Xfinity Series season since the schedule moved to 33 races.
This mark has remained since the 2016 season. Though regular-season champion AJ Allmendinger nearly matched it during the 2022 season. He won five races and posted 28 top-10s and 17 top-fives before ending the season fifth in the championship standings.
He was not able to match Sadler, but he still ended his final full-time Xfinity Series season with the second-most top-10s in a 33-race season. Now Allmendinger will return to the Cup Series full-time.
A Former Champion Had More Top-10s in an Expanded Era
GettyElliott Sadler (front) races at Phoenix Raceway in 2016.
Sadler has the most top-10 finishes in a 33-race season, but there are multiple drivers that topped 29 between 2005 and 2010 when the Xfinity Series had 35 races in a season.
Kevin Harvick has the most. He posted 32 top-10s in 35 starts in 2006 while also winning nine times. The California native capped off the season by winning the championship over Carl Edwards.
The list of drivers that topped 29 top-10s in a 35-race season also includes Clint Bowyer (2008), Edwards (2009), and Kyle Busch (2009). Brad Keselowski posted 29 on the dot during the 2010 season en route to winning the championship.
The schedule dropped from 35 races down to 34 in 2011 as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the championship. The number of races fell once again in 2012 to 33 as Stenhouse captured his second straight title. This number has remained the standard ever since.
A New Crop of Drivers Will Aim for the Same Consistency
GettyElliott Sadler (right) celebrates a Dash 4 Cash win.
Top-10 finishes don’t result in wins or the championship, but they do aid in the pursuit. Stacking consistent finishes only sets up strong finishes and puts the driver in a position to potentially capture the win.
Allmendinger was the most recent driver to draw near Sadler’s mark, but there will be more drivers with the opportunity in 2023. There will be newcomers to the Xfinity Series, as well as returning drivers that have showcased their skills in previous seasons.
One potential driver that could match the mark is a former teammate of Sadler. Justin Allgaier finished the 2016 season third in the championship standings after securing 27 top-10 finishes and 13 top-fives. Allgaier didn’t reach Victory Lane during the season, but he used consistency to gain crucial points.
The veteran driver will now return to the Xfinity Series and JR Motorsports for the 2023 season. He remains in pursuit of the championship trophy after reaching the final four five times since 2016, and he will kick off his campaign once again at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2023.
Will Allgaier be the one to match Sadler’s mark of 29 top-10 finishes in a 33-race season? It’s possible. He has been consistent since joining JR Motorsports, and he has more than 20 top-10s in five of the past seven seasons.