Getty Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made positive moves in 2022.
The 2022 Cup Series season has not been the best for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He has one top-10 finish, three DNFs, and he sits 29th in points. However, he will have an opportunity to turn his season around at the site of a past victory.
The driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro enters the Geico 500 weekend with 33-1 odds to reach Victory Lane in Alabama for the second time in his career. He previously captured the 2017 Geico 500 after starting on the pole and leading 14 laps. This win propelled him from 15th in the standings into the playoffs, and then he gained more points by winning at Daytona International Speedway later in the season.
While Stenhouse has not won at Talladega Superspeedway since the 2017 season, he has contended on multiple occasions. Roughly one-third of his 19 career top-five finishes have taken place at the 2.66-mile track, which includes a runner-up behind Ryan Blaney early in the 2020 season. He also posted third-place finishes in 2013 and 2018.
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Stenhouse Was Within Reach of Another Top-5
AROUND GOES RICKY!
The No. 47 gets a push from @keselowski and collects @BubbaWallace and @Chris_Buescher with 6 to go.
That’s the 2nd wreck with a bad push from the No. 6 today.
While Stenhouse has struggled to secure top-10 finishes in 2022 other than the trip to Auto Club Speedway, he was within reach at the start of the year. He ran near the front of the pack during the Daytona 500 and secured points in Stages 1 and 2.
Stenhouse lined up first overall on Lap 195 with rookie Austin Cindric on his inside. The No. 47 led the field to the green flag and had the opportunity to win the race, but the situation drastically changed. Contact from Brad Keselowski sent him spinning into the outside wall and brought out the caution flag.
Stenhouse ended the Daytona 500 in the 28th position and the in the infield care center instead of fighting for a trip to Victory Lane. This put him 15th overall in the championship standings while Cindric punched his ticket to the playoffs.
Stenhouse’s Superspeedway Experience Will Be Important
GettyRicky Stenhouse Jr. races at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021.
Stenhouse will have to rely on his past experience at superspeedways when he heads to Talladega on April 23. He will not have the opportunity to practice in the Gen 7 car before he takes part in qualifying. He will just head out onto the racing surface and try to win the Busch Light Pole for the second time.
Simply posting the fastest time will not guarantee that Stenhouse completes the race known for wrecks, wins for the first time in 2022, and puts himself into the playoff picture. However, it will put him in a better position to lead some laps early and potentially fight for the Stage 1 win.
Stenhouse’s weekend will begin on April 23 with qualifying at 11 a.m. ET. FS1 will provide coverage as the No. 47 heads out for a lap around the 2.66-mile Alabama track. If Stenhouse is one of the 10 fastest drivers, he will move on to the second round and fight for the Busch Light Pole. If he doesn’t make the final round, he will prepare for the Geico 500, which takes place on April 24 at 3 p.m. ET (FOX).
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