AUSTIN, TX. -- The NASCAR Cup Series drivers have completed the first three races of the season. Christopher Bell leads the series in wins, but William Byron leads the point standings.
According to the updated point report, the Daytona 500 winner has 116 points after three races. Ryan Blaney is second with 114 points, while Tyler Reddick is third with 111 points.
Bell, the winner of the last two races, is fourth with 95 points. He is tied with Chase Elliott.
MORE: Cup Series standings
Byron's season began with a win in the Daytona 500. He finished 27th at Atlanta and then second at Circuit of the Americas. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has made the biggest gains with his stage points. He scored one in the Daytona 500, 15 at Atlanta, and six at COTA.
Bell, for comparison, scored six stage points in the Daytona 500 and two at COTA. He missed out on stage points at Atlanta but won the race. This gave him five playoff points. He added five more on Sunday with his road course win.
"A lot of races ahead and hopefully we can just keep bringing this speed," Byron said after Sunday's race. "It's a good start to our road course program.
"Still a little work to do, but thanks to Raptor, Chevrolet, Axalta, Liberty University, and all of our partners. Been a good start to the year so far."
The rest of the top 10 in points features Bubba Wallace (94), Alex Bowman (87), Michael McDowell (85), Kyle Busch (81), and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (80).
Wallace's place in the standings is a testament to the continued work the team has put in. They explained before the season why it was crucial to get a strong start and score numerous points early. This way, they wouldn't have to scratch and claw late in the summer when the pressure hit.
Wallace only has one top-10 finish this season, but he has scored a lot of stage points. He locked up two at Daytona, 16 at Atlanta, and 13 at COTA. Wallace also won his first stage of the season to lock up a playoff point.
This performance at COTA, in particular, came one week after Wallace joked with media members about how he "sucked" at road courses.
"I gotta keep you guys guessing," Wallace joked in response to a question from AltDriver. "But I've been putting in the work.
"...Ever since I've been a part of 23XI, they've highlighted my weaknesses, and they're like, 'You need to get to work.' They put the ball in my court."
The Cup Series drivers have only completed three of the 36 points-paying races, so the standings will continue to fluctuate as the season progresses. However, the early races have provided an indication that some of the biggest names will continue to be contenders in 2025.