We’re five races into the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The Daytona 500 is behind us. So are the three races in the west coast swing. This is enough to give us a sample size on who will be contenders and who are pretenders to start the season off with.

After all, we’ve raced on a restrictor plate track, two 1.5-milers, a wide 2-mile oval and a 1-mile track that races like a short track.

Here’s where things stand.

Who’s Hot

Kyle Busch

No one is as good as Busch this year with the JGR driver scoring two wins and five top six finishes. He’s led more than double the laps as the next best driver and heads back east with four top three finishes in 2019.

Martin Truex Jr. 

He hasn’t won yet and has only led four laps, but Truex has been consistently near the front. The last four weeks, he’s alternated runner-up and eighth place finishes. He’ll gladly take them.

Denny Hamlin

Hamlin didn’t have the expected Daytona 500 hangover. The JGR driver backed that up with finishes of 11th, 10th, fifth and seventh respectively over the last four weeks. He’s there.

Brad Keselowski

Keselowski, brought his No. 2 Ford home with his third top three finish in the last four weeks on Sunday in Fontana. He’s quietly getting the job done.

Joey Logano

He won two weeks ago in Vegas and was 10th last week in Phoenix. This past Sunday in Fontana, Logano brought his No. 22 Ford home runner-up for his third top four finishes in his first five races of 2019. His title defense is going well.

Kevin Harvick

Leaving the west coast swing last year, Harvick had three wins in five tries. This year, he’s winless. But, it’s not like he hasn’t been close. Harvick, has three fourth place finishes in five weeks. He’s led the fourth most laps (141) in the series and has two stage wins.

Aric Almirola

He’s off to his best career start. Almirola, has four consecutive top 10 finishes in his No. 10 Ford. While he only has one top five finish in that time frame, he’s close.

Kurt Busch

The start to his new contract with Chip Ganassi Racing is off to a resounding start. Busch, has four straight top seven finishes as we head back east to Martinsville. He’s the top non JGR/Penske/SHR driver right now.

Who’s Warm

Kyle Larson

He’d led the first most laps in the Cup Series (142) right now but he’s just not finishing. Larson, has three 12th place finishes in his last four starts. The only result was a sixth place run in Phoenix. He’s close.

Chase Elliott

He’s off to a better start for Elliott but not where most thought he’d be. Elliott’s last three finishes are 9th, 14th and 11th respectively. He’s yet to lead a lap this season too.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 

The RFR driver has been solid, not great this season. Stenhouse, earned his fourth top 15 finish this season on Sunday in Fontana which is more than any other start. His No. 17 Ford has been fast and is definitely a playoff caliber car right now.

Chris Buescher

Watch out for him. The JTG driver has three straight top 20 finishes including two 16th place runs in-a-row now. The speed is surprisingly there.

Who’s Not

Erik Jones

After a strong start to the year, Jones has tapered off. His teammates are all thriving while Jones has finishes of 13th, 29th and 20th respectively the last three weeks.

Alex Bowman

He had a fast car in practice in Fontana but finished only 21st. He was 35th a week prior in Phoenix.

Ryan Preece

After an eighth place finish in Daytona and running solidly inside the top 10 in Atlanta before a late race mistake on pit road, Preece was looking like the surprise driver of the year. Unfortunately, his last four finishes have been – 35th, 25th, 34th and 23rd respectively.