The 2015 GRC Lites season may meet the eye test as the class’ most competitive season yet, but the numbers do just as much to back the assertion up. With five race winners, each of whom currently sits in the top six in standings, it’s anyone’s guess as to who takes the checkered flag on any given race weekend—even with the recent hot streak of Olsbergs MSE teammates Austin Cindric and Oliver Eriksson.
With that in mind, we look at some of the most telling statistics from the season so far, and how they’ve affected the championship chase:
Average Finish
| Rank | Driver | Avg. Fin. | Wins | Podiums |
| 1 | Austin Cindric | 3.3 | 4 | 8 |
| 2 | Oliver Eriksson | 3.4 | 3 | 8 |
| 3 | Miles Maroney | 3.5 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Alejandro Fernandez | 4.0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | Tanner Whitten | 5.4 | 1 | 3 |
Of course, it’s no surprise that the driver with the best average finish sits atop the standings. But it’s amazing what a single win can do for a driver’s fortune, with Cindric’s fourth and most recent win of the season in Barbados serving as a prime example. That single victory over teammate Eriksson has differentiated the two nearly identical seasons by three points in the standings—just enough for the American to enter Las Vegas with the points lead over his teammate.
Average Start
| Rank | Driver | Avg. St. | Poles | Wins From Pole |
| 1 | Oliver Eriksson | 2.6 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | Alejandro Fernandez | 3.1 | 1* | 0 |
| 3 | Austin Cindric | 3.6 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Tanner Whitten | 4.0 | 1* | 0** |
| 5 | Miles Maroney | 4.5 | 0* | 0 |
*started first in an additional race when field was set on driver points
**won from first starting spot in race when field was set on driver points
Another mark for Cindric: he may have been outqualified over the course of the season by both Eriksson and Alejandro Fernandez, but he’s made his three pole positions count by winning each time he posted the fastest qualifying lap. The only other driver to win from the first starting spot this season has been Tanner Whitten, and he did so in a race where the field was set on points.
Heats
| Rank | Driver | Heat Wins | Heat Pts. | Avg. Fin. |
| 1 | Oliver Eriksson | 12 | 45 | 1.8 |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | 10 | 42 | 1.8 |
| 3 | Alex Keyes | 8 | 33 | 2.5 |
| 4 | Tanner Whitten | 5 | 37 | 2.3 |
| 5 | Alejandro Fernandez | 4 | 36 | 2.3 |
Here’s where Eriksson has done the majority of his work: dominating heat races. With 12 wins in 21 tries, a sweep of Las Vegas will still fall one short of Mitchell DeJong’s record of 15 heat wins set last year, but against a much more even playing field. Also of note: Alex Keyes ranks third on this list with eight heat wins despite missing two races (Fort Lauderdale due to illness and Detroit II due to mechanical issues), and has the longest heat win streak of the season with five in a row from Washington DC through the first heat round of Los Angeles II.
Photo credit: Larry Chen
Source : redbullglobalrallycross.com