The first race of the Playoffs gave us plenty to talk about. It also showed who deserves the top spot in the NASCAR Power Rankings. A big win by Chase Briscoe in the Southern 500. He advances to the next round early and is probably eyeing Kansas in the Round of 12.
We have seen how important it is in these NASCAR Playoffs to advance early. Briscoe has done that. Can any of the other 15 drivers chasing the championship answer?
The NASCAR Power Rankings shifted a bit dramatically. Alex Bowman has fallen out of my rankings after Darlington.
1. Chase Briscoe – Joe Gibbs Racing (+7)
A win in the Southern 500 is the dream of every NASCAR driver. Chase Briscoe now has two of them. He’s also, as we mentioned, advanced.
This gives Briscoe and crew chief James Small multiple weeks to work on the Round of 12. If they can go in and steal a race quickly in that round at New Hampshire or Kansas, then they could find themselves in the semi-finals before October.
2. Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing (+3)
Moving up because he was one of the view drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs to have a good day besides Chase Briscoe. Hamlin is second in the NASCAR Power Rankings for good reason.
A pole and P7 finish were good enough to make Hamlin the driver with the most points that hasn’t already advanced. He stands a good chance of making the next round comfortably.
3. Ryan Blaney – Team Penske (-2)
Down from the top spot in the NASCAR Power Rankings, it was a tough go for Ryan Blaney and many others in the 16-driver field. P18 for Blaney a week after his thrilling Daytona victory.
I think that this 12 team are still championship material. Gateway might be where they get back to their winning ways with how well they ran that track a year ago before running out of fuel.
4. Bubba Wallace – 23XI Racing (+3)
P6 for Bubba Wallace and the great string of races continues. His pit road mistake at Richmond and DNF at Daytona were hiccups. Still, Wallace has been great in the last seven weeks.
The 23 team is racing with a carefree attitude. Given the status of the organization and the postseason pressure, that’s a hard thing to do.
5. Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports (-3)
Where has Kyle Larson been? He has not won a race since Kansas, and while his points situation is solid, I’m nervous about the 5 team.
Hendrick Motorsports as a whole were just awful last night. P19 for Larson, and he was the second-best HMS driver in the finishing order.
6. Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing (NR)
A strong performance from Tyler Reddick puts him in the NASCAR Power Rankings. I didn’t include him last week because he had seemed lackluster recently. This is his first top-five finish since earning a pair at Atlanta and Chicago.
No wins for Reddick yet. Surely one will come. Right now, all focus is on advancing.
7. Chase Elliott – Hendrick Motorsports (-1)
What are we supposed to do with Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team? Since Atlanta and that win, it has been a lot of mediocrity.
Again, Hendrick as a whole missed on Sunday. But Elliott stlil falls a spot this week.
8. William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports (-5)
The regular season champion is not in a good place right now. He’s 25 points above the cutline, same as Bubba Wallace, but was slow all weekend.
Byron and the Hendrick camp as a whole have to bounce back. Another day like Darlington, and three of the four HMS drivers in these NASCAR Playoffs could be under or at the cutline.
9. Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing (-5)
Christopher Bell got into it with Carson Hocevar on pit road last night. His race was pretty much ruined after that. I’m also not sure what to do with Bell who won three-straight races in the first month of the season.
For now, he drops big in the NASCAR Power Rankings. Two races to bounce back and only 11 points above the cutline for Bell.
10. Austin Cindric – Team Penske (-)
With Gateway coming up, I think Austin Cindric deserves to stay in the NASCAR Power Rankings. He did his best on a night where Team Penske was also objectively off the pace.
12 points above the cutline, but a big Sunday coming up could put him in a comfortable place going into Bristol. Let’s see if he sinks or swims.
