If you include the Clash and All-Star Race, the NASCAR Cup Series has officially hit the halfway point in the season. With this halfway point, the Cup Series takes its usual Father’s Day weekend break in the season. Sonoma marked the end of the first half of the year. Although the NextGen car was designed to improve road course racing, Sunday was another example of how the car is not performing up to standards. Outside of restarts, Sonoma was relegated to single file leader following. Only a handful of cars were able to move through the field on speed alone. Even then, the runs would stall out due to difficulties with passing. As for this week’s power rankings, judging this race is a nice reprieve from some of the chaos of previous weeks. Strong cars stayed up front, weak cars remained in the back.
With the first half of the season now in the books, what does the Pit Pass Power Rankings look for this week?
#10 – Chris Buescher
Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention
Chris Buescher returns to the power rankings for this first time since Week 9 (post-Dover). Buescher had been in the honorable mentions consistently though. After a great performance at Sonoma, Buescher kicks his boss out of the power rankings to claim the tenth spot. Sunday marked seven straight road course Top-10s for the RFK driver, the longest active streak in the Cup Series.
#9 – Kevin Harvick
Previous Ranking: 9
For the second week in a row, Kevin Harvick finds himself ranked ninth. His past few weeks have been decent runs, but nothing to boost him forward. Sonoma was more of the same out of Harvick. He hovered around the Top-10 and managed to bring home an eleventh place finish. Next time FOX broadcasts a Cup Series race, Harvick will be in the booth.
#8 – Denny Hamlin
Previous Ranking: 5
Despite leading early, Denny Hamlin earns falling three spots in the power rankings because he hit the inside wall coming to the start/finish line. Running in single file order with no pressure around him, Hamlin smacked the inside wall and became the sole DNF in the race. In other news, NASCAR is looking into suspending the inside wall for Turn 12 due to “removing another competitor from championship contention in a dangerous manner”.
#7 – Ryan Blaney
Previous Ranking: 4
A couple of three spot droppers continues with Ryan Blaney. To put it simply, he was really bad on Sunday. Staying out after the last caution put Blaney in a spot to potentially salvage a decent finish. However, contact with Michael McDowell sent him spinning and down the running order. Another spin left Blaney running at the tail end of the field. Before that, Blaney spent much of his day running in the thirties.
#6 – Ross Chastain
Previous Ranking: 7
Ross Chastain ran within the Top-20 all day at Sonoma. Before a caution due to a loose tire on pit road, Chastain was lined up for a Top-15 finish. However, luck was on his side and he was able to run within the Top-10 for the remainder of the race after pitting right before the caution flew. Unfortunately, there is no Can You Blame Ross? segment this week (unless you count spinning John Hunter Nemechek in the Xfinity race). In fact, Chastain made a couple of moves to avoid contact.
#5 – Christopher Bell
Previous Ranking: 8
Leapfrogging Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell’s finish is not indicative of the car he had all day. While a ninth is solid, Bell ran most of the day in the Top-5. He was able to push his way forward after the tire caution, demonstrating said speed. However, that speed faded toward the end of the race. As a whole, Bell had a solid day that could have been better.
#4 – Kyle Busch
Previous Ranking: 6
Ask and you shall receive. There has been criticism of Kyle Busch’s 2023 season in these power rankings. While Busch has racked up three wins, his consistency was muddled at best. However, the past four weeks has seen Kyle Busch finish in the Top-10 each week. Early at Sonoma, Busch was a fringe Top-10 car. Much like Chastain, Busch lucked into track position. Unlike Chastain (and others), Busch was able to keep his car out front. On the last restart, Busch ran with Martin Truex Jr closer than anyone else had all day.
#3 – Kyle Larson
Previous Ranking: 2
After Saturday’s practice, it seemed certain that this weekend was going to be dominated by Kyle Larson. He was fastest in practice, fastest in Xfinity practice, and won the pole for the Xfinity race. However, his dominant weekend ended there. He failed to advance in qualifying. His dominant Saturday race was upended by hitting the tire in Turn 11 while battling Aric Almirola for the win. Meanwhile in the Cup Series, Larson never had the speed people were expecting. He finished in the Top-10, but it was a disappointing weekend for Larson.
#2 – William Byron
Previous Ranking: 1
Dethroned from number one, William Byron falls to number two after being a non-factor on Sunday. Despite his strong run at COTA, Byron did not back that up at Sonoma. His recent runs keep him ahead of teammate Kyle Larson this week. After this week, the conversation about strongest three win driver is more interesting.
#1 – Martin Truex Jr
Previous Ranking: 3
For the first time this season, Martin Truex Jr finds himself atop the Pit Pass Network Power Rankings. He is the fourth different driver to claim the top spot. His performance at Sonoma was dominating. After he took the lead from Denny Hamlin in Stage 2, there was little doubt who was winning Sunday. Barring restart chaos, the race was Truex’s to lose. Not only does Truex sit atop these power rankings, but he is now the points leader for the Cup Series.
Honorable Mention
Brad Keselowski – Brad Keselowski falls out of the power rankings for the first time this season. Sonoma has not been the kindest track to Keselowski and Sunday was no different. However, he battled for a sixteenth place finish.
Tyler Reddick –Â Early in the race, it looked like Tyler Reddick was going to have a great race. Then, he slid back in the running order, got caught deep in the field, and ended up blowing a tire during the final stretch of the race.
Joey Logano – Â Joey Logano and his team must have a lucky horseshoe somewhere in the pit box. Once again, Logano’s poor to mediocre run is saved by pit strategy paying off with a well timed caution. Will Logano’s luck run out?
