Pit Pass Network Cup Series Power Rankings: Week 27

Texas Motor Speedway offered up hot temperatures and intriguing on track action. While battles for the lead were limited to the first lap of a restart, the various pit strategies and mid-pack action elevated this race from the usual Texas slog. For the playoff drivers, there was plenty of implications from Texas. Some drivers will leave the Lone Star state feeling good about their position. Meanwhile, others will be sweating it out the next couple of weeks. This wild card second round of the playoffs shuffled the playoffs up a bit with Talladega looming. Did it shuffle around the Pit Pass Network Power Rankings for Week 27 compared to Week 26? Continue reading to find out.

#10 – Ryan Blaney

Previously Ranked: 10

In what will be a bit of a theme this week, Ryan Blaney’s finishing result is not indicative of his overall race. The team did not flash much speed on Saturday or early on Sunday. However, a call to gain Blaney track position benefitted the 12 team greatly. Blaney managed to run inside the Top-10 until his last pit stop, where he sped on pit road. After both Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick smacked the wall out of Turn 4, Blaney got caught up in an accident and resulted in his DNF.

#9 – Kevin Harvick

Previously Ranked: Honorable Mention

As with many of those who finished in the Top-10, the JJ Yeley caution helped Kevin Harvick boost his finishing position. Prior to the caution, Harvick lurked around the Top-10, running about half the race inside the Top-15. With the multiple late race restart, Harvick was able to drive his way to sixth. This has boosted him back into the power rankings this week.

#8 – Martin Truex Jr

Previously Ranked: 6

Martin Truex Jr is dropping like an anchor in these power rankings. This week, Truex falls two spots to eighth. A strong fall from grace for the regular season champion (and longtime number one in these power rankings). Truex does not have a Top-10 since Watkins Glenn. Not only are the results not there, Truex’s car has not resembled the speed shown throughout the summer. Outside of Kansas, the 19 car has been consistently the worst in the Toyota camp since the playoffs started.

#7 – Tyler Reddick

Previously Ranked: 5

On the positive perspective, Tyler Reddick won Stage 1 to collect 10 points and a playoff point. That is where the positives end for Reddick’s day at Texas. While his teammate was leading the most laps, Reddick was fighting to stay inside the Top-20 for most of the race. After a strong start to the playoffs, the past two races have fizzled Reddick’s momentum out. He sits 3 points under the cutline.

#6 – Christopher Bell

Previously Ranked: 8

Despite moving up two spots this week, Christopher Bell’s Sunday at Texas was salvaged by a good finish. Once again, pit road trouble caught Bell deep in the field. Bell’s average running position was seventeenth. Much like Harvick, the late race cautions/restarts allowed Bell capitalize on gaining track position. Bell moving up two spots is more due Truex and Reddick struggling rather than on the strength of his fourth place finish.

#5 – William Byron

Previously Ranked: 7

No one benefitted more from the late race cautions than William Byron. If the race finishes green without the JJ Yeley caution, Byron likely finishes somewhere between tenth and fifteenth. It was another playoff race where Byron was an afterthought. An aggressive move on the final restart saw him take the lead and then set sail. He is locked into the Round of 8, but the big question is whether he truly feels like the threat a six-time winner should at this moment.

#4 – Brad Keselowski

Previously Ranked: 4

Brad Keselowski is the only playoff driver to Top-10 in each of the first four races. If not for late cautions at Kansas and Texas, two of those four would be Top-5s. Keselowski ran inside the Top-5 for the majority of the race. The decision to pit during the Yeley caution threw Keselowski in the mid-pack, but he was able to fight his way forward to seventh.

#3 – Chris Buescher

Previously Ranked: 3

Chris Buescher was harmed more by the late race restarts than his teammate. Buescher was also running Top-5 for the majority of the race and pitted on the same caution. Unfortunately, the last restart saw Buescher shuffled back outside the Top-10. On the plus side, Buescher scored the most stages point on the day. Despite finishing fourteenth, Buescher left Texas with the fourth most points from the race.

#2 – Kyle Larson

Previously Ranked: 2

If Kyle Larson did not wreck, he would be number one right now. Larson was the best car on track Sunday afternoon. However, Larson got himself too close to Bubba Wallace going through Turns 1 and 2. This saw Larson’s car snap loose and smack the outside wall, taking him out of the race. While losing the race is unfortunate, the bigger issue is the threat that looms at Talladega. Larson only holds a 2 point advantage over the cutline heading to a place where he has no luck.

#1 – Denny Hamlin

Previously Ranked: 1

Back again at the top of the power rankings is Denny Hamlin. Hamlin looked to be the third best car as the race hit the final segment. Despite damage from his run-in with Ty Gibbs on pit road, the car maintained speed. If Hamlin stays out instead of pitting, there is a strong possibility Hamlin would have left Texas as the winner. Instead, he has to settle for a fifth place finish.

Honorable Mention

Kyle Busch – Another weekend of Kyle Busch finding the outside wall saw Busch drop to last in the playoff points. This team’s consistent struggles has dropped Busch from the power rankings.

Ross Chastain – Ross Chastain had a roller coaster type day. At the start of the race, Chastain might have had the best car on track. Then, a throttle sensor issue had him plummet deep in the field. However, he recovered at the end to finish second.

Bubba Wallace – Bubba Wallace led the most laps and finished inside the Top-5, putting himself in a good points position heading into Talladega.