Well, that was certainly a race that happened. Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega have turned into fuel saving spectacles with a handful of intense laps around stage ends. While three train lines maybe better than one, there still is an issue. It is a damning statement to see a single car run faster laps than the lead pack. However, the larger issue is that when the drivers start going full throttle, there is no movement in the pack. The combination of both issues creates more difficulty in figuring out power rankings. Should a driver be rewarded for laps led due to it being “their turn” to burn more fuel? Can a driver be punished for being stuck in the pack at the wrong time? While Week 9‘s power rankings had cautions throw things into a bit of chaos, this week’s FitStop Performance Week 10 Power Rankings has the NextGen superspeedway problems to consider? Let’s see how this week’s rankings shake out.
#10 – Chase Briscoe
Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention
The decision for who got 10th in this week’s power rankings was a difficult one. Ultimately, the body of work for Chase Briscoe won out. Sliding sideways across the finish line in twelfth, Briscoe finds his way to the power rankings for the first time this season. Leading the way for a revamped Stewart-Haas Racing, Briscoe will look to continue this momentum to Dover next weekend.
#9 – Christopher Bell
Previous Ranking: 6
Bad luck has been striking Christopher Bell hard as of late. Three straight races have seen Bell be involved in an on-track incident that has hindered his race. While Texas was salvaged for a Top-20, this week was a DNF for the 20 car. With the speed the team has shown, this low ranking should be a blip on the radar. However, another bad result at Dover could see Bell fall out of the rankings entirely.
#8 – Tyler Reddick
Previous Ranking: 10
Must be nice when a race win falls right into your lap. Similar to Ross Chastain’s win at Talladega in 2022, Tyler Reddick won the GEICO 500 almost by default. Leading the outside line, there was no threat of a third line to beat Reddick to the line. Once Michael McDowell threw the second block on Brad Keselowski, that opened the door for Reddick’s win. All Reddick had to do was keep the car straight. To his credit, Reddick was only one of three drivers to earn points in both stages.
#7 – Chris Buescher
Previous Ranking: 8
Chris Buescher was one of the many who got stuck in the back of the pack at the wrong time. The result of the day is not an indication of the race that Buescher ran up until that point. During Stage 2, Buescher looked to be a contender for the win. Pulling off this week’s Move of the Race, the 17 car looked prime for a good result. Unfortunately, the lack of mobility in the pack when drivers go full throttle prevented that potential from turning into reality.
#6 – Ryan Blaney
Previous Ranking: 7
There is not too much to say about Ryan Blaney’s day at Talladega. Outside of avoiding serious damage in the Christopher Bell wreck, Blaney’s day was a bit mundane. He did not collect any stage points, only led a single lap, and finished 20th. Blaney did get some damage in the last lap wreck. But hey, he finished the race which earned him one spot forward in the power rankings.
#5 – Chase Elliott
Previous Ranking: 5
Essentially, copy and paste Ryan Blaney’s blurb here. Chase Elliott did have a bit more action to his day than Blaney’s, but not much. Elliott was another driver (along with Austin Cindric) to collect points in both stages. Impressively, Elliott managed to avoid the carnage at the end of the race. He skated through as the cars in front of him were finishing wrecking. A Top-15 is not too shabby though.
#4 – Denny Hamlin
Previous Ranking: 3
Back to back DNFs has Denny Hamlin drop a spot in the power ranking. Hamlin got caught up in the Toyota only wreck. However, Hamlin’s race was uneventful prior to that incident. He only led one lap and failed to score any points in either stage. Similar to Bell, the recent DNFs hopefully will not turn into a pattern. If it does, expect Hamlin to slide down the power rankings as well.
#3 – Martin Truex Jr
Previous Ranking: 4
Another superspeedway race, another lack of win for Martin Truex Jr. He was in a potential position to pull out the win on Sunday though. Pushing Tyler Reddick through the final portion of the race, Truex could have had an opportunity to lay back and build momentum for a last lap pass. However, the bottom line better established that momentum. Once Michael McDowell spun, it collected Truex in the incident. Still, Truex finds himself up a spot this week.
#2 – Kyle Larson
Previous Ranking: 2
There are few certainties in life: death, taxes, and Kyle Larson will find himself in a wreck at a superspeedway. Sunday was no different, as Larson almost survived the race without getting caught up in The Big One. However, Larson fell victim to the last lap crash. Before that, Larson’s weekend was marred in controversy as he was not allowed to qualify due to his roof rails. In addition to not qualifying, Larson had to do a pass through penalty to start the race. Despite that, Larson remains second in the rankings.
#1 – William Byron
Previous Ranking: 1
Essentially by default, William Byron remains at the number one this week. With that said, Byron did finish in the Top-10 and finished third in the Stage 1. Through 10 races in this season, Byron only has one finish outside the Top-20. Byron and the 24 team are only building off of last year’s success. However, the big test will be starting in the next couple of months. Can Byron avoid the summer slump that has been frequent in his career?
Honorable Mention
Brad Keselowski – It was a tough debate between Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe for the tenth spot. Back to back seconds puts Keselowski on the fringes of the Top-10.
Ross Chastain – A fifth place finish in Stage 2 and fourth in line on the bottom was not enough to keep Chastain in the Top-10 this week.
Alex Bowman – Despite the Top-10, Alex Bowman did not do enough at Talladega to push him back into the power rankings. When 5 drivers are fighting for the last spot, the margins are thin.
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