It was the tale of two races for the USA Today 301. For the first 219 laps, the track was dry and the slicks were used. As the rain approached, some chaos started to kick in. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a track all about track position. Throw in some rain on the horizon, then the elbows get bowed out further. While the red flag for rain would usually end the race, NASCAR waited it out to get the final 82 laps in. After the rain, it was a damp track with the wet tires equipped. This jumbled up the leaderboard, as the return of chaos happened but also certain drivers excelled on the wet weather tires. How will this two-style race play into the FitStop Performance Week 18Â Power Rankings? Will there be a new number one after Week 17 saw Chase Elliott take the top spot?
#10 – Ross Chastain
Previous Ranking: 9
As a whole, the Chevy camp struggled a bit at New Hampshire. However, Ross Chastain was one of the few who did well during the dry portion of the race. He scored points in both stages while maintaining a Top-10 position. However, the damp tire was a bit of an adventure for Chastain. He brought out the first caution after the race restarted when he spun by himself in Turns 3 and 4. However, Chastain rebounded for a Top-10.
#9 – Chris Buescher
Previous Ranking: 10
Overall, a solid day for Chris Buescher. Despite not scoring points in either stage, Buescher kept moving forward during the dry stint of the race. He managed to climb from 18th in Stage 1 to 11th for Stage 2. However, the Prosper, Texas native thrived with the wet weather tires. Securing his second Top-5 in 3 races, Buescher is looking to heat up again during the summer as he flirts with the playoff cutline. New Hampshire was an important race, improving his points position and nipping at passing Alex Bowman.
#8 – Ryan Blaney
Previous Ranking: 7
Ryan Blaney was one of the few drivers who thrived with both the slicks and wet weather tires. During the first two stages, Blaney ran in (or around) the Top-5. He scored a total of 13 stage points. However, he looked to be a race winning threat once the wet weather tires were on. If the initial green flag run went a little longer, Blaney might have battled for the lead as he was catching Christopher Bell. Unfortunately for Blaney, he was caught up in a wreck when Michael McDowell did a dive bomb for second place. Another race where a promising finish was undone by late race dramatics.
#7 – Brad Keselowski
Previous Ranking: 4
Probably the most surprising result of the day, Brad Keselowski missed the mark completely at New Hampshire. With the speed the 6 car has been flashing, many thought Keselowski might be a contender for the win. However, he barely managed to stay in the Top-20 during the dry portion of the race. It only got worse when the wet weather tires were slapped on. While Keselowski drops 3 spots in the power rankings, the entire Top-10 is tightening up. Keselowski should be able to rebound quickly if he has a good run at Nashville.
#6 – Christopher Bell
Previous Ranking: 8
Dry or wet, Christopher Bell was dominant on Sunday. After letting it slip that Chase (Briscoe, Elliott, or Purdy) will be driving the 19 car next season, Bell went out and swept the weekend. For the USA Today 301, Bell won Stage 1 with relative ease. Track position strategies kept Bell away from the top spot for Stage 2. However, the 20 car navigated through traffic on the wet weather tires to grab the lead from Tyler Reddick and never relinquished it. A summer hot streak is hitting Bell, who now looks like a championship favorite.
#5 – Tyler Reddick
Previous Ranking: 6
Two years ago, Tyler Reddick would have been the race winner of the USA Today 301. Reddick played the rain strategy to be out front when the initial cell was approaching. After a so-so day where Reddick fell down the leaderboard, the 45 was in position to win. However, NASCAR waited out the weather and restarted the race. Luckily for Reddick, NASCAR’s pit mandates allowed him to equal out on strategy. Despite not winning, he picked up a Top-10 that might not have occurred without the weather.
#4 – William Byron
Previous Ranking: 3
The roller coaster season continues for William Byron. After a strong run in Iowa, he followed it up with a stinker at New Hampshire. To be fair, most of the Chevys (including Hendrick) were off this weekend. However, Byron was noticeably absent from the Top-10 all race long. It did not matter whether there were slicks or wet tires on, Byron was slow this weekend. Inconsistency has been an issue for the 24 team, dating back to last summer. If Byron is to be a championship contender, the bipolar nature of his performance needs to subside.
#3 – Denny Hamlin
Previous Ranking: 5
Mostly due to others struggling, Denny Hamlin moved up a couple of spots this week in the power rankings. Prior to the damp conditions, Hamlin and the 11 team were strong. They picked up the Stage 2 win and looked to be a potential competitor to Christopher Bell. However, that changed once the wet tires were implemented. Those tires served as an anchor for Hamlin, who slid down the running order during the final stint. This marks the third race in a row where Hamlin finishes outside the Top-20.
#2 – Chase Elliott
Previous Ranking: 1
On the bright side, Chase Elliott continued his streak of Top-20s to start the season. Elliott is the first driver since Ricky Rudd in 1991 to start the first 18 races with a Top-20. He also managed to score points in both stages. During the dry portion of the race, Elliott easily looked to be the best Hendrick Motorsports entry. However, an accident with Joey Logano prior to the rain seemed to jeopardize the streak. After the rain, Elliott never managed his way forward again. With that, he dropped the top spot in the rankings and points.
#1 – Kyle Larson
Previous Ranking: 2
Back at the top again is Kyle Larson. Barely passing his teammate for the top spot, Larson benefitted greatly from the wet weather tires. During Stage 1, Larson was caught up in the mid-pack. He broke through to the Top-10 during Stage 2. However, Larson’s car turned into a Top-5 machine on the damp tires. Luckily for him though, NASCAR let the teams change tires when it seemed that Larson had an issue. With a Top-5 this week, Larson sits at number one in the FitStop Performance power rankings. However, it is a slim margin this week.
Honorable Mention
Martin Truex Jr – Maybe if the race remained on the dry tire, Martin Truex Jr could have found himself in the Top-5. A respectable day at New Hampshire has him knocking on the door of the power rankings.
Joey Logano – Pre-Chase Elliott incident, Joey Logano looked to be the best Ford in the field. Finishing Top-3 in both stages, Logano continued to flash the found speed for the 22 team. Plus, he is now on the right side of the cutline.
Josh Berry – Josh Berry is coming into his own in the 4 car. Making a great case for a Cup ride in 2025, Berry is working on finding his way into the power rankings as well.
The brainchild of Hunter Smith, FitStop Performance is dedicated to training the toughest around – from motorsports athletes to multi-tasking soccer moms. He desires to help everyone who walks through the doors of his gym to perform optimally throughout life. FitStop Performance jumped on board with Pit Pass Network in 2024 to sponsor the weekly FitStop Performance Rankings which tracks the highest performing NASCAR Cup Series drivers throughout the season. Give them a follow (Facebook, Instagram, X) and thank them for their sponsorship!
