FitStop Performance 2025 Week 17 Power Rankings

Had it not been for the lack of action for the lead, the Great American Getaway 400 could have been a remarkable race. Even with the aero-blocking spoiling the battles for the lead, the various strategies unfolding as the race went on was entertaining stuff. The story of which team would play the race correctly with the winning strategy was compelling. That was undone by the final caution during the last stage. Ultimately, the “right strategy” was leaving the pit box early and then power saving for 30 laps. It is a bit of shame to see. However, the differing strategies allowed drivers to rise and fall all race long. Will that have an impact on the rankings this week? Mexico City delivered some scrambling to Week 16. How will the FitStop Performance 2025 Week 17 Power Rankings shake out?

#10 – Ross Chastain

Previous Ranking: 9

Barely holding onto a spot in this week’s Power Rankings is Ross Chastain. While Chastain would occasionally find himself inside the Top-10, the 1 car did not have the pace to keep him there. Chastain would usually start slipping back down the leaderboard after a restart. Trackhouse is still fighting some speed issues, which has hindered Chastain’s overall season.

#9 – Chase Briscoe

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

Picking up his first win with his new team, Chase Briscoe bounces back into the rankings after a couple of weeks in the honorable mention section. After leaving his stall early on his final pit stop, Briscoe looked destined to run out of fuel on the final run. Somehow though, Briscoe saved 6-9 laps worth of gas while holding off Denny Hamlin. While few will have issue with a Briscoe win, there is something alarming that a driver saving a mile per gallon more than the field is able to keep a faster car at bay for 30 laps.

#8 – Ryan Preece

Previous Ranking: 10

At the start of the race, it looked to be a rough day ahead for Ryan Preece. While both of his RFK Racing teammates flashed speed, Preece was caught in the back end of the teens. However, the 60 team continued to take small bites of that elephant. By the final stage, Preece was running comfortably inside the Top-10.

#7 – Chris Buescher

Previous Ranking: 7

Although Chris Buescher remains stagnant this week at 7, he did close the gap on the Top-5 in a significant way. Once again, Buescher arguably had the best car in the field. Something about long intermediate tracks have been kind to the 17 team. In Stage 1 and the final stage, Buescher managed to hang around the leader. However, the dirty air prevented a pass. If Ryan Blaney did not choose before Buescher on the final restart, it is a wonder if Buescher could have gotten around Hamlin and Briscoe.

#6 – Chase Elliott

Previous Ranking: 6

Similar to Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott stays in 6th this week for the rankings. However, there is no gap between him and the Top-5 now. Back-to-back weeks of Top-5 runs will certainly help anyone rise in the rankings. In recent weeks, Elliott has been more formidable near the front of the field. With the amount of new winners, Elliott’s cutline cushion might evaporate. If he can bring this speed weekly, then a win might be around the corner.

#5 – Christopher Bell

Previous Ranking: 2

Despite the gold chrome on the car, it was not a bright day for Christopher Bell. Starting inside the Top-10 is the only bright spot that can be taken from Sunday. Bell lost track position early and never recovered. On Lap 84, Bell got caught up in a multi-car wreck. The damage was not severe, but he did spend the rest of the day stuck in the mid-pack.

#4 – Kyle Larson

Previous Ranking: 2

Since winning at Kansas, it has been a quiet few weeks for Kyle Larson. Larson has failed to lead a lap since the Coca-Cola 600. Plus, the 5 car has been absent from the front of the field. Often during these past weeks, Larson has put himself behind on Saturdays with a poor qualifying run. This weekend was no exception. Qualifying 24th, Larson never saw the Top-5 on pure speed. He did get his 12th Top-10 of the season, but this team feels off. Right on time for a superspeedway race.

#3 – Ryan Blaney

Previous Ranking: 5

Ryan Blaney got to drive through the field on two separate occasions on Sunday. After starting in the rear, Blaney drove up to the Top-10 on his long run pace. In the middle of the race, a speeding penalty allowed Blaney to do it all again. If this team could get out of its own way, how many more races could they have? Blaney did luck out with the timing of the last caution though. While he would have been a Top-10 car either way, his podium finish should largely be credited to when that final caution flew.

#2 – William Byron

Previous Ranking: 1

A bold strategy ended up not paying off for William Byron. Crashing out in qualifying certainly kicked off the weekend on a down note. However, the 24 team managed to repair the car and Byron was fast on Sunday. He flew through the field to score points in both stages. Going off sequence, Rudy Fugle elected to do a 2-tire stop to try to jump the field. However, a bad restart for Byron trapped him in the back. Hence why he lost the top spot in this week’s rankings.

#1 – Denny Hamlin

Previous Ranking: 3

After taking a week off to be with his newborn son, Denny Hamlin returns to the top of the FitStop Performance Power Rankings. He nabbed the pole on Saturday then led every lap of Stage 1. With the various strategies ongoing, Hamlin never saw the lead again. The 11 car was not as fast in traffic as it was upfront. However, he found himself within striking distance for the entire final stage. Unfortunately for him, Briscoe managed to save enough fuel and use the dirty air to keep the 11 car tight. Despite not winning the race, Hamlin did enough to be this week’s #1 in the Power Rankings.

Honorable Mention

Tyler Reddick – Is it time to be concerned about Tyler Reddick? He did finish third in Stage 1, but this was his third straight finish outside the Top-10. With only 1 Top-10 in the past 10 races, Reddick drops out of the rankings this week.

Alex Bowman – After a few weeks of havoc, Alex Bowman has recovered for a couple of solid results these past 2 weekends.

John Hunter Nemechek – Who had back-to-back 6th place finishes for John Hunter Nemechek on their bingo card? It has been an impressive season for JHN, who features in the honorable mention section for the first time.

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 is in its second season sponsoring the weekly FitStop Performance Power Rankings which tracks the highest-performing NASCAR Cup Seires drivers throughout the season. Give them a follow (Facebook, Instagram, X) and thank them for their sponsorship!