FitStop Performance 2025 Week 31 Power Rankings

The NASCAR Playoffs continued to roll as the Cup Series headed to Kansas Speedway. Widely now regarded as one of the best tracks on the circuit, there was hope that Kansas would deliver another excellent race. With the ratings down during the playoffs, maybe this weekend would see a boost with the Gen7 on an intermediate. To NASCAR’s credit, Kansas once again delivered a solid race. While it did not compare to the 2024 spring race, Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 provided thorough entertainment. Plus, NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver ended up in victory lane. Somehow, Toyota blew it while holding the top five spots on the restart. Late cautions certainly played a role in the final results, but did it make a difference in the FitStop Performance 2025 Week 31 Power Rankings?

#10 – Tyler Reddick

Previous Ranking: 9

A second pit stop during Stage 1 put the 45 team behind early in the race. Kansas has been a bit of a boom or bust track for Reddick, as his 2023 win there is his only Top-5 at the track. However, Reddick managed to overcome the early setback to pick up a Top-10. That said, missing out on stage points has put Reddick in a tough spot heading into the ROVAL.

#9 – Chase Elliott

Previous Ranking: 10

The decision to take 4 tires on the final stop certainly looked questionable. Chase Elliott fans fired off their latest round of “fire Alan Gustafson” posts before the last few restarts. However, those 4 fresh tires certainly became important as Elliott went from 10th to the win in overtime. Taking advantage of the Toyota meltdown, Elliott capped off a solid day by picking up his second win of the season.

#8 – Chris Buescher

Previous Ranking: 7

A RFK Racing driver picked up a Top-10 at Kansas, but it was not the one who ran there all day. Chris Buescher sat between 7th and 10th for almost the entire race. If not for the JJ Yeley caution, Buescher would have picked up his 16th Top-10 of the season. Instead, Buescher again fell prey to the restart chaos and finished 15th.

#7 – Christopher Bell

Previous Ranking: 8

Is Christopher Bell starting to get hot at the right time? Hitting as good as 7th in the rankings for the first time since Week 18, Bell scored his fourth straight Top-7 finish. Leading 43 laps, Bell looked to be in great position for the win. However, battling with Toyota teammate Bubba Wallace saw him get ran up near the Turn 4 wall.

#6 – Bubba Wallace

Previous Ranking: 6

Do you think Bubba Wallace will buy Denny Hamlin a “Boss of the Year” mug for Christmas this year? After the 23 team missed the setup for the race, Wallace fought his way into contention by the end of the Hollywood Casino 400. Managing to grab the lead for the final overtime restarts, Wallace looked to be in prime position on the final lap. Instead, Denny Hamlin overdrove the entry into Turn 3 and wiped Wallace out of the lead. While Wallace still grabbed a Top-5, a win was needed for his playoff chances.

#5 – William Byron

Previous Ranking: 3

Not sure what to make of William Byron and the 24 team. Although Byron finished with a Top-10, the 24 car was noticeably absent from the front for most of the race. The car did not handle the way Byron needed it to throughout the race. While the results have been mostly fine for Byron in recent weeks, the overall performance has left much to be desired. Can this team find their groove for the Round of 8?

#4 – Kyle Larson

Previous Ranking: 5

Since Kyle Larson dominated the spring race at Kansas, he has not been the same driver. in that race, Larson led 221 laps enroute to his third win of 2025. In the 19 races after that win, Larson has managed to lead a whopping 127. Similar to William Byron, the results have been fine enough but the performances have been a drastic downgrade to their expectations. Recent runs have looked better, but fans are still awaiting that race where the 5 leads 75% of the laps.

#3 – Denny Hamlin

Previous Ranking: 4

This Sunday looked to be Denny Hamlin’s to lose. Hamlin clearly had the best car on track during the Hollywood Casino 400. Even after he lost power steering, Hamlin managed to keep the competition at bay. The 4-tire stop did not do too much damage his chances either, as Hamlin quickly got back into the Top-5 on the first restart. Still, it was not meant to be for Hamlin at Kansas.

#2 – Ryan Blaney

Previous Ranking: 1

After reigning over the Power Rankings for two weeks, Ryan Blaney is dethroned this weekend. Crashing in practice, Blaney started from the rear in a backup car. As Ryan Blaney usually does, the Penske driver used the long runs to swiftly find himself inside the Top-10. That is where Blaney stalled though, as Ford did not have a great day across the board in terms of competitiveness.

#1 – Chase Briscoe

Previous Ranking: 2

Back to the top of the FitStop Performance Power Rankings for Chase Briscoe this weekend. Missing the mark at New Hampshire last weekend, the 19 team corrected the ship this weekend with a solid run. Briscoe did not have much for his two JGR teammates, but he managed to remain around the Top-5 for most of the day. With the trouble that Ryan Blaney found this weekend, it was enough to push Briscoe back to the top spot this week.

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 Series drivers throughout the season. Give them a follow (Facebook, Instagram, X) and thank them for their sponsorship!

Honorable Mention

Brad Keselowski – After a day of struggle, Brad Keselowski managed to get his 6 car into the Top-10 by the finish. It was not enough to get him into the rankings though.

Joey Logano – The outlook on the day was poor for Joey Logano after a slow qualifying run. However, Logano managed to work his way into the Top-10 during the race before getting caught up in a late caution.

Ross Chastain – Similar feeling to Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain ran Top-10 all day before the late race cautions spoiled his day. Meanwhile, a struggling teammate found their way into the Top-10.

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 Series drivers throughout the season. Give them a follow (Facebook, Instagram, X) and thank them for their sponsorship!