NASCAR has released its power rankings after Tyler Reddick won the 2026 Daytona 500. It would make sense for Reddick to be on top of the rankings since he won the first race of the season and is on top of the Cup points standings.
It looked like Chase Elliott was going to win the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career before he was collected in a wreck during the final lap. He still finished in the top 10, and his performance led to a surge in the power rankings.
As challenging as Daytona International Speedway is, things are not going to get easier for the NASCAR drivers, as they will compete at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta on Sunday in the Autotrader 400. Here’s a look at NASCAR’s top 20 driver power rankings heading into Atlanta.
1. Tyler Reddick (+9)
Tyler Reddick will now be remembered as a Daytona 500 winner after getting past Chase Elliott on the final lap on Sunday. It’s his first Daytona 500 title and first race win since October 2024.
Reddick drives for 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. This means that Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, can add Daytona 500 champion to his list of accomplishments.
2. Chase Elliott (+5)
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Elliott came seconds away from winning the Daytona 500, but a wreck caused him to finish fourth. He will have to wait another year to win The Great American Race.
The good news for Elliott is that he will return to his home state on Sunday to compete in the Autotrader 400. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native won the last time NASCAR competed in Atlanta, which was in July.
3. William Byron (-2)
William Byron was looking to win the Daytona 500 for the third consecutive year, but he ultimately finished outside the top 10. He still collected a good amount of points and is currently in 18th place in the standings.
Byron has to be feeling good about his chances in Atlanta. He has won at the track twice, with the last victory happening in 2023.
4. Kyle Larson (-1)
Kyle Larson wanted to get off to a strong start after winning the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series title. When the Daytona 500 was all said and done, Larson finished 16th and has not finished in the top 10 in the race since 2021.
With the finish at Daytona, Larson is 15th in the Chase standings. He has had a lot of success in his career, but will be looking to win at Atlanta for the first time on Sunday.
5. Ryan Blaney (-3)
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Ryan Blaney was considered one of the favorites to win the Daytona 500. He led two laps on Sunday but ultimately finished 27th.
Despite the finish, Blaney earned 36 points and is 10th in the Chase standings. It wouldn’t be surprising if he finishes in the top five at Atlanta.
6. Denny Hamlin (-2)
Denny Hamlin had a challenging Daytona 500 with a P31 finish. It comes after he fell short of winning the 2025 Cup Series title despite leading the three other finalists the entire race outside of overtime.
Hamlin was running with the top drivers during the race, so he still has the ability to make a title run. But will this be the year that he finally gets over the hump?
7. Chris Buescher (+1)
Chris Buescher was in contention to win the Daytona 500, but he still finished in the top 10 on Sunday. His performance led to him placing seventh in the Chase standings.
Buescher has barely missed the playoffs the last two years. 2026 could be the year that he takes the next step and makes a run for the title.
8. Joey Logano (+1)
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Joey Logano continues to find a way, finishing third at Daytona after a wild wreck happened on the final lap. He is currently second in the Chase standings and 12 points behind Reddick for the top spot.
Logano has won three NASCAR Cup Series titles. The strong start at Daytona allows him to compete for a fourth title and become the fifth driver in NASCAR history to have at least four Cup Series Championships.
9. Chase Briscoe (-4)
Chase Briscoe’s shot at winning the Daytona 500 ended early when he got caught up in a wreck. He did finish the race and placed 36th.
Briscoe had a strong 2025 season, as he was one of the four drivers who qualified for the championship race. He will likely be finishing at least in the top 10 in a lot of races this year.
10. Christopher Bell (-4)
Like Briscoe, Bell had a challenging Daytona 500. He earned a P35 finish, and that led to him placing outside the top 30 in the Chase standings.
Based on what Bell has done in the last few years, he will bounce back and likely finish in the top 10 of the Chase standings at the end of the regular season. But Bell fans are hoping that he can make a run and win his first title.
NASCAR driver Power Rankings 11-20
11. Bubba Wallace (+4)
12. Ross Chastain (-1)
13. Ryan Preece (E)
14. Shane van Gisbergen (E)
15. Alex Bowman (-3)
16. Josh Berry (+1)
17. Kyle Busch (+2)
18. Brad Keselowski (NR)
19. Carson Hocevar (NR)
20. Austin Cindric (-2)