The first race of the Round of 8 has advanced Denny Hamlin to the Championship 4. How did it affect the NASCAR Power Rankings? A few drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs found themselves struggling on Sunday. A couple were out of the race completely.
Determining the best drivers in the Cup Series is difficult right now. The 5GOATs NASCAR Power Rankings take into account recent performance, and there is a little bit of forecasting here as well. With Hamlin advancing, he gets a pretty big boost.
The margins are thin this time of the year. Who is going to make the most of the next three weeks to rise to the occasion and claim the Cup Series championship?
1. Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing (+3)
A massive win for Denny Hamlin in Las Vegas. He punches his ticket to the Championship 4 and earns his 60th career win. Just a massive day and those last 10 laps of the race will be viewed for years to come.
Hamlin moves up in the NASCAR Power Rankings because he is the best positioned to win at Phoenix right now. Team Penske may have something to say about that yet, but right now, Hamlin has an edge no one else has.
2. Chase Briscoe – Joe Gibbs Racing (-1)
While Chase Briscoe will wonder what could have been at Vegas, he had a great race overall. He went from below the cutline to above it. If he can hold it together at Talladega, he should be in a good position for Martinsville.
Briscoe has had a really good debut season in the 19 car. There is still more that he can accomplish, though. I wouldn’t count this team out quite yet.
3. Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports (+3)