
2. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. (80 POINTS, -1)

3. KYLE BUSCH (73 POINTS, No Change)

“Crashed, incurred every penalty on pit road and still salvaged a top 10 to keep his Chase hopes looking solid. Sounds more like a race on NASCAR Heat Evolution than real life, but it’s true.” – Aaron Bearden, Frontstretch
4. BRAD KESELOWSKI (66 POINTS, -2)

“Still quiet, but solid. That’s enough here to do great things, so long as something dumb doesn’t happen.” – Phil Allaway, Frontstretch
“Four races into the Chase, and no finish worse than seventh. Watch out for him down the stretch.” – Gable
5. KEVIN HARVICK (60 POINTS, -1)

“Kevin Harvick’s stepped up to the plate every time he’s needed to win to advance his way through the Chase. After Sunday’s misfortune, it’s time for another swing.” – Bearden
6. MATT KENSETH (45 POINTS, No Change)

“Don’t you think he laughed a little as he drove through the pack twice at Charlotte, while Joey Logano wrecked twice? ” – Turnbull
“Starting to show up at the front at just the right time.” – Spencer
7. CHASE ELLIOTT (37 POINTS, +1)

8. JOEY LOGANO (30 POINTS, -3)

9. CARL EDWARDS (26 POINTS, +1)

“Needs a boost in long-run speed. Poles are fine, but they don’t win races.” – Spencer
10. DENNY HAMLIN (14 POINTS, -3)

CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
Both of these drivers have ran good enough to stay afloat in the Chase so far, though one of the two failed to make the playoff to begin with. Still, both drivers need to run just a tick better to crack The 10.
Kurt Busch (8 Points) – “Quiet, consistent and in a good position to advance. This is starting to feel like Denny Hamlin’s Chase run in 2014.” – Bearden
Kasey Kahne (7 Points) – “On a streak as of late and now the “best of the rest” among drivers who didn’t qualify for this year’s Chase. But it still baffles me that a Hendrick Motorsports car has gone all 29 races this season without leading a lap.” – Bowles
Others receiving votes: Kyle Larson (5), Hurricane Matthew (3) Jamie McMurray (2), Ryan Newman/Austin Dillon (1)
Contributors
Name | |
---|---|
Dustin Albino | @DustinAlbino |
Phil Allaway | @Critic84 |
Aaron Bearden | @AaronBearden93 |
Summer Bedgood | @SummerBedgood |
Tom Bowles | @NASCARBowles |
Greg Davis | @GregMDavis |
Sean Fesko | @TheWriterSean |
Michael Finley | @FinleyFactor |
Bryan Gable | N/A |
Tony Lumbis | @TonyLumbis |
Toni Montgomery | @ToniLMontgomery |
Kevin Rutherford | @surfwax83 |
Jason Schultz | @NASCARJason |
Joseph Wolkin | @JosephNASCAR |
Name | Position/Description | |
---|---|---|
AnnoyingRaceFan | @AnnoyingRaceFan | I’M @annoyingracefan ON TWITTER (AND INSTAGRAM). PEOPLE CALL ME ARF. I’M A RELATIVE NOBODY. |
MatthewDillner | @MatthewDillner | NASCAR |
Brian Eberly | @beberly18 | Writer, Rubbings Racing, Motor Racing Digest |
Mike Hembree | @MikeHembree | Writer, USA Today |
Ben Hinc | @lemonlovr | Owner, The Apex |
Jerry Jordan | @kicknthetires | Owner, Kicknthetires.Net |
Pete McCole | @PeteMcCole | NASCAR Writer, AutoRacing1.com |
The Orange Cone | @TheOrangeCone | I am an orange traffic cone. |
Kyle Pokrefky | @KPokrefky | Writer, The Fourth Turn |
Reid Spencer | @Reid_Spencer | Lead Writer, NASCAR Wire Service |
Doug Turnbull | @DougTurnbull | Announcer, PRN Live, Atlanta Motor Speedway |
Jim Utter | @jim_utter | NASCAR Editor, Motorsport.com |
How they’re made: Following the conclusion of each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, members of a voting panel, including Frontstretch writers, members of accredited media including Motorsport, NASCAR and USA Today, as well as writers from other sites and social media favorites, submit their top 10 drivers for the Power Rankings. The drivers are then given points based off their position, with first place getting 10 points, and each subsequent driver getting one fewer point until the 10th-place driver, who gets a lone point. Points are then tallied, and the rankings are created.
Do you agree with our rankings? Think someone got snubbed, or that one of the top drivers is overrated? Let us know in the comments, and tell others what your top 10 would be.
Aaron Bearden is a Frontstretch alumnus who’s come back home as the site’s Short Track Editor. When he isn’t working with our grassroots writers, he can be found talking about racing on his Morning Warmup newsletter, pestering his wife/dog or convincing himself the Indiana Pacers can win an NBA title.