It was a long week for NASCAR, but can someone tell me how an organization that makes Florida its home can think that scheduling a race at 3:30 p.m. ET in the middle of June is going to work in South Florida?
I understand that television partners often make the call, but even they should be bright enough to realize that is a bad window to fit a race. Thankfully the racing made the “Seven Hours of Miami” endurance race worth tuning into on Sunday (June 14).
- Kevin Harvick – It will take much more than a flat tire to get Harvick out of the number one slot. Despite his runaway status as the top dog this season, he has failed to lead a lap in half the races.
- Kyle Busch – The Fudge Brownie paint scheme is very confusing. Why does a fudge brownie have purple in it? Meanwhile, back at the racing, Rowdy continues to be an easy choice at the top of the charts.
- Chase Elliott – Since NASCAR returned from its 10-week hiatus, there is no doubt Elliott has elevated his game. He has failed to lead a lap in only one race since NASCAR returned, and he still finished fourth in that event.
- Denny Hamlin – His 40th career Cup Series victory has Hamlin tied with the guy people used to say was the best driver to never win a Cup title. Now, Hamlin and Mark Martin have two things in common.
- Ryan Blaney – The most upwardly mobile driver in the Power Rankings this week after his fifth top-three finish of the year! How has he failed to win a race this season is the biggest question mark.
- Brad Keselowski – Calling his wins “flukes” would be wrong, but Bad Brad has often been Average Brad this season, just hanging around the top 10 rather than racing for the win — though he still has two triumphs. Will the real Brad Keselowski please stand?
- Alex Bowman – Bowman the Showman might have been a candidate to drop in the rankings this week, but very few guys below him earned the right to move up. Even when he runs into trouble, he’s usually in the top 10 when it happens. Unfortunately at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the No. 88 sunk like an anchor during the final stage.
- Martin Truex Jr. – Team and driver finally put a win together mid-week, but came back with another disappointing run on Sunday, failing to lead a lap and finishing 12th.
- Joey Logano – Maybe it’s those history teacher glasses he is wearing, but it’s hard to think of Sliced Bread as an intimidating force. It was a tough race for Logano, but at least he made race promoters happy by continuing his feud with Elliott, albeit briefly while a lap down.
- William Byron – For a guy that got his start in iRacing (Did you really think I would let that joke go yet), he is racing very strong in the real world. While he is yet to crack the top five this season, he has been racing toward the front of the pack often enough to move up this week.
- Kurt Busch – While it was certainly not the finish this team was looking for on Sunday, another top 10 in the midweek race earned him a rise in the rankings. Team and driver should be in the hunt for wins soon, maybe even starting this week at Talladega Superspeedway.
- Jimmie Johnson – It seems weird to have a seven-time champion ranked lowest among his teammates, but after a lackluster race at Homestead, I have my concerns he is on the way down, not up.
- Tyler Reddick – Could you imagine how good this rookie might be finishing if he was allowed to practice and qualify? This “Cat” has been the coolest story to emerge from the 2020 season so far, especially considering the success he is having driving a car that is clearly not as good as some of the competition.
- Clint Bowyer – Can someone get Bowyer a sponsorship with the Duncan Company? His season has been up and down like a Yo-Yo, with bad luck happening so often you have to start wondering if Clint is a contributing factor to his own bad luck.
- Matt Kenseth – It was very tempting to drop Kenseth from the Power Rankings, but it was hard to make a case for an outsider making the pass. But failing to crack the top 10 since his first race this season, it’s getting harder to make excuses for the past champ.
- Aric Almirola – A string of five bad races in a row where he failed to finish higher than 15th had Almirola’s days in the Power Rankings numbered. But a strong fifth-place finish while starting outside the top 20 kept him around for now.
Disagree with the Power Rankings? Add your own pick in the comments section, and you might just get a mention next week!
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