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Power Rankings: Truex goes from third to first with the win
Welcome to Power Rankings. As always, Power Rankings are far from a scientific formula. In fact, it’s the perfect blend of analytics and bias against your favorite driver. Direct all your complaints to us at happyhourmailbag@yahoo.com and we’ll try to have some fun.
1. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 3): Just how much does the miniscule amount that Truex’s car failed inspection by matter when it comes to winning a race? It can’t be much, right? And if NASCAR laser-inspected every car in the field, just how many would have the same result that Truex’s car did following the race? Should every Chase car be inspected following Chase races?
OK, enough with the questions. Regarding inspection, we’re thinking Truex’s spot on the race’s final restart played a bigger role than the rear of his car potentially being out of alignment. By starting on the high side, Truex was able to have plenty of open space in turns 1 and 2 to pass the three cars ahead that were on older tires.
2. Denny Hamlin (LW: 1): Hamlin thought he was having a problem with the motor of his car at one point during the race but the motor made it to the end and Hamlin finished sixth. Given that 15 of the Chase’s 16 drivers finished in the top 20, a blown engine would have been a huge punch to Hamlin’s chances of making it out of the first round.
3. Brad Keselowski (LW: 4): While Hamlin finished sixth, Keselowski was a spot ahead of him in fifth. Keselowski didn’t venture far from the top 10 all day even if he didn’t have a car that led a bunch of laps. Five cars led more laps than he did. He now heads to a track (New Hampshire) where he hasn’t finished lower than 15th since 2011. But his two lowest finishes in that 10-race span have come in the past two races.
4. Kevin Harvick (LW: 2): There ain’t no way we’re penalizing Harvick more than two places in these incredibly impactful rankings because of a fluke. Harvick’s dash through the field at the beginning of the race was one of the most entertaining things of the day. It’s a shame that he wasn’t able to get his lap back because another charge to the front would have been even more entertaining.
5. Chase Elliott (LW: 11): While Truex got to restart on the top side of the track for the final restart, Elliott was a row behind him and on the inside. As Truex sped to second after the first two corners, Elliott was forced to go four-wide in his attempt to get to the front and was pinched to the bottom of the track.
A faster pit stop puts Elliott in the position Truex was in and given how equal their cars were, we can’t help but wonder if Elliott would have gotten the win had he been the first car off pit road.
6. Joey Logano (LW: 7): Logano showed why he’s one of the best in the Cup Series on restarts in that final two-lap dash. He was able to get past Elliott and Ryan Blaney (on old tires) to get to second by the checkered flag. He probably didn’t have anything for Truex had the race gone for five laps and not two, but if we’re ranking the field on speed shown throughout the day, Logano’s second-place finish was an overachievement.
7. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 8): And if Logano overachieved with second, Johnson’s 12th was an underachievement. Six-time led 118 laps, the most of anyone. Combined with Chase Elliott’s 75 laps led, Hendrick Motorsports led over two-thirds of Sunday’s race.
Johnson finished 12th because of a speeding penalty on the last set of green-flag pit stops. Hopefully he knows just how much he was speeding by now. Given his reaction, it couldn’t have been by much.
8. Kyle Busch (LW: 6): Dropping Busch two spots for finishing eighth feels a bit insulting, but who ahead of him would you rank behind? The only driver in the top seven that finished behind Busch was Johnson and he led the most laps by far. Busch led 21 laps … the first 21 of the race. After he was passed by Truex he never led again.
9. Kyle Larson (LW: 5): Larson had a flat right-front tire near the end of the race and was forced to hit pit road under green. Given that the tire was busted, it was a fantastic call. Yes, Larson finished 17th, but a wrecked car and 35th-place finish would have been especially crippling. Better safe than sorry when it comes to tire issues, no matter if it’s lap 5 or 265.
10. Matt Kenseth (LW: 12): Kenseth finished ninth, a spot behind Busch and third of four Joe Gibbs Racing cars. A couple more top 10s will get Kenseth safely into the second round. Though we’re guessing the ceiling is a bit higher than that. The next two races in the first round are the places where Kenseth has won this season.
11. Jamie McMurray (LW: 9): McMurray finished 11th, or 8th of 16 Chase drivers. But he’s 11th in the points standings because he started without any bonus points. If you believe McMurray needs to beat Austin Dillon, Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher to get out of the first round he’s ahead of all of them. But who will the fourth driver be?
12. Kurt Busch (LW: 10): Busch is a point ahead of McMurray after finishing 13th, meaning he has three top-10 finishes in the past 11 races. Two more 13ths is good enough to get Busch into the second round, but he’s going to need to rediscover his early-season form pretty quickly.
Lucky Dog: Ryan Blaney. Heck of a job by Blaney to fight like he did on old tires on the final restart. The strategy move paid off for a fourth-place finish.
The DNF: It was another brutal day for Richard Petty Motorsports. Aric Almirola was 31st while Brian Scott finished 32nd.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
