Alright, it’s Friday race fans, which means the race weekend is about to kick off. However, there is a matter of urgency that must be attended to after watching Atlanta. We need to update the NASCAR Power Rankings ahead of COTA. Plus maybe even talk about a few drivers who have the potential to win this weekend or at the very least run well. So, let’s get started with this week’s power rankings!
NASCAR Power Rankings 12th-15th
- 15th – Daniel Suarez
- 14th – Chris Buescher
- 13th – Martin Truex Jr.
- 12th – Tyler Reddick
That’s right the inaugural Belly Up Driver of the week Daniel Suarez made his jump into the top fifteen. I know his finish at Atlanta (29th) doesn’t reflect a jump. However, Daniel has had consistency before Atlanta even at Daytona so with some other drivers not even having that it was time to make the jump. Plus Daniel and his teammate were super fast at the road course races. I see him back in the top ten finish-wise this weekend.
Buescher’s making gains ?? ? pic.twitter.com/uoyMtDyR3c
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) March 24, 2023
Chris had a day at Atlanta, I saw him in the top ten for plenty of laps during Sunday’s race however a speeding penalty on pit road put him way back in the pack. We all know once you get back in the pack at a track like Atlanta your risks go up and Chris got caught up in an accident causing his thirty-fifth-place finishing spot. However, fear not Buescher fans, Chris was good at road courses last season so he has a chance to recover this weekend for sure!
One of the elder statesmen at Joe Gibbs racing, after coming home nineteenth in Atlanta you’ll see Truex fell some spots much like Buescher. Historically Martin isn’t very good at the drafting style of tracks so I didn’t see him winning. However, I did see a better finish for Martin, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I don’t foresee him to keep dropping but if the Ford camp figured something out last week it could get ugly for Martin on the NASCAR Power Rankings side of things.
I told you all, once this man had a car that could compete under him he would be upfront. Tyler was upfront in the top ten consistently all day Sunday at Atlanta and with COTA this weekend and the Bristol dirt race in two weeks the rise of Tyler Reddick has begun I do believe.
11. Brad Keselowski
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 20, 2023
What a freaking weekend for Brad Keselowski. Leads almost fifty laps, and finishes second not to mention with his laps lead this week that means Brad is the only driver to lead at least once in every single race this season. I thought the performance called for a jump in spots for “Bad Brad” but the fact this team has led in every race is even better. Watch out NASCAR RFK Racing is slowly but surely coming back.
Drivers 10th-7th
- 10. Denny Hamlin
- 9. Ryan Blaney
- 8. Alex Bowman
- 7. Ross Chastain
Denny Hamlin tied his best finish so far this season after a sixth-place finish last weekend and even led a few laps. That didn’t really surprise me. I knew if he could stay clean he would be competitive at the drafting-type track Atlanta has become. In the two trips to COTA Denny has finished in the top twenty. So there is a chance we could see a jump from the driver of the number eleven next week.
Ryan had speed and was upfront mostly all day. Whether that be because of his car or he was just content running behind the 22. I’m not sure but I would’ve loved to have seen Blaney try at least to lead more than five laps.
These next two drivers dropped a few spots but mainly due to the outstanding performances of other guys. Ross and Alex didn’t do anything bad necessarily they both finished in the top fifteen just other people had better cars last weekend. However, we are headed to COTA where Ross got his first win last season. Plus if I remember correctly Alex was up there competing as well. So both of these drivers easily need to be on your watch list this weekend.
Numbers 4, 5 and 6
- 6. Joey Logano
- 5. Kevin Harvick
- 4. Christopher Bell
Atlanta was Joey’s race to lose and that appeared obvious very early on, his car was fast out front. He led 140 of the 260-lap race. I mean come on, those Fords were fast last weekend. However his old teammate Brad Keselowski made him work for it and it took a last-lap pass to secure the win. We’ll see if they found something or if it was just the luck of a drafting type of race that helped.
Kevin was upfront running with his Ford compadres before he got turned due to no fault of his own. He officially finished thirty-third on Sunday. Harvick is just much like Bowman and Chastain nothing of his own doing caused the drop. The guys behind him just showed up and showed out Sunday.
After some of our fish eye camera motion-enhanced replay had some people questioning who finished second at Atlanta (Keselowski or Bell), I stopped in our replay truck where our awesome replay folks were able to pull up a replay from our camera at the finish line from Sunday: pic.twitter.com/ssGTKG28eg
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 23, 2023
I told you a rise was coming last week for this young man. Christopher was one of the consistent Toyota cars up front all day at Atlanta. I mean you can see for yourself how close he was to a second-place finish above. If the Fords wouldn’t have been in an abundance up front, and Bell could’ve got some help who knows he might have finished two spots better. With Richmond, and the Bristol dirt race coming up don’t be surprised if Bell doesn’t stop here.
The Top Three
- 3. Kyle Busch
- 2. Kyle Larson
- 1. William Byron
Kyle came away with a tenth-place finish at Atlanta. So with him already having one win under his belt and continuing to finish consistently near the front the NASCAR Power Rankings jump was needed. I don’t see the consistency stopping either. Because after this weekend we head to Richmond and then to the Bristol dirt race, both tracks in which Kyle has won before. The Hendrick boys better come back strong this weekend. Because if they don’t Rowdy is lurking in the shadows waiting to strike.
So, Larson and Byron both had horrible finishes at Atlanta. Due to being caught up in late-race accidents. However, these have easily been the two most dominant cars all year still so far. Until either someone else shows them up right now the five and twenty-four cars are staying at the top. Now, I know the pit strategy will come into play this weekend but road courses have historically been dominated by Hendrick drivers. I see a bounce back for sure this weekend at least for one of these guys if not both. William hasn’t cracked the top ten finish-wise in the two trips he’s taken but this is a much different Byron than the last two years.
Wrapping up the NASCAR Power Rankings
Some of you may have noticed I didn’t include a Belly Up Driver of the week portion this week. Well, fear not because that driver this week is the underdog Corey Lajoie. Corey showed out at Atlanta and has consistently been brought up each week on the broadcast for solid performances. Keep up the good work Corey and I will easily be putting you in the top fifteen drivers soon.
My drivers to watch this weekend are pretty predictable. At least I feel like that, I’m going to say keep an eye on either of the Trackhouse Racing drivers, both showed last season they can drive on these tracks. As for other drivers don’t count out a Larson, Byron, or Busch. Those three cars have been the best no reason to think they couldn’t win at COTA. The underdogs well I mean this is another easy pick. AJ Allmendinger easily wins this race if Ross doesn’t put the bumper to him. It should be another good weekend for racing fans.
Now as for this power rankings list, I know once again someone has to have an issue, so let’s hear them. I couldn’t have ranked all fifteen of these drivers without getting one wrong. So, whose being robbed and whose being over ranked I want you to tell me!
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