NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin gets an edge over playoff field

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)

While Kyle Larson has issues with superspeedways, I really like what I’ve seen from the 5 car lately. It appears that this group is starting to come together once again. The speed has been elite.

With Larson starting to come on strong, Talladega might be the only obstacle in his way. His last two trips to Dega have resulted in P4 and P2 finishes.

4. Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing (+1)

Another driver who had a really solid day at Las Vegas. Christopher Bell goes up in the NASCAR Power Rankings for another stellar performance.

JGR has had three really great drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs. The chances one of them wins the title look pretty good to me.

5. Ryan Blaney – Team Penske (-3)

For the 8th time this season, Ryan Blaney was a DNF. I would have dropped him further, since he is last in the playoff standings, but there is reason to be optimistic.

Talladega and Martinsville are two tracks where Blaney has multiple wins. He’s won the Fall Martinsville race two years in a row. So, despite the points looking rough, he has a chance of advancing.

6. William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports (+2)

A boost for William Byron despite his DNF. A late wreck with Ty Dillon, who was pitting off-sequence, caused Byron to fall in the standings.

Byron and the 24 team are going to have to work hard in order to make up for the costly mistake from Las Vegas. We’ve seen this team step up in the past. Can they do it again?

7. Chase Elliott – Hendrick Motorsports (-4)

A costly pit road penalty put Chase Elliott behind. Now, he’s also in a bad points position going into Talladega. It’s not a comfortable place to be for any driver.

While Elliott earned the win at Kansas just the other day, it’s a whole new ballgame. Can he bounce back to make it to Phoenix?

8. Joey Logano – Team Penske (-1)

Even though Joey Logano finished in the top-10, he remains second-to-last in points. Going forward, Logano has to get a win in these next two races. Like Blaney, they play to his strengths.

Logano didn’t win the first race of the Round of 8. That’s good news for the rest of the field. But if he makes it to Phoenix, everyone will be on high alert.

9. Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing (+1)

Still in the NASCAR Power Rankings, Tyler Reddick has been having really solid runs as of late. No wins right now, but three straight top-10s and a P5 finish at Vegas. This team is moving in the right direction.

23XI Racing isn’t in the NASCAR Playoffs anymore. But can Reddick manage to steal a win before the year is over?

10. Chris Buescher – RFK Racing (NR)

A little love to Chris Buescher and the RFK Racing crew. P6 and P9 in the last two races, Buescher looked solid at Las Vegas.

I feel like 2026 could be a major year for this organization. It will be their second year as a three-car operation and that might make all of the difference. Buescher replaces Shane van Gisbergen in the NASCAR Power Rankings.