NASCAR Power Rankings: Championship 4 locked in after Martinsville

One more week left in the NASCAR Cup Series season. Then in three months we gets to do this all over again. This week the NASCAR Power Rankings look a bit different. The Championship 4 is locked in for Phoenix.

Ryan Blaney put on the heroics once again this year. He has now won the fall Martinsville race two years in a row. Will he end his day in Phoenix as the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson?

1. Ryan Blaney – Team Penske (+5)

In the Next Gen era, Ryan Blaney has an average finish at Phoenix of 3.0. You read that right, it isn’t a typo. Third place average finish.

Fresh off his win at Martinsville, why would I put anyone else at the top of the NASCAR Power Rankings heading into Phoenix? We might have a repat champ on our hands.

2. William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports (+3)

The first driver to benefit from a wall-ride penalty. William Byron made it in over Christopher Bell in the end.

Based on his history at Phoenix, I think Byron is a real threat to win the championship. Last year he won a ton of races but couldn’t get the job done. Can he now after sneaking into Phoenix?

3. Joey Logano – Team Penske (+5)

How can I not have Joey Logano up here with one race to go? He has not been great in the last two weeks, but that’s not a bad sign for Phoenix.

What the last two weeks have shown me, Logano is fully focused on the championship. Who cares about Homestead and Martinsville when you lock in after Las Vegas?

4. Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing (-1)

I am most worried about Tyler Reddick at Phoenix, out of the Championship 4 that is. Which is why he is fourth on the NASCAR Power Rankings.

Reddick pulled off a great win at Homestead. I am not sure if he can get the job done at Phoenix based on his recent history there.

5. Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports (-3)

The second driver out of the Championship 4. Kyle Larson came up short on points and could not make the transfer despite leading the series in wins this year.

Looking back on Larson’s season, missing the Coca-Cola 600 cost him. It likely cost him a Championship 4 spot when it was all said and done.

6. Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing (-5)

Following his first real “choke” performance in his playoff career, Christopher Bell falls in the NASCAR Power Rankings. Bell got a lap down and just could not recover in time.

Bell misses out on Phoenix for the first time in the Next Gen era. Will we see him bounce back and play spoiler on Sunday?

7. Chase Elliott – Hendrick Motorsports (-)

For a while there it looked like Chase Elliott would win the race. However, he would not be able to hold off Ryan Blaney late.

Elliott had a good season, but only one win feels like a disappointement. Will his 2025 season be better?

8. Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing (-4)

Another driver who had a big performance but came up short is Denny Hamlin. His team put together his destroyed primary race car for Sunday and it almost worked.

At some point, Hamlin was unable to keep passing cars. He did manage to race up towards the top-5 after starting in the back.

9. Alex Bowman – Hendrick Motorsports (-)

Another race, another solid finish for Alex Bowman. He is another Hendrick driver who had a good but maybe slightly disappointing season.

Bowman almost made the Round of 8 but came up short after his DQ at the Roval. A good year after two seasons of injuries off and on.

10. Austin Cindric – Team Penske (NR)

With how well Austin Cindric performed this season, he deserves a round of applause. He got the win at Gateway and ran up front more this year than any other it feels like.

The 2022 Daytona 500 champion didn’t have as many top-10s or top-5s as his rookie season, but that was the first year of the Next Gen car. This season, his performance and maturity on track was a lot more obvious to me.