NASCAR shakes up Power Rankings ahead of Pocono

The NASCAR Power Rankings have been updated ahead of the Cup Series’ trip to Pocono Raceway this weekend, courtesy of Pat DeCola of NASCAR.com.

Preparing for a return to Pennsylvania, Alex Bowman is riding a high after securing his spot in the playoffs via a victory in the Chicago Street Race. Elsewhere, Denny Hamlin is hoping to win back-to-back races at the Tricky Triangle, which serves as one of his best tracks on the schedule.

As the summer rages on, the margin for error continues to wane. Check out the latest NASCAR Power Rankings below, as some major changes have been made ahead of a return to Pocono Raceway on Sunday.

1) Kyle Larson (—)

Kyle Larson seemed like the wheelman who was best suited to give Shane van Gisbergen a run for his money on Sunday. In a shocking twist, both Larson and SVG ended up with DNFs on the afternoon, as the former NASCAR Cup Series champion came home P39 on the afternoon.

Moving ahead to this weekend’s race in Pocono, it’s a track where Larson has never won, but he’s come close on multiple occasions. Last season, the Hendrick Motorsports wheelman finished P20 in the mountains, so he’ll be hoping for a much better run in 2024.

2) Tyler Reddick (+3)

Tyler Reddick was running down Alex Bowman before the checkered flag came out, but the No. 45 hit the wall late in the final laps, and he had to settle for a P2 finish. Reddick was obviously disappointed, but a second-place finish after an eventful afternoon isn’t anything to pout about. 

While Reddick has never won at Pocono, he’s come close the last two seasons. He has back-to-back runner-up finishes at the track, so the 23XI Racing wheelman will be hoping to break on through to Victory Lane in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

3) Chase Elliott (+1)

Chase Elliott had a serious gripe with Daniel Suárez after the Chicago Street Race. The No. 9 went from a firm top ten to being spun in the final lap of the race, and he wasn’t happy about it afterwards, following his P21 finish on the afternoon.

Elliott has raced at Pocono 14 times over the course of his Cup Series career, and he’s won at the track once, which came in 2022. Can he win his second race at the track, and his second race of the season? It remains to be seen, but it’d be a popular result if it came true.

4) Denny Hamlin (-2)

The struggle has been real for Denny Hamlin over the last couple of weeks. The Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman thankfully has three wins on the season, so his P30 finish at Chicago doesn’t hurt him, but the last couple of weeks haven’t gone the No. 11 driver’s way. 

Over the course of his career, Pocono has been one of, if not Hamlin’s best track on the schedule. He won his first two races at the Tricky Triangle, and he also returned to Victory Lane in 2023. There’s plenty of merit for the No. 11 to win next weekend.

5) Christopher Bell (-2)

Christopher Bell was battling for the lead all afternoon in Chicago, and he was the leader when the field was split between wet weather tires and slicks. While Bell likely could’ve caught the leaders before the final lap, the No. 20 was involved in a wreck, and he ended up with a DNF on the afternoon in Chicago. 

Looking ahead, Pocono has been a mixed bag for Bell. While he’s amassed two top five finishes, he’s also finished P39 and P32 in the past, so it’s anyone’s guess what Bell will show up to Pennsylvania on Sunday afternoon.

6) Ryan Blaney (—)

Ryan Blaney continued his successful start to the summer in Chicago over the weekend. The reigning Cup Series champion left the street course with a top ten, finishing P10 on the unique track when it was all said and done.

As we move ahead to Pocono, Blaney has some awesome memories at the track, as he won for the Wood Brothers back in 2017 at the Tricky Triangle. While the track hasn’t been good to him the last two seasons, with finishes of P30 and P33, Blaney will be looking to win his second race of the season in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

7) William Byron (+1)

While William Byron wasn’t exactly a factor near the front for most of the afternoon, he still ended up with a solid finish in Chicago. The No. 24 wheelman brought his Chevrolet home P8, as he watched his teammate cruise to a win in Illinois. 

Throughout the course of his career, Byron has raced well in Pocono. He’s never finished below P18, which is actually his worst finish at the track. However, he’s never won at the track, so perhaps Sunday will be a fruitful trip for the No. 24.

8) Martin Truex Jr. (-1)

Martin Truex Jr. was battling inside the top ten over the final laps of the Grant Park 165, but it all fell apart for the No. 19. In the end, Truex Jr. finished P33, which wasn’t a good result for the Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman, as he needs as many points as he can gain until he returns to Victory Lane.

Of course, Truex Jr. is from the North East, and while Pocono isn’t exactly his home track, it’s close enough. He’s won there twice, and he came home P3 last season. A win at the Tricky Triangle would lock him into the playoffs.

9) Ty Gibbs (+4)

Ty Gibbs looked like he could’ve given any wheelman a run for their money after Shane van Gisbergen was eliminated as a factor in Chicago. While he wasn’t able to notch his first win in the Cup Series, a P3 finish was huge for Gibbs’ playoff chances.

Moving to Pocono, Gibbs made his Cup Series debut at the track in 2022, under the 23XI Racing banner. He finished P16 then, and followed that up with a P5 with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023. It seems to be a track he fancies, so we’ll see if the 21-year-old can win his first race in Pennsylvania.

10) Alex Bowman (+4)

Alex Bowman and his crew chief Blake Harris had a lot to celebrate on Sunday evening. An awesome strategy call and some impressive driving from the No. 48 wheelman locked Bowman into the playoffs, and delivered the Hendrick Motorsports team their first win in over two seasons.

With Pocono up next, what does Bowman and the No. 48 team have in store for an encore? He won at the track in 2021, after Kyle Larson blew a tire in the final turn. If he wins his second race at the Tricky Triangle, it’ll prove the floodgates are open, following their victory in Chicago.

NASCAR Power Rankings — No. 11 through No. 20:

11) Brad Keselowski (-2)
12) Chris Buescher (-2)
13) Ross Chastain (-2)
14) Joey Logano (-2)
15) Bubba Wallace (—)
16) Kyle Busch (+4)
17) Chase Briscoe (—)
18) Todd Gilliland (NR)
19) Austin Cindric (-2)
20) Daniel Suárez (-2)

As you can tell, the win in Chicago worked wonders for Alex Bowman, locking him into the playoffs and moving him up four spots in the NASCAR Power Rankings. Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch also had big afternoons, which gained them a litany of spots, as well. We’ll see how they adjust in Pennsylvania on Sunday.