Sunday’s race through the streets of Chicago produced the 12th different winner of the Cup season and shook up this week’s NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings.
There’s a new a No. 1 and two new drivers in the top 10 heading into this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway (2:30 p.m. ET Sunday on USA).
This week’s NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings
1. Tyler Reddick (Last week No. 3) — He has walked away the last two weeks frustrated with his performance despite placing in the top three. He finished second at Chicago but was frustrated with hitting the Turn 5 wall as he chased Alex Bowman on the final lap. Reddick has six top 10s in the last seven races. Four of those finishes in that stretch are top fives. He’s getting closer to his second win of the season.
2. Christopher Bell (1) — Finishing races is key and his inability to do so the past two weeks is the reason he drops from the No. 1 spot. Bell led 14 laps in Chicago but was stuck outside the top 10 when others didn’t pit late, electing to stay on wet weather tires after Bell and many of those at the front had stopped to put slick tires on. Bell couldn’t get through the field quickly and was involved in an incident that damaged his car. He finished 37th a week after placing 36th. Still, in the last seven races, Bell has combined to lead 28.7 of the laps run.
3. Kyle Larson (2) — His brakes locked up and he went sliding into the Turn 6 tire barriers, damaging the front of his Chevrolet and ending his race in 39th. It continues his hot and cold streak. In his last nine starts, Larson has two wins, four top fives, six top 10s and three finishes of 30th or worse. That he remains the points leader despite missing the Coca-Cola 600 is remarkable but his advantage is only 11 points on teammate Chase Elliott and 23 points on Tyler Reddick, who is third in the points.
4. Ryan Blaney (6) — His 10th-place result gives him four top 10s in the last five races. Included in that streak is his Iowa win.
5. Chase Elliott (4) — Contact on the final lap dropped him to 21st at the finish — the first time he’s placed outside the top 20 this year. Elliott has finished no better than 18th in his last three races.
6. Alex Bowman (NR) — His Chicago win snaps an 80-race winless streak and gives him 11 top 10s this season. He is tied with Christopher Bell and William Byron for second in top 10s this season, two behind series leader Tyler Reddick.
7. Chris Buescher (7) — He holds the final playoff spot after finishing 20th and Alex Bowman winning to secure a playoff spot. Buescher has three top-five finishes in the last five races.
8. William Byron (9) — His eighth-place finish gives him four top 10s in the last eight races as he seeks to regain the success he had earlier in the season when he won three of the first eight races.
9. Denny Hamlin (5) — His 30th-place finish in Chicago marks the fifth consecutive race he’s failed to score a top-10 result. He’s finished 24th or worse in four of those five races.
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (NR) — His sixth-place finish gives him three top 10s in the last four races. In two of those races he finished in the top 10, he started 33rd or worse.
Dropped out: Brad Keselowski (8th), Ross Chastain (10th)
