Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway was a drastic departure from every other short track race of the Next Gen era with its record 54 lead changes and emphasis on tire management. It’s only fitting that the NASCAR Power Rankings reflect this by highlighting the company behind a memorable event.
Goodyear is a new addition to the list along with two Ford Performance drivers. Three drivers dropped out after struggles in East Tennessee while the race winner moved up several spots.
NBC SPORTS NASCAR POWER RANKINGS
1. Goodyear (Last week: NR) — Goodyear helped NASCAR achieve something Sunday that had previously been considered impossible by racing fans – deliver an exhilarating short track race with the Next Gen car. The tire wear was the defining factor of Sunday’s race as tires began to fail after more than 40 laps of green flag action. The drivers that were smarter with their tires achieved success. Those that were too aggressive spun. The result was a race with a track-record 54 lead changes and fewer discussions about horsepower.
2. Ty Gibbs (2) — One week after finishing a career-best third at Phoenix, Gibbs went out and put on another strong performance. He led the second-most laps at Bristol (137) and won the first two stages. A tire issue in the final stage led to a ninth-place finish but Gibbs left the track third in points.
3. Denny Hamlin (9) — Hamlin scored his 52nd career Cup win and his fourth at Bristol after leading a race-high 163 laps and overcoming a tire issue in stage 1. He managed his tires better than anyone else in the field as the race progressed while going back to his short track roots. Hamlin showed that he remains a driver to watch each week, especially if strategy is involved.
4. Kyle Larson (3) — Larson scored points in the first two stages and showed the ability to avoid tire issues while other drivers spun. He lost track position after receiving an equipment interference penalty on Lap 373 but worked his way back to fifth before the end of the race. Larson moved into a tie with Martin Truex Jr. for the point lead.
5. Ryan Blaney (2) — Blaney won the pole for the first time since 2022 and had the fastest average lap for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 consecutive laps in his group practice session. This did not translate to a top-10 finish in a race defined by significant tire wear. Blaney scored points in stage 1 but ended the day 16th. This dropped him to fourth in points.
6. Martin Truex Jr. (8) — Truex has improved each week of the season while finishing every race on the lead lap. Sunday’s trip to Bristol was the latest example as Truex finished second. This was his first top-five finish since Michigan last August. Truex joined Larson atop the Cup standings.
7. Brad Keselowski (NR) — The start of the season was rough for Keselowski, who finished 33rd at Daytona and Atlanta. The RFK Racing driver-owner has since finished 13th, fourth and third while rocketing from 36th in points to 13th. Keselowski is back in the mix heading to Circuit of the Americas.
8. Chris Buescher (NR) — A crash at Las Vegas due to a tire issue disrupted Buescher’s start to the season. He has since delivered consecutive top-10 finishes. He crossed the line second at Phoenix and finished seventh at Bristol after scoring eight stage points. Buescher is above the playoff cutline heading to Circuit of the Americas where he finished eighth last season.
9. Christopher Bell (7) — Like the other three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers, Bell had speed at Bristol. He led 29 laps and scored points in both stages. Tire wear kept Bell from contending for the win against Hamlin and Truex, but he still finished 10th.
10. William Byron (5) — Sunday was forgettable for Byron, who only has two top-10 finishes since winning the Daytona 500. A broken toe link in the first stage dropped him several laps behind the leaders. He remained 35th on the scoring monitor until the checkered flag waved and left Bristol 10th in the Cup standings.
Dropped out: Daniel Suarez, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick
