Ryan Blaney is peaking at the perfect time.
The Team Penske driver was at his best in the Round of 8, culminating in a victory at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday to punch his ticket to the Championship 4. It’s the first title race appearance for the 29-year-old third-generation racer, who now has three wins on the season and 10 in his career.
Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell clinched their Championship 4 spots with Round of 8 victories at Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami, respectively. The fourth and final spot belongs to William Byron, who earned the most points among winless drivers in the round.
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Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings heading into the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Sunday, Nov. 5, 3 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC.com):
1. Kyle Larson
Last week: 1
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The only driver in the Championship 4 with a title on his resume, Larson should be the favorite heading into Phoenix. He finished sixth on Sunday in what was a steady run. Phoenix has been an even better track for Larson, who led 201 of 317 laps and finished fourth in the desert earlier this season.
2. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 5
For the first time in five Round of 8 appearances, Blaney is advancing to the title race – and it couldn’t be at a better track for him. Blaney’s last four finishes at Phoenix are fourth, fourth, second and second. The No. 12 team has a realistic chance to give legendary team owner Roger Penske his second straight Cup title.
3. Christopher Bell
Last week: 2
Bell, like Larson, already knew his fate heading into Martinsville. He still put together a solid seventh-place finish, but now comes the hard part. Bell made his Championship 4 debut last year, finishing 10th in the race and third among the four title contenders. With some experience on the big stage, now could be the time for the 28-year-old Bell to claim his first championship.
4. William Byron
Last week: 3
It wasn’t pretty, but Byron got the job done at Martinsville. He ran outside the top-15 for most of the race before recovering to finish 13th and advance by eight points. Even though Byron has a series-best six wins this season, he’s carrying the least momentum into Phoenix. On the bright side, he won at the track less than eight months ago after leading 64 laps.
5. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 4
Maybe it shouldn’t be such a surprise that Hamlin didn’t make the Championship 4. Sure, he had arguably the most consistent speed all season. But there’s always something that dooms the 42-year-old Hamlin in his quest for a first title. He finished third and led a race-high 156 laps on Sunday, which wasn’t enough to advance after he crashed out a week prior at Homestead. Regardless, Hamlin continues to build his legacy as the best Cup driver ever without a championship.
6. Chris Buescher
Last week: 7
Buescher’s dream playoff run came to an end at Martinsville with an eighth-place finish. After lackluster runs to open the Round of 8, Buescher was essentially in a must-win situation – and his RFK Racing machine was never quick enough on Sunday to pull that off. Still, it’s been a career season for the Texas native – setting career-highs in wins (3), top-fives (8), top-10s (16), laps led (237) and average finish (12.3) with still one race to go.
7. Martin Truex Jr.
Last week: 8
The 2023 regular season champion never found his footing in the postseason. Truex, the 2017 Cup champion, finished 12th at Martinsville and was 28 points behind Byron for the final spot. He had just one top-10 finish (ninth at Las Vegas) in nine playoff races after posting 15 top-10s in the 26-race regular season. The drop-off by the No. 19 team was truly puzzling.
8. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 9
Martinsville has never been kind to Reddick, and Sunday was no different. He finished two laps down in 26th, failing to advance by 43 points. It was a productive first season at 23XI Racing for Reddick, who will have heightened expectations in 2024 after another multi-win season.
9. Joey Logano
Last week: first four out
Logano is quietly putting together solid runs since being eliminated from the playoffs in the Round of 16. Over the last four weeks, he’s finished fifth, 12th, eighth and then fifth at Martinsville on Sunday. Logano, much like the 2010s San Francisco Giants, has a habit of performing best in even-numbered years. Keep an eye on him next season.
10. Bubba Wallace
Last week: 10
Michael Jordan and 23XI Racing are building a strong program with Reddick and Wallace. The latter was eliminated in the Round of 12, but has put together three solid runs since getting bounced: 13th at Las Vegas, sixth at Homestead, 11th at Martinsville. He’s tied for ninth in the points standings entering the finale after finishing a career-best 19th last season.
First four out: Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick
