NASCAR Power Rankings: Larson, Chastain rise after Homestead-Miami originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
NASCAR’s annual trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway didn’t disappoint on Sunday.
Defending champion Kyle Larson – who was eliminated from the playoffs two weeks ago – dominated the race for his third victory of the season.
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With one race left in the Round of 8, there are still three spots in the Championship 4 up for grabs. Joey Logano clinched one spot after winning at Las Vegas, but the remaining seven playoff drivers will be fighting for their lives in the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC).
So, who’s the driver to beat before this season’s penultimate race? Here’s our latest power rankings:
1. Ross Chastain
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Last week: 4
In his first playoff appearance, Chastain is absolutely rolling. He’s rattled off consecutive runner-up finishes to put himself 19 points above the cut line heading to Martinsville. It’s not total safety, but it’s a strong position to be in as Chastain heads to a track where he finished fifth in April.
2. Joey Logano
Last week: 2
Homestead was a quiet race for Logano after his Las Vegas win, finishing 18th after scoring three stage points. Luckily for him, this result doesn’t matter at all because he’s already clinched a Championship 4 berth. Martinsville represents another chance to work on his short track setup before the title-deciding race in Phoenix.
3. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 1
Another week, another solid top-10 finish. Hamlin was seventh at Homestead, giving him seven top-10s in eight playoff races. Despite the consistency, Hamlin’s lack of regular season success is coming back to haunt him. He didn’t score enough playoff points in the first 26 weeks, so he’s still five points below the cut line entering Martinsville. Hamlin will need a top-five run – and potentially more – to keep his championship hopes alive.
4. Chase Elliott
Last week: 3
The puzzling playoffs continued for Elliott on Sunday when he finished 14th and lacked race-winning speed. He ran better than the previous week, scoring eight stage points, but an untimely caution caught him a lap down late in the race. The regular season champion is still 11 points above the cut line, but his margin for error at Martinsville is slim.
5. William Byron
Last week: 7
Homestead was a good race for Byron: he won the pole, led 32 laps and totaled 17 stage points. The downside was his 12th-place finish, which came after his car faded and the pit crew had troubles late. Byron is five points ahead of Hamlin for the final spot in the Championship 4 and he won at Martinsville in April.
6. Christopher Bell
Last week: 5
Bell didn’t have the speed to compete at Homestead and now faces a must-win at Martinsville. Bell finished 11th in South Beach, leaving him 33 points below the cut line. Martinsville hasn’t been a great track for Bell – he was 20th in April and has one top-10 in five career starts.
7. Kyle Larson
Last week: 10
Sunday was a great reminder of how dominant Larson can be. He led 199 of 267 laps, which was easily his best performance this season after he routinely did things like this last year. These last few races of 2022 could be the springboard for this team heading into 2023.
8. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 6
For the second straight race, a self-inflicted error cost Blaney a handful of points. He finished 17th at Homestead after spinning while exiting pit road. Now 18 points below the cut line, Martinsville is probably a must-win race for the driver who hasn’t won all season. Blaney could make up the points if Byron and Hamlin have trouble, but a win is the only sure-fire way to advance.
9. Chase Briscoe
Last week: 8
The clock might finally be striking midnight for Briscoe’s Cinderella story. He entered the Round of 8 as a longshot to advance, but a top-five at Las Vegas left him with a fighting chance. After crashing out and finishing last at Homestead though, Briscoe is 58 points out. He needs a miracle win at Martinsville, where he has a 19.3 average finish in three career starts.
10. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 9
Reddick was a favorite heading into Homestead. He looked the part early, charging to the front to finish fourth in Stage 1. But things quickly fell apart after that. Late in the race, he violently crashed out to finish 35th.
First four out: Daniel Suarez, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr.
