SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s Power Rankings

Pete Pistone will unveil Power Rankings each week of the NASCAR season. Check out this week’s edition of NASCAR Power Rankings below, and listen to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) on the SXM App now. Revisit previous editions of our Power Rankings here.

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs kicked off the second round of the Playoffs Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Here’s a look at the Power Rankings after the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500:

1. Denny Hamlin

Somehow he was able to survive a day that included more controversy for Hamlin in his run-in with William Byron. He had some choice words for the sanctioning body and pretty much everyone else it seemed on Sunday after a long day that did end with Hamlin scoring a top-10 finish.

Playoff Grid: 6th
Last Week: 1st

2. Joey Logano

The outside pole sitter led at Texas for 15 laps on Sunday. However Logano still had to maneuver through a number of challenges as well as tire conservation to get to the finish of the race and when he did he took the checkered flag in second place.

Playoff Grid: 1st
Last Week: 7th

3. Kyle Larson

The defending race winner had another one of a string of challenging days in Texas. Despite leading 19 laps, Larson couldn’t make a sustained drive to the front of the field and ultimately put up a ninth-place finish to open the second round.

Playoff Grid: 4th
Last Week: 4th

4. William Byron

A seventh place finish wasn’t the whole story for Byron, who had a run-in with Denny Hamlin on track and then retaliated under caution to the driver of the FedEx Toyota. He may or may not yet be penalized by NASCAR for his actions but Byron came away from Texas with a decent finish.

Playoff Grid: 3rd
Last Week: 6th

5. Tyler Reddick

He is now a three-time Cup Series race winner after Reddick was able to lead 70 laps on his way to the checkered flag in Texas on Sunday. It was the fourth win of the season for Richard Childress Racing and despite his still murky future, Reddick is still hitting on all cylinders.

Playoff Grid: 13th
Last Week: NR

6. Christopher Bell

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver did’t qualify well and started Sunday’s race deep in the pack. But his charge to the front was cut short after just 136 laps when he Toyota had suffered too much damage in contacts to finish.

Playoff Grid: 11th
Last Week: 2nd

7. Chase Elliott

One of the day’s many victims of a tire failure added to the Playoff misery so far after just four races for Elliott. He still has the decent points amount build-up but Elliott and company need to finish out this round with two strong performances at Talladega and The Roval if just for sanity’s sake.

Playoff Grid: 7th
Last Week: 3rd

8. Chase Briscoe

Even he was surprised by the finish he had at Texas when Briscoe took the checkered flag in fifth. But those are the kinds of outings that keep championship hopes alive and Briscoe is still in this thing after one race of the second round.

Playoff Grid: 9th
Last Week: 8th

9. Ryan Blaney

The All-Star Race winner at Texas back in May followed up that performance with a much-needed overall solid day on Sunday. Blaney led 29 laps on his way to a fourth place finish.

Playoff Grid: 5th
Last Week: 9th

10. Ross Chastain

It was an okay day for Chastain in Texas that did see him lead a lap but was never really a serious contender for Victory Lane. He did come away with a 13th place performance in the second round Playoff opener.

Playoff Grid: 2nd
Last Week: 5th

Dropped Out: Austin Cindric