SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s Power Rankings – August 16, 2023

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.

NASCAR visited the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Here’s a look at this week’s “Power Rankings” after the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard:

1. Martin Truex Jr.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is closing in on winning the regular season points championship. Truex Jr. turned in a steady Indianapolis performance finishing seventh and looks to put some valuable points in the kitty over the rest of the regular season schedule.

Point Standings: 1st
Last Week: 3rd

2.  Chris Buescher

He came up just one spot short of keeping his top-10 road course finish streak alive. After back-to-back victories in Richmond and Michigan, Buescher left Indianapolis with an 11th-place Brickyard finish.

Point Standings: 10th
Last Week: 1st

3. Denny Hamlin

The No. 11 team used some strategy to try and gather points looking at the big picture. But overall not the day Hamlin and company was looking for as he left Indianapolis with a rather disappointing 19th place effort.

Point Standings: 2nd
Last Week: 2nd

4. Kyle Larson

He won the Knoxville Nationals on Saturday night and then turned in a solid if not spectacular performance in Indy. Larson stayed inside the top-10 and put an eighth place finish on the board.

Point Standings: 5th
Last Week: 5th

5. William Byron

The weekend began with a disaster for the No. 24 team when Byron’s car failed inspection three times. But despite starting at the rear of the field and serving a pass through penalty to start the race, Byron rallied back for a 14th place Indianapolis finish.

Point Standings: 3rd
Last Week: 4th

6. Michael McDowell

The steady climb of Front Row Motorsports this season came to a crescendo with McDowell’s race winning performance in Indianapolis. He led a dominating 54 laps to the checkered flag and with the win solidified a spot in the Playoffs.

Point Standings: 15th
Last Week: NR

7. Tyler Reddick

Not quite good enough to make consecutive trips to Victory Lane in Indianapolis but Reddick did have another strong 23XI Racing Toyota at The Brickyard. After starting outside the front row he took the checkered flag in fourth place.

Point Standings: 12th
Last Week: NR

8. Ross Chastain

Middle of the pack day for Chastain who wasn’t anywhere near the center of controversy at Indianapolis like last year when he took an escape route around Turn 1 on a late restart. A 17th place finish for the Trackhouse Racing driver on Sunday.

Point Standings: 7th
Last Week: 10th

9. Ryan Blaney

The best finishing car of the Team Penske stable but that’s not saying a lot after Sunday in Indianapolis. Blaney crossed the finish line in 13th place and continues like his teammates to look for speed and consistence as the regular season winds down.

Point Standings: 9th
Last Week: 8th

10. Chase Elliott

A strong run for Elliott Sunday with a second place Indianapolis finish. But he actually lost ground in the Playoff point standings and is facing must win situations at The Glen and Daytona to make the post-season.

Point Standings: 19th
Last Week: NR

Dropped Out: Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Kevin harvick