NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin Rises To No. 1 After Chicago Surge

Denny Hamlin started last and finished fourth at the Chicago Street Course. That was the best finish of all drivers in last week’s rankings.

So maybe drivers shouldn’t want to be listed on these. But that finish also moved Hamlin to the top of this list.

Shane van Gisbergen won for the second time in four races. But his finishes of 31st and 24th at Michigan and Pocono between the road-course victories keep him off the list.

Here’s the latest top 10 going into another race of turning left and right, but this time at Sonoma Raceway.

Dropped out: Chase Briscoe (Last Week: 10)

On the verge: Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, John Hunter Nemechek

10. Chris Buescher (Last Week: 6)

An apparent electrical control unit issue for Buescher ruined his Chicago race before it started. Somehow, the RFK Racing driver finished on the lead lap in 18th.

9. Christopher Bell (Last Week: 7)

Bell ended up a lap down in 24th at Chicago, as his car blew an engine on the final lap and he never made it to the finish. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver hasn’t finished in the top 15 in the last three races.

Christopher Bell waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course 

8. Tyler Reddick (Last Week: Not Ranked)

Has Reddick got his groove back? He has a fourth at Pocono and third at Chicago in his last two starts. The 23XI Racing driver only had four top fives in the 17 previous races.

7. Alex Bowman (Last Week: 8)

Bowman was spun at one point and roughed up in another but was on the better end of a heated battle with Bubba Wallace at the end as he finished eighth. That’s three top 10s in the last four races for the Hendrick driver.

6. Ryan Preece (Last Week: 9)

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