NASCAR Power Rankings: Larson holds steady, Almirola rises after Vegas

The NASCAR Cup Series season is quickly through three races, providing a little more clarity for the NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings.

Three different drivers have found their way to Victory Lane, with Alex Bowman adding his name to the list after a superb pit call by crew chief Greg Ives put him in position to capitalize in overtime at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

But another week of racing produced another week of unparalleled parity as teams build their Next Gen notebooks. How much does that change this week’s rankings? Let’s find out:

1. Kyle Larson (Last week: No. 1) — It should come as no surprise that Larson is figuring out the new vehicle so quickly. The 2021 Cup champ has posted eight top-two finishes in the last 13 Cup races — a staggering 61.5% rate. Yes, the No. 5 team was running sixth before the caution fell with two laps to go. But he and his team took advantage on a two-tire pit stop and finished second. He retains the top spot.

2. Tyler Reddick (Last week: No. 2) — Reddick scored his first top 10 of the season at Las Vegas, which feels like a surprise given how frequently the No. 8 team has been in contention for wins through the first three races. Of course, he seemed poised to win a week ago at Auto Club before a flat tire ruined his day after leading 90 laps. Nonetheless, despite a spin through the grass Sunday in Vegas, Reddick rallied for a seventh-place finish and seems to be improving on a weekly basis. Still expecting big things from the No. 8 Chevrolet this season.

3. Aric Almirola (Last week: No. 5) — Almirola’s continued consistency can’t be ignored. The No. 10 team hasn’t shown speed early in races, earning just three stage points through the season’s first three races. But Almirola and new crew