Power Rankings: Chasing Keselowski
Our Power Rankings are far from a scientific formula. In fact, it's the perfect blend of analytics and bias against your favorite driver. And you think we dislike your favorite driver, so it makes sense, right? Direct all your complaints to us at happyhourmailbag@yahoo.com.
1. Brad Keselowski: Please note, we will not be resetting Power Rankings after each Chase elimination round. That seems like an exercise in not-power. With two consecutive victories and the points lead going into the Chase and the points lead after Chase race numero uno, Keselowski is the no-brainer pick for the top spot. His three-wide pass for the lead was great, but it's made more awesome in that it came in a season where battling for the lead at intermediate tracks has been nonexistent at times.
2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was using everything in his bag of tricks to try to get Kyle Larson to burp the throttle just enough to yield first place. Had either driver been able to get clear, Keselowski may not have an opportunity to make his pass. Instead, Harvick and Larson had cut such a huge hole in the air on the frontstretch that Keselowski's car looked like it had rocket boosters attached to it.
3. Jeff Gordon: The man credited with having the best cars over the course of long green flag runs this season had a very good one as green flag laps accumulated on Sunday. We just simply didn't have enough laps to see if he could catch Keselowski. Speaking of Larson, he gave Gordon a heck of a battle for second at the end of the race too. So much so that Gordon called him "Kevin Larson" after the race.
4. Joey Logano: Yes, Joey Logano got very lucky when his engine expired right as he was crossing the finish line on Sunday. However, he was somewhat unlucky to pick up the large piece of plastic on the front of his grille in the waning laps. While the plastic ultimately killed the engine, it might have helped Logano's car before it blew up with the added downforce. If it helped Logano net a couple extra positions at the expense of an engine and boosts his Chase standing, a blown engine is worth it, right?
5. Kyle Busch: Busch's pole (via Friday's practice speeds) was the first time he's started in the top five at an intermediate track all season. Not a bad time to put up a fast lap in practice, eh? While he ultimately fell six spots and finished seventh, it was a big race for the No. 18 team. They were able to buck a trend of six-straight finishes outside the top 10.
6 Kurt Busch: Kurt gets to follow Kyle because of his bounceback from a spin on pit road. Early in the race, he got onto pit road too quickly and as he turned the car down to the left and tried to hit the pit road speed limit at the same time. The rear brakes locked up and Busch was stalled on pit road. He lost a lap as the miscue was under green but was able to get it back and finish in the top 10.
7. Denny Hamlin: First race with Darian Grubb nets Hamlin a top 10. Maybe this increased horsepower from the Joe Gibbs Racing guys is going to make them formidable opponents to the Hendrick and Penske-powered dominance most of us are expecting? Of course, we can't talk about the good of JGR engines without at least thinking of the bad. If the team can be a force in the Chase and have no reliability issues, the bad will fade.
8. Matt Kenseth: The line of media days on Thursday came from Kenseth when he was asked about his nation amidst the NASCAR driver nations push. Kenseth said (via USA Today) that "I need to get some more people in my nation and start taxing them.' Man, what a great idea. Can you imagine how much richer Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be if he taxed the members of Junior Nation? Instead of China lending the U.S. money, it'd be Junior himself.
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Speaking of Junior, here he is. It's not a time to panic Junior fans. 11th place is just fine for the first race. It's not great, but it's not porous, either. And Junior's bonus points from his three wins are a nice cushion. With the new format, points matter, but sustained excellence won't. Simply being consistent enough to survive, especially in the first six races, is going to be a perfectly fine strategy.
10. Jimmie Johnson: OH NO THE DEMISE OF JIMMIE JOHNSON IS UPON US. HE FINISHED 12TH IN THE FIRST RACE OF THE CHASE AND HAS NO SHOT. No, the Junior paragaph applies here too. Johnson's car didn't have the outright speed many expected over the weekend, but if he and Chad Knaus learned some things to benefit themselves in the future, it's probably worth it, right?
11. Kyle Larson: We can't go straight-Chase this week. We've got to give some love to Larson's show as he went toe-to-toe with both Harvick and Gordon while up front before ultimately finishing third. He's got to be the most likely non-Chase driver to win a race at an intermediate track in the next nine races, right? If it's not him, it may be his teammate Jamie McMurray.
12. Ryan Newman: The final spot was between Newman or Kasey Kahne. Both drivers had issues during Sunday's race, but Newman came from three laps down to get back on the lead lap and finish 15th. That wins. It could be an escape that saves Newman from an early Chase elimination. Had he not gotten any of his laps back, the highest Newman could have finished was 26th.
Lucky Dog: Here's where we will place Kahne, for he had a significantly dented left-front fender that needed repairs.
The DNF: Almirola by mourning, up from San Anton'.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
