Power Rankings: Three drivers, one top spot. Who gets it?
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 (LW: 1): We're not going to dump Keselowski from the top spot for finishing second. That's cruel and unusual punishment. While we realize we're suggesting tweaks to a Chase system that seems like it's constantly tweaked, but what if drivers got three bonus points for the next round of the Chase for winning a race in the previous round? It'd give Keselowski, Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon something to show for the their wins, even if it was a net of three positions in a single race.
2. Joey Logano (LW: 2): We mentioned this in Happy Hour on Thursday, but Logano has quietly become one of the best in the Cup Series. That was evident again on Sunday where he finished fourth. Sure, he didn't have the best car or even led a lap, but if Logano keeps this up, don't act surprised when he's going for the title at Homestead.
3. Jeff Gordon (LW: 6): This isn't a slight to Gordon putting him here. Would you really put him above Logano or Keselowski at this point? And if so, why? It's close, but the flat tire at New Hampshire puts Gordon at the third of three. He's the defending champion at Kansas and Charlotte is up after that. Gordon could tie Keselowski's win total soon, assuming Keselowski doesn't win a race.
4. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 5): Six-time's finishes in the first three races went 12th, fifth and third. Only in his world can that be considered a disappointment. I Johnson keeps that up, it should be good enough to get in the last race. An average finish of between sixth and seventh is going to be incredibly tough to beat. But we're going to go out on a limb and say Johnson wins a race in the next round.
5. Kevin Harvick (LW: 3): Harvick's season is a broken record. We all know why he's a championship contender. It's the speed he showed at Dover in utterly dominating the race when he was up front. But we all know why there's a big asterisk as well, and it's because of the flat tire. Kansas was a place where Harvick had a mistake to help give Gordon the win in May. He'll have one of the best cars again on Sunday.
6. Kyle Busch (LW: 4): Busch is another example of the lack of separation at the front of the field. He finished in the top 10 in all three races of the first round of the Chase and would be sixth in points if the ponts system didn't reset. But hey, it does, and that's good news for Busch and everyone below him. Now, if Busch could just get a top 10 on Sunday, he'd be all set.
7. Kyle Larson (LW: 7): Another week where Larson was the highest finishing non-Chase driver. If he can keep that up it'll be one hell of a streak and force us to research how proficient Larson is being among non-qualifying drivers. Given how well Larson performed at Chicago, we're preparing to dive deep into the archives.
8. Matt Kenseth (LW: 9): A top-five is good enough for Kenseth to swap spots with Junior. It didn't feel like Kenseth was in danger of being eliminated from the Chase, but he was only eight points ahead of Denny Hamlin, who was in 13th before the race. Finishing fifth meant a drama-free day for Kenseth.
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 8): Junior was not happy after finishing 17th, saying his team never was competitive for a moment throughout Sunday's race. Plus, he said it's not good enough to win a championship. He's right, the lack of top speed the No. 88 team has shown so far in the Chase won't win them a title, but it'll probably be good enough to advance to the final eight.
10. Ryan Newman (LW: NR): Newman's eighth place finish was his 11th top 10 all year. Not a good omen for his title hopes. But if you're looking for one, here it is. The drivers eliminated on Sunday were the top four drivers in a ranking of A-Z of the last names of Chase drivers. If the eliminaton by alphabet thing becomes a trend, congratulations, Newman. He'll be the last driver standing.
11. Carl Edwards (LW: NR): Edwards finished 11th, so we'll put him 11th. And 11th s pretty close to where Edwards would be over the course of the season. (He'd be ninth.) It's not going to be a surprise if Edwards makes the final eight and it won't be a surprise if he misses it. Making the final four is a different story.
12. Denny Hamlin (LW: NR): Hamlin was 12th and advanced to the Chase because everyone else around him had days that were considerably worse than his. Given that Hamlin had a bad day the week before to put him in that position, you can't say that he feels too lucky to benefit from others' misfortune.
Lucky Dog: Martin Truex Jr. finished seventh. It's just his fourth top-10 of the season.
The DNF: Aric Almirola needed a good run and was instead 28th.
Dropped out: Almirola, Allmendinger, McMurray
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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!
