SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s Power Rankings

See how Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway impacted this week’s SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s ‘Power Rankings.’

by:
Pete Pistone
October 26, 2021

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – OCTOBER 24: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 24, 2021 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

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.

Here’s how Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway impacted this week’s Power Rankings:

1. Kyle Larson – Victory number nine of the season came in Kansas, which also happened to be Larson’s 15th career win. He led nine times for 130 laps including the final 39. His 2,397 laps led in 2021 are the most by a driver since Jeff Gordon led 2610 in 1995.

Driver Rating: 112.3
Playoff Standings:
Previous Ranking: 1st

2. Denny Hamlin – The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished top-10 in seven of the eight races of the 2021 Playoffs. Hamlin came home with a fifth-place Kansas run to remain one of the most consistent drivers in the series.

Driver Rating: 109.7
Playoff Standings:
Previous Ranking: 3rd

3. Chase Elliott – He posted his ninth top-two finish of 2021, the most in a season for Elliott. But more importantly, he is in good shape heading into the final race of the round next week at Martinsville as he looks to advance to the Championship 4.

Driver Rating: 100.7
Playoff Standings: 5th
Previous Ranking: 3rd

4. William Byron – He scored his fifth straight top-10 finish at Kansas, his longest ever top-10 streak at a track and the longest active streak there by any driver. Byron has been one of if not the strongest non-Playoff driver in recent weeks.

Driver Rating: 97.4
Playoff Standings: 13th
Previous Ranking: 7th

5. Brad Keselowski – It could have been worse for Keselowski, something odd to say after a 17th-place finish. But truly Keselowski’s team did a good job getting him back on track after flat tires and wall contact to remain in the championship hunt.

Driver Rating: 87.3
Playoff Standings: 6th
Previous Ranking: 6th

6. Kyle Busch – The frustration level boiled over more than once on Busch’s in-car radio after his disappointing Kansas day. The checkered flag flew with Busch finishing 28th and he’ll be battling for all he’s got to stay alive in the Playoffs next weekend.

Driver Rating: 96.6
Playoff Standings: 4th
Previous Ranking: 5th

7. Ryan Blaney – Disaster struck late in the race for Blaney when he got pinched up into the wall racing in traffic and was knocked out of the race. He finished 37th and will be racing for his Playoff life at Martinsville.

Driver Rating: 91.6
Playoff Standings: 2nd
Previous Ranking: 3rd

8. Martin Truex Jr. – It was an adventure in Kansas, to say the least for Truex Jr. on a day that included flat tires and trips into the wall. But he did rally back from being laps down to post an impressive seventh-place finish all things considered.

Driver Rating: 96.1
Point Standings: 7th
Previous Ranking: 9th

9. Tyler Reddick – Another aggressive performance for Reddick who finished 10th and sixth respectively in the opening two stages. But things caught up with Reddick in the run to the checkered flag and it added up to him coming home 22nd in Kansas.

Driver Rating: 82.2
Point Standings: 12th
Previous Ranking: 8th

10. Joey Logano – His ninth-place finish cut his deficit below the Playoff cutline to 22. But Logano remains in a more than likely must-win situation this week at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4 in Phoenix.

Driver Rating: 95.4

Point Standings: 8th
Previous Ranking: 10th

Dropped Out: None



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