Driver Ratings | Playoff Standings | Stage Points
MRN’s Pete Pistone unveils this week’s Power Rankings following the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway.
1. Kyle Busch – The season’s second seven-time winner, Busch tied Harvick for that honor with career Cup victory number 50 on Saturday night. He’s won six times at Richmond and can sleep well knowing the pressure is off at Charlotte this week with his advance to Round 2 of the playoffs.
Driver Rating: 110.8
Point Standings: 2nd
Previous Ranking: 3rd
2. Kevin Harvick – Big bounce back for Harvick after his disappointing start to the playoffs in Las Vegas. He was out front for 40 laps and closing in on the lead as the race wound down eventually running out of time but putting another second-place finish on the board.
Driver Rating: 115.2
Point Standings: 3rd
Previous Ranking: 4th
3. Martin Truex Jr. – The Furniture Row Racing driver has led the most laps at Richmond in four of the last five races but Truex Jr. is still winless. He was out front for 163 laps Saturday night but an uncontrolled tire penalty on pit road was his undoing.
Driver Rating: 103.1
Point Standings: 1st
Previous Ranking: 2nd
4. Brad Keselowski – His quest for four straight wins came up short but it was not from lack of effort. Keselowski led 67 laps and until he lost the top spot 37 laps from the finish appeared ready to keep the string alive. He faded back in the final stages of the race to finish ninth.
Driver Rating: 96.8
Point Standings: 4th
Previous Ranking: 1st
5. Kyle Larson – The defending Richmond fall race winner wasn’t really a factor in going back-to-back but Larson wasn’t terrible. He stayed inside the top 10 all night and took the checkered flag with a seventh-place performance.
Driver Rating: 95.9
Point Standings: 7th
Previous Ranking: 7th
6. Joey Logano – All Logano’s past Richmond success didn’t mean much Saturday night in a very atypical performance at the Virginia short track. He qualified 13th and finished one position back despite some pit strategy to try and gain track position.
Driver Rating: 93.8
Point Standings: 5th
Previous Ranking: 6th
7. Kurt Busch – Rough night for Busch in Richmond a track where he usually runs pretty well. Dropped from a top-five qualifying effort to come home 18th but is fortunately in decent shape in terms of the playoff picture and advancing to the second round.
Driver Rating: 97.0
Point Standings: 8th
Previous Ranking: 8th
8. Ryan Blaney – A surprisingly ineffective night in Richmond for Blaney who had speed early in the weekend as evident by his fourth-place starting spot. Things did not go right at all during the race and Blaney finished two laps off the lead in 19th place.
Driver Rating: 93.6
Point Standings: 12th
Previous Ranking: 5th
9. Chase Elliott – Back in the rankings and coming to life when needed as the playoffs roll on. Nice outing for Elliott Saturday night coming all the way back from the 18th starting spot to record an impressive fourth-place finish.
Driver Rating: 92.6
Point Standings: 9th
Previous Ranking: NR
10. Aric Almirola – He always seems to run well at Richmond and Almirola continued that trend on Saturday night. A very timely top-five run put the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is very good shape as the first round of the playoffs comes to an end at Charlotte.
Driver Rating: 86.0
Point Standings: 6th
Previous Ranking: NR
Dropped Out: Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer
