If there wasn’t a clear divide before Sunday’s race at the Monster Mile between the trio of Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch and the rest of the Chase field, there certainly is now. Without further ado, let’s get to this week’s NASCAR power rankings.
NASCAR power rankings: Gulf widens between Kenseth, Johnson, Busch and everyone else
The gulf widens as Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch continue to distance themselves from the rest of the pack.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
1. Matt Kenseth (Last week: 1)
He said afterward he was “disappointed” with finishing seventh, an understandable sentiment when you consider his average running position was fourth and the two guys he’s fighting each cut into his points lead.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 3)
Johnson’s victory Sunday was his fifth on the year, which is pretty absurd when you consider that he has now won five or more races in eight of 12 seasons in Cup.
3. Kyle Busch (LW: 2)
In a testament to the level of competition in the Chase, Busch is third in points -- and actually fell a spot this week -- despite having finished no worse than fifth. This may explain his consternation post-race.
4. Kevin Harvick (LW: 6)
With a car that was too loose and pit stops that were a titch slow, gritty is the best way to describe the effort put forth by Harvick and the 29 team just to finish sixth.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 7)
Let’s just put an end to the conspiracy theories suggesting Earnhardt purposely let Johnson win Sunday. It’s not factual, not based on any logic and as Earnhardt’s emotions clearly conveyed afterward, he wanted that win as bad as any in his career.
6. Jeff Gordon (LW: 9)
A fourth at Dover vaulted Gordon to fourth in points, which underscores how just how big a gaffe he committed the week before at Loudon. Because using a conservative estimate, the pit road mistake cost him 15 points, which is enough to make Gordon a bona fide contender for the championship.
7. Carl Edwards (LW: 5)
Even before he broke a wheel hub, Dover was a struggle for Edwards. But the day turned downright disastrous for him after the mechanical failure as he finished 35th and tumbled to 11th in points. It seems inevitable now that Ford’s streak of not winning a championship will extend to nine years.
8. Greg Biffle (LW: 8)
A good but not great day at Dover nets Biffle a ninth-place finish. This in a way symbolizes his season, where more often than not he’s been solid yet unspectacular.
9. Kurt Busch (LW: 5)
After repeated issues on pit road this season, Furniture Row Racing made some drastic changes at Dover designed to propel Busch further up the running order. But those changes didn’t take. A loose wheel necessitated a green-flag stop, which when the yellow waved shortly thereafter trapped Busch a couple of laps down. Never able to recover, he finished 21st.
10. Ryan Newman (LW: 13)
Dover was a weird outing for Newman. He was very strong early then faded during the long stretches of green-flag racing, then rallied late to finish eighth.
11. Clint Bowyer (LW: 11)
Without that last caution Bowyer would have likely won, as he was the highest running driver who had enough fuel to make it to the checkered flag. Alas, the caution waved and Johnson won, while Bowyer finished 10th.
12. Joey Logano (LW: 15)
Quietly ran in the top 10 for almost the entire afternoon and then charged to finish third. It sure seems like Logano is up to the task of snagging another win or two before the season closes out.
13. Brad Keselowski (LW: 12)
Same song different verse, as once again the reigning Cup champion had a solid car only for bad luck to intervene. This time his misfortune was an oil leak and smoke emanating into the cockpit.
14. Jamie McMurray (LW: Unranked)
The highest non-Chaser in points, McMurray has finished fifth and 11th the past two weeks and heads to Kansas, a track where he was seventh in the spring. Don’t be surprised if McMurray finds Victory Lane before the year is out and snaps his three-year winless drought.
15. Kasey Kahne (LW: 14)
What can you say at this point? Through three Chase races Kahne hasn’t recorded a result better than 12th and is facing an uphill climb to finish in the top-10 in the year end standings.
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