NASCAR power rankings: Truex surpasses Johnson, Harvick to grab No. 1 spot

Even though he was coming off a victory a week ago, Martin Truex Jr. remained third in the power rankings because the guys ahead of him in the rankings had done nothing to indicate they weren’t deserving of the top two positions. That justification is no longer applicable following Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Although Truex didn’t make back-to-back trips to the winner’s circle, he did finish third. Meanwhile Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick, who have consistently ranked ahead of Truex throughout the season, each stumbled, allowing for a new No. 1 to emerge.

NASCAR Power Rankings

1. Martin Truex Jr. (Last week: 3)

With a third-place finish, the impressiveness of Truex through the 15 races is now taking on a historical scope. As only Richard Petty in 1969 has ever started a year with as many top-10s. That Truex has placed himself in rarified company alongside NASCAR royalty further demonstrates why, despite having fewer wins than Johnson and Harvick, he is worthy of this ranking.

2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 1)

Contact that slightly damaged the No. 48’s left rear required extra time on pit road and trapped Johnson a lap down. And in a rain-shortened event, there simply wasn’t enough time to recoup the lost track position. He finished 19th, just the second time he’s been worse than third in the past nine races.

3. Kevin Harvick (LW: 2)

Were it not for a broken valve that caused his right front tire to go flat, Harvick would’ve certainly been in the mix for another top-two finish. As it were, though leading a race-high 63 laps, he ended up 29th with rain impeding any sort of comeback.

4. Kurt Busch (LW: 4)

When rain cuts a race short often the perception is that a driver may have stolen a win. But while Kurt Busch wasn’t dominate Sunday, he was certainly a deserving victor. In a backup car after a crash in practice Friday, he quickly advanced towards the front and would’ve been a challenger even if a thunderstorm hadn’t rolled in. Winning races is about putting oneself in position and Busch and the No. 41 did just that.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 6)

Yes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second to Kurt Busch Sunday, but that’s not even close to biggest news involving Earnhardt this week. But in case you’re living under a rock -- a rock is exactly what NASCAR’s most popular driver gave girlfriend Amy Reimann Wednesday while the couple was vacationing in Germany.

6. Joey Logano (LW: 5)

Whereas the week before he had to start in the back following a pre-race penalty for a transmission change, then later sped on pit road, Joey Logano needed to overcome running out of gas on Sunday. But he did just that to score his second straight top-five (fifth) finish.

7. Matt Kenseth (LW: 7)

Michigan was good weekend all around for Matt Kenseth and family. On Friday, son Ross recorded his first ARCA Series victory and first on a speedway. Matt followed by finishing fourth Sunday. And the positive vibes continue with Ross set to make his first Xfinity Series start Saturday night at Chicagoland. And the 22-year-old will be driving for the same team and with the same sponsor and car number as his father.

8. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10)

Michigan provided a much-needed good run (sixth), as the result was Brad Keselowski’s best since the beginning of April when he netted a fifth at Texas. And although the gap between the Hendrick-powered Chevrolets and Penske’s Fords remains distinct, Keselowski was one of the few who looked capable of keeping pace with Harvick during the latter stages.

9. Jamie McMurray (LW: 9)

Quietly, Jamie McMurray keeps knocking out top-10s on a near-weekly basis. His latest, a seventh on Sunday that marks the third straight he’s finished in that very position and keeps him, yep, seventh in the points standings.

10. Denny Hamlin (LW: 8)

Putting together a complete race from green flag to checker has been an issue for the No. 11 team this season. An issue that was again evident at Michigan, as Denny Hamlin went from falling well behind in the beginning (he fell to 31st) to finishing respectably (11th).

11. Carl Edwards (LW: Unranked)

The finish (12th) isn’t indicative of how strong Carl Edwards ran. He led the second-most laps (41) and would’ve been higher in the order had crew chief Darian Grubb not gambled and waited to pit during a Lap 126 caution for debris hoping for the impending storm to hit. Still, this is the best Edwards has looked since nearly winning Bristol, and that includes last month’s win at Charlotte, which came by way of fuel mileage and not performance.

12. Kasey Kahne (LW: 12)

Though winless, Kasey Kahne keeps doing enough every week to maintain a high enough points ranking (ninth) to be in the mix for a Chase for the Sprint Cup wildcard spot. Of course, that’s predicated on there not being enough winners to fill out the field. Which is a tenuous proposition considering the number of high-profile stars who are without a victory with nine regular season races remaining.