Wild Sonoma jostles NASCAR power rankings

Great racing. Hurt feelings. Vows of revenge. Beaten and battered cars. And a worthy victor standing in the winner’s circle on a leg and foot he badly injured just months prior. As if there wasn’t any lack of intrigue in the first road course of the season Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

NASCAR Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson (Last week: 2)

Had no caution come out with 10 laps remaining, Jimmie Johnson in all likelihood would’ve won his fifth race of 2015. As it were, when the rear axle broke off Casey Mears’ car necessitating a yellow flag, it put the No. 48 team in a no-win position. If Johnson stopped, many others wouldn’t, burying him in traffic. Thus, the only call was to stay out and hope those with fresher tires couldn’t get to him. But a great restart by Busch and Clint Bowyer, both of whom who pitted, sealed Johnson’s fate. He finished sixth.

2. Kevin Harvick (LW: 3)

With how stellar Kevin Harvick has been in 2015, him failing to lead a lap (just the second time all season) and finishing fourth does seem a tad unfulfilling. Then again, that also reinforces how magnificent of a year the defending series champion is putting forth.

3. Kurt Busch (LW: 4)

With the Busch brothers having competed together in NASCAR’s top division since 2005 and regularly challenging for wins, it seems unfathomable that they had never finished 1-2 before Sunday. A great hypothetical: How would Kurt Busch have raced Kyle Busch had he managed to catch his younger brother? Because of the circumstances surrounding Kyle and him missing 11 races with injuries, would Kurt have cut him some slack? Or, with a victory on the line would Kurt not hesitate to use his bumper to shove Kyle aside?

4. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 1)

David Ragan is known for being a nice guy, but don’t go thinking you can muscle him around on the track. A lesson Martin Truex Jr. now knows firsthand. After being inadvertently nudged by Truex, Ragan’s response was to clip the No. 78, which sent Truex spinning into the tire barriers. Ragan was unapologetic afterward, while Truex hinted at payback.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 5)

In the first 14 races Dale Earnhardt Jr. started at Sonoma, not once did he finish inside the top-10. Yet in the past two events, he’s placed seventh and third. So what’s prompted the turnaround? Earnhardt cites the new Chase for the Sprint Cup format that rewards drivers who’ve already won by allowing them to be aggressive. Accordingly, he now approaches road courses with a carefree attitude and not concerned with being mindful of doing anything that may cost him points due and a potential playoff spot:

6. Joey Logano (LW: 6)

To give his crew chief and engineers a feel for what is a unique and challenging circuit, Joey Logano wheeled them around the track on Saturday pointing out the nuances. The tactic worked, as he recorded his best-ever finish (fifth) at Sonoma in seven career starts.

7. Matt Kenseth (LW: 7)

Sonoma is Matt Kenseth’s worst track, but the weekend appeared promising after a third-place effort in qualifying and a solid uneventful day for the first 103 laps on Sunday. Except the race had a scheduled distance of 110 laps. And on a restart with seven to go, he was victimized by an aggressive Bowyer, who body-slammed the No. 20 car and flattened Kenseth’s tire. He fell to 21st.

8. Jamie McMurray (LW: 9)

Going with the same strategy as Johnson, Jamie McMurray didn’t stop during the final caution. And like Johnson, he was a sitting duck on the ensuing restart as those behind him on new tires quickly went around. Nonetheless, an 11th-place finish keeps McMurray in sound points position (seventh) to make the Chase for the first time.

9. Brad Keselowski (LW: 8)

As good as he is at Watkins Glen (three runner-up finishes), Brad Keselowski just can’t get a handle on Sonoma, which is the more technical of the Sprint Cup Series’ two road courses. That continued Sunday, as his average running position was the same as where he finished, 19th.

10. Kasey Kahne (LW: 12)

An eighth keeps Kasey Kahne solidly in the top-10 in points and if need be, in position to grab a Chase wildcard bid if he cannot win over the next 10 races. That said, Busch winning Sunday is some cause for concern as it means one less available spot to non-winners if the Joe Gibbs Racing driver can climb above 30th in the standings.

11. Denny Hamlin (LW: 10)

Similar to many, Sonoma is a weekend just to endure for Denny Hamlin. And that’s what he did by finishing 18th with a car in one piece and avoiding becoming entangle in any of the contentiousness associated with close quarters racing.

12. Kyle Busch (LW: Unranked)

He may have only started five races this season -- and crashed out twice -- but it doesn’t matter. On a track where one slip can put you in the gravel, Busch was superb in winning. He never turned the wheel wrong and deftly toed the line between patient and aggressive depending upon what the situation called for. Particularly so over the final laps when he doggedly hunted down Johnson, then held off his brother for the victory.