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NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers after Michigan and before the race at Sonoma Raceway.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Rank: 20
Change: --
Comment: Stenhouse has never finished better than 18th at Sonoma, compiling a dismal 26.7 average finish. For a team looking to find its footing, it might have to wait until Daytona.
Rank: 20
Change: --
Comment: Stenhouse has never finished better than 18th at Sonoma, compiling a dismal 26.7 average finish. For a team looking to find its footing, it might have to wait until Daytona.
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Chris Trotman | Getty Images
Driver: Paul Menard
Rank: 19
Change: (Not ranked last week)
Comment: Menard is back to being 19th in points but will likely stumble back a bit this weekend. The veteran has just one top 10 in 11 starts at this weekend's venue, and it came in 2014.
Rank: 19
Change: (Not ranked last week)
Comment: Menard is back to being 19th in points but will likely stumble back a bit this weekend. The veteran has just one top 10 in 11 starts at this weekend's venue, and it came in 2014.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Erik Jones
Rank: 18
Change: -3
Comment: Jones desperately needs a spark to his season and it's not out of the realm of possibility it could come at Sonoma. His team performs well there as a whole and he led a lap and finished seventh in last year's race.
Rank: 18
Change: -3
Comment: Jones desperately needs a spark to his season and it's not out of the realm of possibility it could come at Sonoma. His team performs well there as a whole and he led a lap and finished seventh in last year's race.
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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Rank: 17
Change: --
Comment: Johnson has been mediocre the past two weeks after showing life at Kansas and Charlotte, but he could show out again this weekend. The Hendrick driver is one of just six active drivers with a Sonoma win, though it came in 2010.
Rank: 17
Change: --
Comment: Johnson has been mediocre the past two weeks after showing life at Kansas and Charlotte, but he could show out again this weekend. The Hendrick driver is one of just six active drivers with a Sonoma win, though it came in 2010.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Driver: Kyle Larson
Rank: 16
Change: +3
Comment: Larson will likely qualify well this weekend, as the two-time defending pole winner and only active driver with multiple poles. That said, he only led two laps last year so he's yet to do much with them (no top 10s in five starts).
Rank: 16
Change: +3
Comment: Larson will likely qualify well this weekend, as the two-time defending pole winner and only active driver with multiple poles. That said, he only led two laps last year so he's yet to do much with them (no top 10s in five starts).
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Driver: Ryan Newman
Rank: 15
Change: +1
Comment: Newman has just two Sonoma top 10s since 2008, and his 17 starts there without a win are most in the series.
Rank: 15
Change: +1
Comment: Newman has just two Sonoma top 10s since 2008, and his 17 starts there without a win are most in the series.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Driver: William Byron
Rank: 14
Change: --
Comment: Byron could stumble a little this weekend. He started eighth but finished 25th in last year's race, and has never finished in the top five in any road course event in any series.
Rank: 14
Change: --
Comment: Byron could stumble a little this weekend. He started eighth but finished 25th in last year's race, and has never finished in the top five in any road course event in any series.
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Driver: Clint Bowyer
Rank: 13
Change: -6
Comment: Bowyer in the No. 14 car (which won in 2016 with Tony Stewart) at Sonoma is the perfect recipe for him to have his signature 2019 moment. The veteran won there in 2012, owns the most top fives (eight) and has placed in the top 10 in seven of the last eight races there.
Rank: 13
Change: -6
Comment: Bowyer in the No. 14 car (which won in 2016 with Tony Stewart) at Sonoma is the perfect recipe for him to have his signature 2019 moment. The veteran won there in 2012, owns the most top fives (eight) and has placed in the top 10 in seven of the last eight races there.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Daniel Suarez
Rank: 12
Change: --
Comment: Suarez has been much better at Watkins Glen (two top fives in two starts) than Sonoma in the early part of his career, but after finishes of 16th and 15th in his first two tries at the California track a top 10 Sunday wouldn't be a shocker.
Rank: 12
Change: --
Comment: Suarez has been much better at Watkins Glen (two top fives in two starts) than Sonoma in the early part of his career, but after finishes of 16th and 15th in his first two tries at the California track a top 10 Sunday wouldn't be a shocker.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Aric Almirola
Rank: 11
Change: --
Comment: After never finding success at Sonoma through his first six starts, Almirola landed in the top 10 last year in his first start there with Stewart-Haas Racing. He could be one to watch this weekend.
Rank: 11
Change: --
Comment: After never finding success at Sonoma through his first six starts, Almirola landed in the top 10 last year in his first start there with Stewart-Haas Racing. He could be one to watch this weekend.
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Driver: Alex Bowman
Rank: 10
Change: +3
Comment: Bowman is kind of a sneaky-good road racer and is in the midst of a career breakout. He notched his first Sonoma top 10 last year and a top five -- or dare I say win? -- might be in play.
Rank: 10
Change: +3
Comment: Bowman is kind of a sneaky-good road racer and is in the midst of a career breakout. He notched his first Sonoma top 10 last year and a top five -- or dare I say win? -- might be in play.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Ryan Blaney
Rank: 9
Change: +1
Comment: Blaney placed ninth at Sonoma in 2017 but has had two clunkers in his other starts (23rd, 34th). Still, he's proven he's a capable road racer, as the most recent winner on one (Charlotte, 2018).
Rank: 9
Change: +1
Comment: Blaney placed ninth at Sonoma in 2017 but has had two clunkers in his other starts (23rd, 34th). Still, he's proven he's a capable road racer, as the most recent winner on one (Charlotte, 2018).
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Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Though he's yet to win there in 13 starts, Hamlin is almost always a contender at Sonoma. He's got three straight top 10s -- one of which was a runner-up finish.
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Though he's yet to win there in 13 starts, Hamlin is almost always a contender at Sonoma. He's got three straight top 10s -- one of which was a runner-up finish.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Kurt Busch
Rank: 7
Change: +2
Comment: Busch loves racing at Sonoma and it shows up in the numbers. He's got seven top fives and is one of just two active drivers with double-digit top 10s.
Rank: 7
Change: +2
Comment: Busch loves racing at Sonoma and it shows up in the numbers. He's got seven top fives and is one of just two active drivers with double-digit top 10s.
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Driver: Chase Elliott
Rank: 6
Change: -4
Comment: Elliott has bettered his starting and finishing positions in every Sonoma start of his career so far, resulting in a fourth-place finish last year. Don't forget he also picked up a win at Watkins Glen last August.
Rank: 6
Change: -4
Comment: Elliott has bettered his starting and finishing positions in every Sonoma start of his career so far, resulting in a fourth-place finish last year. Don't forget he also picked up a win at Watkins Glen last August.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Rank: 5
Change: +1
Comment: The defending winner of the race also won in 2013 and led a race-high 25 laps in 2017. If the No. 19 doesn't see the front of the field on Sunday it'll be a shocker.
Rank: 5
Change: +1
Comment: The defending winner of the race also won in 2013 and led a race-high 25 laps in 2017. If the No. 19 doesn't see the front of the field on Sunday it'll be a shocker.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Rank: 4
Change: +1
Comment: Harvick won this race in 2017 and led 35 laps last year en route to a runner-up finish. Sunday marks a good opportunity for win No. 1 for No. 4.
Rank: 4
Change: +1
Comment: Harvick won this race in 2017 and led 35 laps last year en route to a runner-up finish. Sunday marks a good opportunity for win No. 1 for No. 4.
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Rank: 3
Change: --
Comment: Though he finished third at Sonoma and he's a driver that is capable of popping off a win at any track, Kes has just two top 10s in nine starts there. Interestingly, he's got a 16.7 average start -- and finish.
Rank: 3
Change: --
Comment: Though he finished third at Sonoma and he's a driver that is capable of popping off a win at any track, Kes has just two top 10s in nine starts there. Interestingly, he's got a 16.7 average start -- and finish.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Joey Logano
Rank: 2
Change: +2
Comment: Coming off a dominant Michigan win, Logano should contend this weekend at Sonoma where he has two top fives in his last four starts. The Team Penske driver has only led three laps there since 2013, however.
Rank: 2
Change: +2
Comment: Coming off a dominant Michigan win, Logano should contend this weekend at Sonoma where he has two top fives in his last four starts. The Team Penske driver has only led three laps there since 2013, however.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Driver: Kyle Busch
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: It's only been one race since Busch last won, but the off week in between makes it feel like he's due for another. Sonoma marks a good spot for him, as the 2015 winner of the race and one of just two drivers with multiple wins there.
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: It's only been one race since Busch last won, but the off week in between makes it feel like he's due for another. Sonoma marks a good spot for him, as the 2015 winner of the race and one of just two drivers with multiple wins there.