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Denny Hamlin rides third Daytona 500 crown to top of Power Rankings powered by Mack Trucks
By Pat DeCola | Published: February 19, 2020 21
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NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 NASCAR Cup Series drivers after the Daytona 500 and ahead of the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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20. Christopher Bell (-1):
Comment: Bell now has his first Cup start -- a respectable 21st-place finish in the Daytona 500 -- under his belt and can now shift his focus to Las Vegas, a track at which he's averaged a finish of 5.2 with a pair of runner-ups in four Xfinity Series starts. Don't be surprised if he hits the ground running this weekend.
Comment: Bell now has his first Cup start -- a respectable 21st-place finish in the Daytona 500 -- under his belt and can now shift his focus to Las Vegas, a track at which he's averaged a finish of 5.2 with a pair of runner-ups in four Xfinity Series starts. Don't be surprised if he hits the ground running this weekend.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
19. Chris Buescher (NR):
Comment: Buescher notched one of his best-career finishes in Monday's Daytona 500, with his third-place result being the first top five he's mustered since 2018. He's yet to land a top 10 at Vegas, but has gotten the most out of his cars there lately with an average finish of 16.5 over the last four -- after starting 27th or 28th in all of them.
Comment: Buescher notched one of his best-career finishes in Monday's Daytona 500, with his third-place result being the first top five he's mustered since 2018. He's yet to land a top 10 at Vegas, but has gotten the most out of his cars there lately with an average finish of 16.5 over the last four -- after starting 27th or 28th in all of them.
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18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (+2):
Comment: Stenhouse led 24 laps from the Daytona 500 pole en route to a 20th-place finish -- but might actually have some more tricks up his sleeve this weekend. Las Vegas weekend was one of his best all last year, with his sixth-place finish in this race marking his second-best showing of the season.
Comment: Stenhouse led 24 laps from the Daytona 500 pole en route to a 20th-place finish -- but might actually have some more tricks up his sleeve this weekend. Las Vegas weekend was one of his best all last year, with his sixth-place finish in this race marking his second-best showing of the season.
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17. Matt DiBenedetto (+1):
Comment: DiBenedetto was 21st in each Las Vegas race last year, but he could be one to keep an eye on this weekend. With the Wood Brothers Racing entry being so closely aligned with Team Penske, DiBenedetto's results will likely mirror that of his Penske cohorts to a degree, and Vegas is a track that organization tends to excel at.
Comment: DiBenedetto was 21st in each Las Vegas race last year, but he could be one to keep an eye on this weekend. With the Wood Brothers Racing entry being so closely aligned with Team Penske, DiBenedetto's results will likely mirror that of his Penske cohorts to a degree, and Vegas is a track that organization tends to excel at.
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16. Aric Almirola (+1):
Comment: Almirola has just three top 10s in his career at Vegas -- all of which have come in the last four races. While he'll likely have a decent showing, a win is unlikely with just three laps led there for the veteran.
Comment: Almirola has just three top 10s in his career at Vegas -- all of which have come in the last four races. While he'll likely have a decent showing, a win is unlikely with just three laps led there for the veteran.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
15. Jimmie Johnson (+1):
Comment: While Johnson's dream of one final Daytona 500 win came up short (despite leading the field for three laps), perhaps he can rekindle some early-career magic at Vegas. The seven-time Cup champ once won three straight there and four of six, though he has just one top 10 since 2014.
Comment: While Johnson's dream of one final Daytona 500 win came up short (despite leading the field for three laps), perhaps he can rekindle some early-career magic at Vegas. The seven-time Cup champ once won three straight there and four of six, though he has just one top 10 since 2014.
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14. William Byron (--):
Comment: Byron exited the Daytona 500 way, way earlier than the rest of the field (thanks to a little help from Stenhouse) but a quick turnaround could be in order this weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports product led 21 laps in this race last year, the most he'd led on a non-superspeedway to that point in his career.
Comment: Byron exited the Daytona 500 way, way earlier than the rest of the field (thanks to a little help from Stenhouse) but a quick turnaround could be in order this weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports product led 21 laps in this race last year, the most he'd led on a non-superspeedway to that point in his career.
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13. Brad Keselowski (-1):
Comment: Speedweeks 2020 was a miserable experience for Keselowski -- with his 30 Daytona 500 laps led a brief glimmer of hope before a subsequent 36th-place finish -- who most certainly has his sights set on Vegas already. Thankfully for the 2012 champ it's one of his best tracks, with a P2 finish in this race last year and three trips to Victory Lane.
Comment: Speedweeks 2020 was a miserable experience for Keselowski -- with his 30 Daytona 500 laps led a brief glimmer of hope before a subsequent 36th-place finish -- who most certainly has his sights set on Vegas already. Thankfully for the 2012 champ it's one of his best tracks, with a P2 finish in this race last year and three trips to Victory Lane.
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12. Alex Bowman (-1):
Comment: Bowman has been pretty above average at Las Vegas in recent years, placing sixth last fall and averaging a 13.0 finish in four starts behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet.
Comment: Bowman has been pretty above average at Las Vegas in recent years, placing sixth last fall and averaging a 13.0 finish in four starts behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet.
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11. Kurt Busch (-2):
Comment: Will Busch eventually figure out his home track? Perhaps -- he's talented enough, for sure -- but he's had a rough go of it at Vegas throughout his career. He tends to start well (9.8 average start) but the results leave something to be desired (22.4 average finish).
Comment: Will Busch eventually figure out his home track? Perhaps -- he's talented enough, for sure -- but he's had a rough go of it at Vegas throughout his career. He tends to start well (9.8 average start) but the results leave something to be desired (22.4 average finish).
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
10. Clint Bowyer (+3):
Comment: Bowyer should relish his sixth-place Daytona finish, because he likely won't repeat it this weekend. The veteran has no wins at Vegas and just one top-10 finish since 2012.
Comment: Bowyer should relish his sixth-place Daytona finish, because he likely won't repeat it this weekend. The veteran has no wins at Vegas and just one top-10 finish since 2012.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
9. Ryan Blaney (+1):
Comment: Blaney has a strong chance to start the 2020 season on a hot streak after his runner-up Daytona 500 finish. Penske excels at Las Vegas, and Blaney has notched three top-five finishes in his last four races there for an overall average finish of 9.9 in his career.
Comment: Blaney has a strong chance to start the 2020 season on a hot streak after his runner-up Daytona 500 finish. Penske excels at Las Vegas, and Blaney has notched three top-five finishes in his last four races there for an overall average finish of 9.9 in his career.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
8. Erik Jones (+1):
Comment: Jones landed a pole at Vegas in 2018, but hasn't found much success there otherwise, with an average finish of 22.4. A prime candidate to break out in 2020, a turnaround could come this weekend but, perhaps, is not likely.
Comment: Jones landed a pole at Vegas in 2018, but hasn't found much success there otherwise, with an average finish of 22.4. A prime candidate to break out in 2020, a turnaround could come this weekend but, perhaps, is not likely.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
7. Chase Elliott (--):
Comment: Elliott's Las Vegas numbers look rough on paper (20.7 average finish) but dig a little deeper and he's actually been pretty strong there. In six races, he has three top 10s and three finishes of 34th or worse -- but the latter were all the result of unfortunate crashes.
Comment: Elliott's Las Vegas numbers look rough on paper (20.7 average finish) but dig a little deeper and he's actually been pretty strong there. In six races, he has three top 10s and three finishes of 34th or worse -- but the latter were all the result of unfortunate crashes.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
6. Kyle Larson (--):
Comment: You think Kyle Larson and most definitely the first track to come to mind is not Vegas ... but that might be due for a change. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has three top fives in his last five Nevada track races for an average finish of 5.4 during that span.
Comment: You think Kyle Larson and most definitely the first track to come to mind is not Vegas ... but that might be due for a change. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has three top fives in his last five Nevada track races for an average finish of 5.4 during that span.
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5. Joey Logano (--):
Comment: Logano is the defending race winner, and he's as good a bet as any to repeat. As previously established, Penske tends to be the team to beat there, and the 2018 champ has earned an average finish of 8.5 over his career.
Comment: Logano is the defending race winner, and he's as good a bet as any to repeat. As previously established, Penske tends to be the team to beat there, and the 2018 champ has earned an average finish of 8.5 over his career.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
4. Martin Truex Jr. (--):
Comment: Truex's 32nd-place finish to open the season will be far more the exception than the rule for 2020, and he should get back on track quickly this weekend. The Vegas fall winner has two victories in his last five races there, with a worst finish of eighth during that span.
Comment: Truex's 32nd-place finish to open the season will be far more the exception than the rule for 2020, and he should get back on track quickly this weekend. The Vegas fall winner has two victories in his last five races there, with a worst finish of eighth during that span.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
3. Kyle Busch (-1):
Comment: Busch once again came up short in his quest for a Daytona 500 crown, but maybe a search for his first hometown win in more than a decade will come to a close this weekend at Vegas. While he's been shut out of Victory Lane there since 2009, Busch has led a lap in all but four races since.
Comment: Busch once again came up short in his quest for a Daytona 500 crown, but maybe a search for his first hometown win in more than a decade will come to a close this weekend at Vegas. While he's been shut out of Victory Lane there since 2009, Busch has led a lap in all but four races since.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
2. Kevin Harvick (-1):
Comment: Harvick was one of a handful of big-name drivers to muster a solid finish in the Daytona 500 -- fifth -- and he should be able to keep it rolling this weekend at Vegas. The 2014 champ won this race two years ago and led a race-high 88 laps last year.
Comment: Harvick was one of a handful of big-name drivers to muster a solid finish in the Daytona 500 -- fifth -- and he should be able to keep it rolling this weekend at Vegas. The 2014 champ won this race two years ago and led a race-high 88 laps last year.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
1. Denny Hamlin (+2):
Comment: There's probably little debating at this point that Hamlin is the best superspeedway racer in the sport -- and a future Hall of Famer, despite no titles yet -- after his third Daytona 500 win in five years. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep that mojo going this weekend at Vegas, where he's yet to win, has one top 10 in his last four races and 18 total laps led in his career. My guess? Yep.
Comment: There's probably little debating at this point that Hamlin is the best superspeedway racer in the sport -- and a future Hall of Famer, despite no titles yet -- after his third Daytona 500 win in five years. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep that mojo going this weekend at Vegas, where he's yet to win, has one top 10 in his last four races and 18 total laps led in his career. My guess? Yep.