Power Rankings: Hamlin, Truex Jr. aim to make it in Martinsville after Miami mayhem
1 of 9
NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the Cup Series Playoffs drivers after the Round of 8 middle race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and before Sunday's elimination race at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
2 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
8. Chris Buescher (--)
Season-high: 2
Season-low: Out
Comment: It was a great load of fun while it lasted, but Buescher's playoff run appears to be coming to a close after a middling day at Miami left him with just 16 points after a P21. Never say never, of course, but with just one top 10 in the last five playoff races and just one top 10 in 16 total Martinsville starts, the prospect of him advancing to the Championship 4 with a win this weekend doesn't quite feel within reach.
3 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
7. Denny Hamlin (-4)
Season-high: 1
Season-low: 12
Comment: Hamlin sure has a way of always keeping it interesting, doesn't he? From one of the favorites to falling out of contention with a late crash at Miami, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver now heads to his home track below the elimination line, tied with his teammate — not to mention behind his employee in points — and facing yet another close-but-no-cigar season if he's to come up short Sunday. There's perhaps no track he'd rather have it all on the line for, though, as the native Virginian is masterful at Martinsville, with five wins and a top-five finish in more than half of his 35 career starts there.
4 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
6. Martin Truex Jr. (+1)
Season-high: 1
Season-low: 14
Comment: If there's a new way to lose a race, you can rest-assured Truex Jr. and crew chief James Small will find it. The bad luck, once again, continued for 2023's most snake-bitten driver, who ... was somehow also the Regular Season Champion despite this. His run to the Championship 4 is on its last legs entering the weekend. However, Truex has turned into one of the strongest short-track racers in the sport late in his career — three Martinsville wins from 2019-on, alone — so in theory, he should have a fighting chance to work his way into the Phoenix finale still vying for the title. That said, approximately 0% of his playoffs have gone according to how we all thought they would, so it's tough to say.
5 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
5. Tyler Reddick (--)
Season-high: 2
Season-low: 15
Comment: Reddick had an excellent day at Homestead, picking up exactly the same amount of points as race winner Christopher Bell ... only his result didn't come along with an automatic Championship 4 berth. In fact, he isn't even in position to advance — entering Martinsville 10 points below the elimination line. And unfortunately for him, it appears much more likely that his Toyota cohorts below the line with him have a much better shot to advance than he does. Martinsville ranks as one of Reddick's worst tracks, with one total top 10 (8th) in seven starts for a pedestrian 20.1 average finish.
6 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
4. Ryan Blaney (+2)
Season-high: 3
Season-low: 15
Comment: Alrighty, if there's a runner-up for worst luck of 2023, you're looking at him. Blaney looked set to ride his way into the Championship 4 with a Homestead win before a series of issues culminating in being rear-ended entering pit road sent him to a still-strong-but-ultimately-disappointing second-place finish. Blaney still has reasons to smile, however, as he did leave Miami with a plus-10 margin on the elimination line and now heads to his clear best track at Martinsville (9.5 average finish). He's got a great shot to advance, but we shall see. It's Martinsville with everything on the line, you know?
7 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
3. William Byron (-1)
Season-high: 1
Season-low: 14
Comment: Who's actually driving the No. 24 car right now? Because Byron sure is showing shades of Jeff Gordon and pouring it on when it matters most, compiling a ridiculous 4.17 average finish in the five races leading up to the Round of 8 finale. It's paid dividends as he ranks atop the points standings and enters Martinsville — a track he arguably has the best handle on of any driver right now — plus 30 over Reddick to advance.
8 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
2. Kyle Larson (-1)
Season-high: 1
Season-low: 11
Comment: Welp, so much for that momentum. Larson went from looking like he was going to go back-to-back to seeing his head of steam come to an abrupt stop metaphorically — and literally — after a face-to-face meeting with a set of barrels entering pit road at Homestead. Not much actually changes, and he has a shot to pick things back up at Martinsville, but it was enough to knock the wind out of his sails enough to drop him from the top spot here.
9 of 9
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
1. Christopher Bell (+3)
Season-high: 1
Season-low: 15
Comment: Man, it's time to really put some respect on Christopher Bell's name after he's now made the Championship 4 in consecutive years — and ahead of JGR's two supposed best shots at the title. Bell has had probably the strongest car under him throughout the playoffs and now has a one-race shot to win it all in fewer than two weeks' time. He's already shown how clutch he can be, and there are so many factors here to think that, at this moment, the championship goes through him.