With one week to go before the championship, here are the Week 8 pit crew power rankings.
Joey Logano No. 22 crew, Team Penske
Rank: 1
Wins: 6-Daytona, Watkins Glen, Bristol, Charlotte, Kansas, Talladega
Notes: Wrecking on Lap 10 ended the chances of winning Sunday, but when the car got back on the track, it still needed pit stops — and the stops were fast. This group stays at No. 1 heading into Phoenix.
Kevin Harvick, No. 4 crew, Stewart-Haas Racing
Rank: 2
Wins: 3-Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dover
Notes: This team had great stops all day. There was a flat tire early in the race, but the crew nailed its pit stops to help keep Harvick in contention for a win and eventually a third-place finish. This group moves up from fifth to second in the rankings.
Carl Edwards, No. 19 crew, Joe Gibbs Racing
Rank: 3
Wins: 2-Charlotte, Darlington
Notes: This team was good but not exceptional. We’ve come to expect excellence out of this group and Sunday wasn’t it. The stops were fast but not fast enough to move up from No. 3 heading into Phoenix.
Kurt Busch, No. 41 crew, Stewart-Haas Racing
Rank: 4
Wins: 2-Richmond, Michigan
Notes: Kurt Busch finished seventh and that kept him in the hunt for Homestead. This is a top pit crew and come next week it will be on display. However, while Sunday was not bad, it just was not that good — dropping them two spots to fourth in the rankings.
Brad Keselowski, No. 2 crew, Team Penske
Rank: 5
Wins: 1-California
Notes: The No. 2 crew finally moves out of the sixth hole and into the top five. During all eight pit stops, they came in first and went out first. Can’t ask for more than that … except maybe a win.
Kyle Busch, No. 18 crew, Joe Gibbs Racing
Rank: 6
Wins: 4-Sonoma, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Indianapolis
Notes: This group did what it needed to do to finish fourth. It had some really fast stops during the day and a few that weren’t so fast. The ability is there but they need to get a little bit more consistent.
Jeff Gordon, No. 24 crew, Hendrick Motorsports
Rank: 7
Wins: 1-Martinsville
Notes: This unit was much better this weekend than last but still not good enough to move up from the seventh position. It has one more “free” weekend and then it’s Championship 4 time.
Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 crew, Furniture Row Racing
Rank: 8
Wins: 1-Pocono
Notes: This group had its best day by far on Sunday until the last run. The crew kept its driver up front all day with fast stops, but then a wheel that was apparently coming loose had the No. 78 drop back multiple stops before the end of the race.
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