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Power Rankings: Coca-Cola 600 to Pocono
By Zack Albert, NASCAR.com | Published: May 29, 2018 21
Cindy Gonzalez | NASCAR Digital Media
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Cindy Gonzalez | NASCAR Digital Media
NASCAR.com's Zack Albert subs in for Pat DeCola this week and ranks the top 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers after the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and ahead of the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Jamie McMurray
Rank: 20
Change: (new)
Comment: Virtually no one could keep pace with Kyle Busch in Sunday's 600-miler, but Jamie McMurray raised eyebrows with one of his best efforts of the season. A solid sixth at Charlotte raised him four spots in the Monster Energy Series standings and back into the NASCAR.com Power Rankings fold.
Rank: 20
Change: (new)
Comment: Virtually no one could keep pace with Kyle Busch in Sunday's 600-miler, but Jamie McMurray raised eyebrows with one of his best efforts of the season. A solid sixth at Charlotte raised him four spots in the Monster Energy Series standings and back into the NASCAR.com Power Rankings fold.
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Robert Laberge | Getty Images
Driver: Paul Menard
Rank: 19
Change: +1
Comment: Menard finished where he started Sunday -- 14th -- in the Coca-Cola 600. While two straight top-15 finishes isn't a streak worth boasting about, it's an improvement over the three-race stretch that preceded it, with a trio of results of 24th or worse.
Rank: 19
Change: +1
Comment: Menard finished where he started Sunday -- 14th -- in the Coca-Cola 600. While two straight top-15 finishes isn't a streak worth boasting about, it's an improvement over the three-race stretch that preceded it, with a trio of results of 24th or worse.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Austin Dillon
Rank: 18
Change: -1
Comment: The No. 3 Chevrolet driver's defense of his win in NASCAR's longest race ran into early trouble with a significant scrape of the Turn 1 wall. The resulting 34th-place outcome prolonged the slump for Dillon, who's searching for his first top-10 finish since mid-March.
Rank: 18
Change: -1
Comment: The No. 3 Chevrolet driver's defense of his win in NASCAR's longest race ran into early trouble with a significant scrape of the Turn 1 wall. The resulting 34th-place outcome prolonged the slump for Dillon, who's searching for his first top-10 finish since mid-March.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Daniel Suarez
Rank: 17
Change: +1
Comment: A runner-up finish in the All-Star Race a week before fed optimism for the second-year driver, but an unscheduled pit stop left him in rally mode for an eventful 15th place. He'll look ahead to a milestone at Pocono -- his 50th start in NASCAR's top division.
Rank: 17
Change: +1
Comment: A runner-up finish in the All-Star Race a week before fed optimism for the second-year driver, but an unscheduled pit stop left him in rally mode for an eventful 15th place. He'll look ahead to a milestone at Pocono -- his 50th start in NASCAR's top division.
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Driver: Alex Bowman
Rank: 16
Change: --
Comment: One week after his 'No more Mr. Nice Guy' decree at the All-Star Race, Bowman assembled a methodical march from the 27th starting position to a top-10 place in the rundown. Next up is a re-connection with the Tricky Triangle of Pocono, where he hasn't raced at the Monster Energy Series level since 2015.
Rank: 16
Change: --
Comment: One week after his 'No more Mr. Nice Guy' decree at the All-Star Race, Bowman assembled a methodical march from the 27th starting position to a top-10 place in the rundown. Next up is a re-connection with the Tricky Triangle of Pocono, where he hasn't raced at the Monster Energy Series level since 2015.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Driver: Erik Jones
Rank: 15
Change: -1
Comment: Jones finished in the points in all three stages until a subpar pit-stall parking job and then an uncontrolled tire penalty hampered his momentum. Speed may cure all ills, but absorbing a 19th-place day with such a fast No. 20 entry stings.
Rank: 15
Change: -1
Comment: Jones finished in the points in all three stages until a subpar pit-stall parking job and then an uncontrolled tire penalty hampered his momentum. Speed may cure all ills, but absorbing a 19th-place day with such a fast No. 20 entry stings.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Rank: 14
Change: +1
Comment: The No. 17 bunch persisted in Sunday's test of endurance, finding a 10th-place reward at the end of the season's longest event. That effort made for the fifth top-15 finish in the last six races for Stenhouse and Co.
Rank: 14
Change: +1
Comment: The No. 17 bunch persisted in Sunday's test of endurance, finding a 10th-place reward at the end of the season's longest event. That effort made for the fifth top-15 finish in the last six races for Stenhouse and Co.
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Josh Hedges | Getty Images
Driver: Aric Almirola
Rank: 13
Change: --
Comment: Almirola's transition to Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 10 has been one of the season's top stories, but one thing lacking is a chapter with a top-five result. Sunday's 600 was the latest stanza for a driver who hasn't led since Daytona and still pines for another breakthrough.
Rank: 13
Change: --
Comment: Almirola's transition to Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 10 has been one of the season's top stories, but one thing lacking is a chapter with a top-five result. Sunday's 600 was the latest stanza for a driver who hasn't led since Daytona and still pines for another breakthrough.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Driver: Chase Elliott
Rank: 12
Change: --
Comment: Eight runner-up finishes without a win have been a source of frustration for Elliott, but the more recent alternative hasn't been any more palatable. The last three weeks have brought middling results of 12th, 12th and 11th.
Rank: 12
Change: --
Comment: Eight runner-up finishes without a win have been a source of frustration for Elliott, but the more recent alternative hasn't been any more palatable. The last three weeks have brought middling results of 12th, 12th and 11th.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Driver: Ryan Blaney
Rank: 11
Change: -1
Comment: The shows of speed have been pleasing, but Blaney's last two points-paying races have gone kablooey with early retirements. Next on the schedule is a welcome return to Pocono, site of his first premier-series victory just a year ago.
Rank: 11
Change: -1
Comment: The shows of speed have been pleasing, but Blaney's last two points-paying races have gone kablooey with early retirements. Next on the schedule is a welcome return to Pocono, site of his first premier-series victory just a year ago.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Rank: 10
Change: +1
Comment: A Stage 2 spin at Charlotte could have spelled catastrophe for the No. 48 bunch, but Johnson's good fortune and determined rally secured just his second top five of the season. The seven-time champ hopes for similar turnabout at Pocono, where he's failed to finish in three of the last four events.
Rank: 10
Change: +1
Comment: A Stage 2 spin at Charlotte could have spelled catastrophe for the No. 48 bunch, but Johnson's good fortune and determined rally secured just his second top five of the season. The seven-time champ hopes for similar turnabout at Pocono, where he's failed to finish in three of the last four events.
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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images
Driver: Kurt Busch
Rank: 9
Change: --
Comment: While his youngest brother romped to a dominant win, Kurt Busch harvested another consistent outing -- his second straight in eighth place. Single-digit finishes have become the norm of late for Busch, who stretched that streak to four in a row at Charlotte.
Rank: 9
Change: --
Comment: While his youngest brother romped to a dominant win, Kurt Busch harvested another consistent outing -- his second straight in eighth place. Single-digit finishes have become the norm of late for Busch, who stretched that streak to four in a row at Charlotte.
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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images
Driver: Kyle Larson
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Like Johnson, Larson managed another spin-and-salvage sort of day, recovering from a Stage 3 incident for another check in the top-10 column. He remains the highest-ranked Chevrolet driver on the list, but Victory Lane has been elusive thus far in 2018.
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Like Johnson, Larson managed another spin-and-salvage sort of day, recovering from a Stage 3 incident for another check in the top-10 column. He remains the highest-ranked Chevrolet driver on the list, but Victory Lane has been elusive thus far in 2018.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Clint Bowyer
Rank: 7
Change: -1
Comment: Since the high-water mark of his Martinsville win, it's been a mixed bag in the results column for Bowyer. Sunday's 12th place kept him in the thick of the top 10.
Rank: 7
Change: -1
Comment: Since the high-water mark of his Martinsville win, it's been a mixed bag in the results column for Bowyer. Sunday's 12th place kept him in the thick of the top 10.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Rank: 6
Change: +1
Comment: Sunday's 600 brought strides aplenty for Hamlin, who was one of a handful of drivers not named Kyle Busch who led laps. The third-place effort could buoy Hamlin for Pocono, where he's a four-time winner.
Rank: 6
Change: +1
Comment: Sunday's 600 brought strides aplenty for Hamlin, who was one of a handful of drivers not named Kyle Busch who led laps. The third-place effort could buoy Hamlin for Pocono, where he's a four-time winner.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Rank: 5
Change: --
Comment: A pair of pit-road peril spots were almost Keselowski's undoing in the 600. He missed his pit stall in the early going and make an unscheduled stop to tighten lugs in a later miscue. Sunday's silver lining came in the form of his first top-five finish since Auto Club Speedway in March.
Rank: 5
Change: --
Comment: A pair of pit-road peril spots were almost Keselowski's undoing in the 600. He missed his pit stall in the early going and make an unscheduled stop to tighten lugs in a later miscue. Sunday's silver lining came in the form of his first top-five finish since Auto Club Speedway in March.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Driver: Joey Logano
Rank: 4
Change: -1
Comment: Logano started second and was the only driver other than Kyle Busch to enter double digits in laps led. But slight damage trying to avoid Jimmie Johnson's spin and severe handling woes unraveled the Logano's consistent groove -- the 22nd-place result was his worst of the season.
Rank: 4
Change: -1
Comment: Logano started second and was the only driver other than Kyle Busch to enter double digits in laps led. But slight damage trying to avoid Jimmie Johnson's spin and severe handling woes unraveled the Logano's consistent groove -- the 22nd-place result was his worst of the season.
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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Rank: 3
Change: +1
Comment: Three straight top-five finishes have the No. 78 team on an upturn, coming on the heels of DNFs in three out of four races during an April to forget. If anyone is hoping to force their way into the Kyle Busch-Kevin Harvick wave of domination, Truex may be the next in line.
Rank: 3
Change: +1
Comment: Three straight top-five finishes have the No. 78 team on an upturn, coming on the heels of DNFs in three out of four races during an April to forget. If anyone is hoping to force their way into the Kyle Busch-Kevin Harvick wave of domination, Truex may be the next in line.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Driver: Kyle Busch
Rank: 2
Change: --
Comment: The No. 18 team's overpowering run in the Coca-Cola 600 stands as one of the most thorough performances of all time. While Kyle Busch remains second here to a season-long dominator Kevin Harvick, it's an ever-closer gap that now sits at a whisker-thin margin.
Rank: 2
Change: --
Comment: The No. 18 team's overpowering run in the Coca-Cola 600 stands as one of the most thorough performances of all time. While Kyle Busch remains second here to a season-long dominator Kevin Harvick, it's an ever-closer gap that now sits at a whisker-thin margin.
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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: It says something about your season when a 40th-place aberration doesn't derail your Power Rankings stature. The field may be slightly closer to the No. 4 after just his second DNF of the year, but it's still Harvick who can claim the best month of May and the bragging rights associated with the most trips to Victory Lane.
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: It says something about your season when a 40th-place aberration doesn't derail your Power Rankings stature. The field may be slightly closer to the No. 4 after just his second DNF of the year, but it's still Harvick who can claim the best month of May and the bragging rights associated with the most trips to Victory Lane.