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eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Power Rankings, Race 6 at Dover
By Steve Luvender and @nascarcasm | Published: April 29, 2020 22
1 of 22
William Byron
Rank: 1
Change: No change
@NASCARCASM: To be honest, barring some sort of catastrophe, I don't see William Byron ever getting knocked off the top spot of these power rankings. He's way too good at this. Sure, Alex Bowman somehow managed to win, but Byron led laps and finished sixth. Not to mention he was the highest-finishing No. 24 car of the race.
Rank: 1
Change: No change
@NASCARCASM: To be honest, barring some sort of catastrophe, I don't see William Byron ever getting knocked off the top spot of these power rankings. He's way too good at this. Sure, Alex Bowman somehow managed to win, but Byron led laps and finished sixth. Not to mention he was the highest-finishing No. 24 car of the race.
2 of 22
Timmy Hill
Rank: 2
Change: No change
STEVE LUVENDER: For the first time in the Pro Invitational Series, Timmy Hill didn't finish in the top three. Will he ever recover from finishing, uhh, 11th? Our virtual Magic 8-ball says probably.
Rank: 2
Change: No change
STEVE LUVENDER: For the first time in the Pro Invitational Series, Timmy Hill didn't finish in the top three. Will he ever recover from finishing, uhh, 11th? Our virtual Magic 8-ball says probably.
3 of 22
Ryan Preece
Rank: 3
Change: +1
@NASCARCASM: Last week, we left Richmond Raceway with one question: Would Ryan Preece be able to recover from being challenged to a fistfight by a guy wearing a giraffe costume? The answer was a resounding yes, as Preece finished in third place.
Rank: 3
Change: +1
@NASCARCASM: Last week, we left Richmond Raceway with one question: Would Ryan Preece be able to recover from being challenged to a fistfight by a guy wearing a giraffe costume? The answer was a resounding yes, as Preece finished in third place.
4 of 22
Landon Cassill
Rank: 4
Change: +2
STEVE LUVENDER: Landon Cassill competed in a 24-hour endurance race at Nurburgring with Parker Kligerman and Garrett Smithley on Saturday, then posted a top-five finish the next day at Talladega. Let's see somebody try that "double" in real life.
Rank: 4
Change: +2
STEVE LUVENDER: Landon Cassill competed in a 24-hour endurance race at Nurburgring with Parker Kligerman and Garrett Smithley on Saturday, then posted a top-five finish the next day at Talladega. Let's see somebody try that "double" in real life.
5 of 22
Garrett Smithley
Rank: 5
Change: +5
@NASCARCASM: Garrett Smithley continues to prove iRacing is his forte, finishing strong every week. Even at the unpredictable beast that is Talladega, Smithley finished fourth. He has also gone two straight weeks without Dale Earnhardt Jr telling him to "eat sh-t," which by all accounts speaks volumes to Smithley's skill.
Rank: 5
Change: +5
@NASCARCASM: Garrett Smithley continues to prove iRacing is his forte, finishing strong every week. Even at the unpredictable beast that is Talladega, Smithley finished fourth. He has also gone two straight weeks without Dale Earnhardt Jr telling him to "eat sh-t," which by all accounts speaks volumes to Smithley's skill.
6 of 22
Kyle Busch
Rank: 6
Change: +1
STEVE LUVENDER: Kyle Busch continues to improve every week with this whole iRacing thing. We'll continue to say he's going to win anytime now, and then when he finally pulls it off, we'll say, SEE! TOLD YOU!
Rank: 6
Change: +1
STEVE LUVENDER: Kyle Busch continues to improve every week with this whole iRacing thing. We'll continue to say he's going to win anytime now, and then when he finally pulls it off, we'll say, SEE! TOLD YOU!
7 of 22
Parker Kligerman
Rank: 7
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: There he is once again, Mr. Reliable himself. Parker Kligerman finished 16th -- his lowest finish yet in the series. But don't cancel Kligerman. He'll be back.
Rank: 7
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: There he is once again, Mr. Reliable himself. Parker Kligerman finished 16th -- his lowest finish yet in the series. But don't cancel Kligerman. He'll be back.
8 of 22
Alex Bowman
Rank: 8
Change: +9
STEVE LUVENDER: Talladega winner Alex Bowman's going to have to split this rating 50-50 with his dog, Finn, who has earned some driving credit this year. Technically, though, Bowman started the race, so that means no points go into the record for Finn. Darn those technicalities!
Rank: 8
Change: +9
STEVE LUVENDER: Talladega winner Alex Bowman's going to have to split this rating 50-50 with his dog, Finn, who has earned some driving credit this year. Technically, though, Bowman started the race, so that means no points go into the record for Finn. Darn those technicalities!
9 of 22
Denny Hamlin
Rank: 9
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: It is our hope and wish that we are able to complete this blurb about Denny Hamlin's day at Talladega before Taylor Hamlin accidentally turns off our monitor.
Rank: 9
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: It is our hope and wish that we are able to complete this blurb about Denny Hamlin's day at Talladega before Taylor Hamlin accidentally turns off our monitor.
10 of 22
Kurt Busch
Rank: 10
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Of course, Kurt Busch scored a top-10 finish at Talladega. He had a cougar in the car. I know it's real because I saw it on the Internet, where everything is true and factual.
Rank: 10
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Of course, Kurt Busch scored a top-10 finish at Talladega. He had a cougar in the car. I know it's real because I saw it on the Internet, where everything is true and factual.
11 of 22
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Rank: 11
Change: -3
@NASCARCASM: I'm going to admit that I tweeted, "OMG THE NO. 88 CAR WINS AT TALLADEGA," just so everyone who forgot Alex Bowman was in the car would give it a RT or like thus boosting my Klout score. Then I remembered Klout doesn't exist anymore. So I deleted the tweet. Anyways ... um, I don't think Earnhardt had a good day.
Rank: 11
Change: -3
@NASCARCASM: I'm going to admit that I tweeted, "OMG THE NO. 88 CAR WINS AT TALLADEGA," just so everyone who forgot Alex Bowman was in the car would give it a RT or like thus boosting my Klout score. Then I remembered Klout doesn't exist anymore. So I deleted the tweet. Anyways ... um, I don't think Earnhardt had a good day.
12 of 22
Brad Keselowski
Rank: 12
Change: +6
STEVE LUVENDER: Brad Keselowski was looking like a surefire contender at Talladega until contact from Brennan Poole sent him sliding into the infield grass, completing his transformation to Mad Keselowski.
Rank: 12
Change: +6
STEVE LUVENDER: Brad Keselowski was looking like a surefire contender at Talladega until contact from Brennan Poole sent him sliding into the infield grass, completing his transformation to Mad Keselowski.
13 of 22
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Rank: 13
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: I know his reputation at superspeedways isn't that sterling amongst his competitors, but I don't care. When we're at Talladega or Daytona International Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the most exciting guy to watch. He doesn't care if he makes you mad. I'd do the same. I mean, after a long and exhausting season, the last thing I'd want to do is open and read a bunch of Christmas cards, too.
Rank: 13
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: I know his reputation at superspeedways isn't that sterling amongst his competitors, but I don't care. When we're at Talladega or Daytona International Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the most exciting guy to watch. He doesn't care if he makes you mad. I'd do the same. I mean, after a long and exhausting season, the last thing I'd want to do is open and read a bunch of Christmas cards, too.
14 of 22
John Hunter Nemechek
Rank: 14
Change: -5
STEVE LUVENDER: The guy with the longest name led the most laps at the longest track. Makes you think.
Rank: 14
Change: -5
STEVE LUVENDER: The guy with the longest name led the most laps at the longest track. Makes you think.
15 of 22
Matt DiBenedetto
Rank: 15
Change: +1
@NASCARCASM: This week, Matt DiBenedetto was dressed normally. He was not without pants, nor was he in a giraffe costume. This is odd because if there's one place you expect to see a guy walking around without pants or in a giraffe costume, it's Talladega.
Rank: 15
Change: +1
@NASCARCASM: This week, Matt DiBenedetto was dressed normally. He was not without pants, nor was he in a giraffe costume. This is odd because if there's one place you expect to see a guy walking around without pants or in a giraffe costume, it's Talladega.
16 of 22
Daniel Suarez
Rank: 16
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Daniel Suarez has been posting lots of photos of his cool new truck. We've mostly included him in our rankings this week because we want a ride in it. (And, OK, maybe because he earned a solid top-10 finish at Talladega.)
Rank: 16
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Daniel Suarez has been posting lots of photos of his cool new truck. We've mostly included him in our rankings this week because we want a ride in it. (And, OK, maybe because he earned a solid top-10 finish at Talladega.)
17 of 22
Tyler Reddick
Rank: 17
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: You didn't hear Tyler Reddick's name much on Sunday. At Talladega, that's not always a bad thing. Usually if you hear your name at Talladega, it's because you're up front or because you're the reason why 16 race cars are going home in 76 different pieces. Good place to just lay low.
Rank: 17
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: You didn't hear Tyler Reddick's name much on Sunday. At Talladega, that's not always a bad thing. Usually if you hear your name at Talladega, it's because you're up front or because you're the reason why 16 race cars are going home in 76 different pieces. Good place to just lay low.
18 of 22
Corey LaJoie
Rank: 18
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Corey LaJoie claims that despite qualifying on pole and coming up a few hundredths of a second short of winning in his debut race at Talladega Superspeedway, he's still selling his iRacing rig. I suppose if he quits now with such an impressive record, he might be forever revered as the greatest iRacer who never was.
Rank: 18
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Corey LaJoie claims that despite qualifying on pole and coming up a few hundredths of a second short of winning in his debut race at Talladega Superspeedway, he's still selling his iRacing rig. I suppose if he quits now with such an impressive record, he might be forever revered as the greatest iRacer who never was.
19 of 22
Jimmie Johnson
Rank: 19
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: Whenever you see Jimmie Johnson on this list, it's for his persistence. It's because week in and week out, he shows up and gives it his all. How do his races go? You'll see the No. 48 car in incidents you expect to be preceded with "JOHNNY KNOXVILLE AND WELCOME TO JACKASS." Again, persistence.
Rank: 19
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: Whenever you see Jimmie Johnson on this list, it's for his persistence. It's because week in and week out, he shows up and gives it his all. How do his races go? You'll see the No. 48 car in incidents you expect to be preceded with "JOHNNY KNOXVILLE AND WELCOME TO JACKASS." Again, persistence.
20 of 22
Christopher Bell
Rank: 20
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Christopher Bell is known as a racer who's awfully versatile, even when the track isn't made out of asphalt. Dover's concrete surface bodes well for Bell, in that case.
Rank: 20
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: Christopher Bell is known as a racer who's awfully versatile, even when the track isn't made out of asphalt. Dover's concrete surface bodes well for Bell, in that case.
21 of 22
So close
This week, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Erik Jones and Bobby Labonte didn't quite make the cut for our top 20. And, yeah, it's a little weird they're teammates considering Labonte is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and started 105 Cup Series races and won an Xfinity Series championship before Jones was even born. Really.
This week, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Erik Jones and Bobby Labonte didn't quite make the cut for our top 20. And, yeah, it's a little weird they're teammates considering Labonte is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and started 105 Cup Series races and won an Xfinity Series championship before Jones was even born. Really.
22 of 22
NASCAR.com's finest contributors (they insisted we write that), @nascarcasm and Steve Luvender break down the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series field heading into the "Monster Mile" of Dover International Speedway on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX/FS1).