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Power Rankings: Ryan Blaney inching toward top five after Las Vegas near-win powered by Mack Trucks
By Pat DeCola | Published: February 25, 2020 21
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NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 NASCAR Cup Series drivers after the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and before the race at Auto Club Speedway.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
20. Bubba Wallace (NR):
Comment: Wallace has put together about as strong a start to the season as he could've hoped for, with a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas marking his best result since Indy. He's yet to finish better than 20th at Auto Club, but look for him to carry some momentum into the weekend.
Comment: Wallace has put together about as strong a start to the season as he could've hoped for, with a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas marking his best result since Indy. He's yet to finish better than 20th at Auto Club, but look for him to carry some momentum into the weekend.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
19. Kurt Busch (-8):
Comment: Busch has sputtered out of the gate to start 2020, but could find respite at Auto Club. Though he hasn't won there since 2003 and has no top fives since 2015, his seven such results historically rank him third among active drivers. His four poles are most among actives.
Comment: Busch has sputtered out of the gate to start 2020, but could find respite at Auto Club. Though he hasn't won there since 2003 and has no top fives since 2015, his seven such results historically rank him third among active drivers. His four poles are most among actives.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
18. William Byron (-4):
Comment: Byron hasn't seen much luck since winning his Duel at Daytona, but perhaps things will turn around in California. In two races at Auto Club -- both of which he started outside the top 20 -- he's notched two 15th-place finishes.
Comment: Byron hasn't seen much luck since winning his Duel at Daytona, but perhaps things will turn around in California. In two races at Auto Club -- both of which he started outside the top 20 -- he's notched two 15th-place finishes.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
17. Erik Jones (-9):
Comment: Jones is another with high 2020 expectations that haven't delivered yet, but he could contend this weekend at a strong track for Joe Gibbs Racing. The young driver was 19th there last year, but started fourth and finished seventh the season before.
Comment: Jones is another with high 2020 expectations that haven't delivered yet, but he could contend this weekend at a strong track for Joe Gibbs Racing. The young driver was 19th there last year, but started fourth and finished seventh the season before.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
16. Chris Buescher (+3):
Comment: Buescher is looking like he has a playoff car so far, and Fontana could be a good test. He was 16th last year, so a top 10 on Sunday could indicate good things ahead.
Comment: Buescher is looking like he has a playoff car so far, and Fontana could be a good test. He was 16th last year, so a top 10 on Sunday could indicate good things ahead.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
15. Austin Dillon (NR):
Comment: Dillon appears intent on making 2020 his best season yet, and he could keep it rolling this weekend. Last year's Busch Pole Award winner has two total at Auto Club Speedway and he's always seemed to handle NASCAR's bigger tracks better than most.
Comment: Dillon appears intent on making 2020 his best season yet, and he could keep it rolling this weekend. Last year's Busch Pole Award winner has two total at Auto Club Speedway and he's always seemed to handle NASCAR's bigger tracks better than most.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (+4):
Comment: Though he has just one top 10 at Auto Club -- fifth, 2016 -- it feels more likely than not with how he's running right now that Stenhouse adds a second one to his resume this weekend.
Comment: Though he has just one top 10 at Auto Club -- fifth, 2016 -- it feels more likely than not with how he's running right now that Stenhouse adds a second one to his resume this weekend.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
13. Matt DiBenedetto (+4):
Comment: Similar to Stenhouse, DiBenedetto's Auto Club history isn't exactly favorable, but a hot start to the season has us believing the possibilities are endless.
Comment: Similar to Stenhouse, DiBenedetto's Auto Club history isn't exactly favorable, but a hot start to the season has us believing the possibilities are endless.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
12. Jimmie Johnson (+3):
Comment: Sunday's race is Johnson's last scheduled event at his home track -- one of his best. The site of his first Cup Series win, Auto Club has been a boon for Johnson who has a series-best six trips to Victory Lane and a ridiculous 7.6 average finish.
Comment: Sunday's race is Johnson's last scheduled event at his home track -- one of his best. The site of his first Cup Series win, Auto Club has been a boon for Johnson who has a series-best six trips to Victory Lane and a ridiculous 7.6 average finish.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
11. Brad Keselowski. (+2):
Comment: Keselowski was competitive at Vegas and should be again this weekend. The only Ford driver to win at Auto Club since Matt Kenseth in 2009 -- he did it in 2015 -- Kes led 42 laps last year en route to a P3 finish.
Comment: Keselowski was competitive at Vegas and should be again this weekend. The only Ford driver to win at Auto Club since Matt Kenseth in 2009 -- he did it in 2015 -- Kes led 42 laps last year en route to a P3 finish.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
10. Clint Bowyer. (--):
Comment: Bowyer has an identical average start and finish -- 14.8 -- at Auto Club and has just one top 10 there since 2011. That said, it was a third-place finish in 2017.
Comment: Bowyer has an identical average start and finish -- 14.8 -- at Auto Club and has just one top 10 there since 2011. That said, it was a third-place finish in 2017.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
9. Alex Bowman (+3):
Comment: Bowman nearly pulled off his first win of 2020 at Vegas but had to settle for 13th after getting shuffled back on the final restart. He has no top 10s at Auto Club, and his best finish in four starts there was 13th in 2018.
Comment: Bowman nearly pulled off his first win of 2020 at Vegas but had to settle for 13th after getting shuffled back on the final restart. He has no top 10s at Auto Club, and his best finish in four starts there was 13th in 2018.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
8. Kyle Larson (-2):
Comment: Larson hung around the top 10 -- and often the top five -- all day on Sunday, something we'll likely see again this weekend. The 2017 Auto Club winner was also the 2018 runner-up.
Comment: Larson hung around the top 10 -- and often the top five -- all day on Sunday, something we'll likely see again this weekend. The 2017 Auto Club winner was also the 2018 runner-up.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
7. Ryan Blaney. (+2):
Comment: Ryan Blaney appeared set to be celebrating in Victory Lane before a late caution foiled his chances and instead saddled him with an 11th-place finish in Vegas. All three Penske cars finished in the top five at Auto Club last year, so another strong weekend appears to be in store.
Comment: Ryan Blaney appeared set to be celebrating in Victory Lane before a late caution foiled his chances and instead saddled him with an 11th-place finish in Vegas. All three Penske cars finished in the top five at Auto Club last year, so another strong weekend appears to be in store.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
6. Chase Elliott (+1):
Comment: Elliott swept the stages at Vegas before he had a tire go down and ruin his day (finished 26th). Despite just two top 10s in four Auto Club starts, his average finish there of 10.8 is third-best in the series.
Comment: Elliott swept the stages at Vegas before he had a tire go down and ruin his day (finished 26th). Despite just two top 10s in four Auto Club starts, his average finish there of 10.8 is third-best in the series.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
5. Martin Truex Jr. (-1):
Comment: Truex appeared to have a strong No. 19 on Sunday at Vegas, but a couple of issues derailed his race and he wound up 20th. The 2018 Auto Club winner led 125 laps from the pole and should be in the mix for the win this weekend.
Comment: Truex appeared to have a strong No. 19 on Sunday at Vegas, but a couple of issues derailed his race and he wound up 20th. The 2018 Auto Club winner led 125 laps from the pole and should be in the mix for the win this weekend.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
4. Kyle Busch (-1):
Comment: Busch is the defending Auto Club winner and always seems to be among the favorites for this race. The reigning champ was P3 with 62 laps led the year before and is one of two active drivers with multiple wins there (four).
Comment: Busch is the defending Auto Club winner and always seems to be among the favorites for this race. The reigning champ was P3 with 62 laps led the year before and is one of two active drivers with multiple wins there (four).
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
3. Denny Hamlin (-2):
Comment: Hamlin never really seemed to get it going at Vegas, but Auto Club could go a little better for the Daytona 500 champ. While he is winless at Auto Club in 18 tries, he does have three poles at the California track.
Comment: Hamlin never really seemed to get it going at Vegas, but Auto Club could go a little better for the Daytona 500 champ. While he is winless at Auto Club in 18 tries, he does have three poles at the California track.
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Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
2. Kevin Harvick (--):
Comment: Harvick had plenty of short-run speed at Vegas -- leading 92 laps across the race -- but couldn't close things out, finishing eighth. He was P4 at Auto Club last year, but had back-to-back runner-up results from 2015-16.
Comment: Harvick had plenty of short-run speed at Vegas -- leading 92 laps across the race -- but couldn't close things out, finishing eighth. He was P4 at Auto Club last year, but had back-to-back runner-up results from 2015-16.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
1. Joey Logano (+4):
Comment: Sunday's Vegas winner is ... almost always great at Auto Club, too. One bad finish in 2014 -- 39th -- is surrounded by six races with an average finish of 4.33. No wins, though. How about two in a row, Joe?
Comment: Sunday's Vegas winner is ... almost always great at Auto Club, too. One bad finish in 2014 -- 39th -- is surrounded by six races with an average finish of 4.33. No wins, though. How about two in a row, Joe?