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Power Rankings: Dillon off to quick start in RCR’s new era

By Pat DeCola | Published: 7 Feb, 2023 21

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austin dillon power rankings graphic

NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the 20 hottest NASCAR Cup Series drivers after the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum and before the Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Editor's Note: Plus/minus change is based on post-Phoenix rank from November 2022.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

20. Justin Haley (+4)

Season-high: 20

Season-low: 20

Comment: Haley enters the season as a primo sleeper, as a young driver with talent on a rising, hungry team. Only thing is, after topping qualifying and looking formidable in LA for the second straight year, there won't be anybody out there sleeping on him anymore.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

19. Aric Almirola (+4)

Season-high: 19

Season-low: 19

Comment: It's just one race weekend, but Stewart-Haas Racing as a whole looked noticeably better at The Clash than most of last year. That'll be huge for the veteran Almirola, looking for one final playoff run as his career winds down.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

18. Ryan Preece (Not ranked)

Season-high: 18

Season-low: 18

Comment: Arguably the biggest unknown entering the year, Preece delivered in his first race as a full-time driver with a premier organization -- coming very close to winning the race outright. If he's as strong in 2023 as he looked in the exhibition opener, consider him very much in the playoff mix.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

17. Austin Cindric (-2)

Season-high: 17

Season-low: 17

Comment: The No. 2 car had an eventful weekend in LA ... and was often facing the wrong way on the track after getting spun. Cindric was shut out of the top 10 at short tracks in his rookie season, however, and should be viewed as one of the favorites for when points are on the line soon as he defends his Daytona 500 crown.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

16. Chase Briscoe (-2)

Season-high: 16

Season-low: 16

Comment: Though he landed P15 on the results sheet, Briscoe looked sporty at The Clash and was the top-running Ford in practice (P3). Briscoe is positioned well for a true breakout year, so keep your eyes on him.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

15. Alex Bowman (+1)

Season-high: 15

Season-low: 15

Comment: Bowman looked strong all weekend, landing in the top five in practice, qualifying and the race. He's felt on the cusp of taking that next step up for a few years in a row, and it might be happening now.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

14. Daniel Suárez (-5)

Season-high: 14

Season-low: 14

Comment: The Clash was an unforgettable event, but it's one Suárez might try to keep in the past. He struggled to look better than a mid-pack car all weekend throughout practice, qualifying and the race, though it's obviously tremendously early, and Trackhouse set a high bar last year. Absolutely no reason to worry yet.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

13. Ryan Blaney (-3)

Season-high: 13

Season-low: 13

Comment: Blaney showed speed in his No. 12 Ford early in the weekend, landing in the top five in practice. The veteran wasn't able to find the front of the field in the main event, though, ahead of what could be a pivotal 2023 season for him.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

12. Austin Dillon (+7)

Season-high: 12

Season-low: 12

Comment: So much from the exhibition weekend can be taken with a grain of salt, but it's all we have to go on for now. Well, for what we have to go on with Dillon ... he sure looks like a 2023 contender, doesn't he? "Rowdy" dividends paying off already, perhaps.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

11. Kevin Harvick (+1)

Season-high: 11

Season-low: 11

Comment: Buckle up because Harvick's retirement season is going to be a ride. No. 4 is in clear championship-or-bust mode and isn't going to stop for anyone in his way, both figuratively and literally.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

10. Christopher Bell (-5)

Season-high: 10

Season-low: 10

Comment: Bell was shut out of the top 10 across practice, qualifying and the race, but no reason to panic here. Last season's playoff darling got off to a quiet start in 2022, too, and he wound up in the Championship 4.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

9. Tyler Reddick (-1)

Season-high: 9

Season-low: 9

Comment: Reddick outpaced his owner (Denny Hamlin) and new teammate (Bubba Wallace), finishing just outside the top five, in sixth. Pretty strong opening weekend for a driver that could make some serious noise in 2023.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

8. Martin Truex Jr. (+5)

Season-high: 8

Season-low: 8

Comment: In case you were wondering if he can still do it, he can still do it. After going winless in 2022, Truex Jr. showed us why he's still a force by taking command in the closing laps and winning The Clash. Is he JGR's best title contender?

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

7. William Byron (--)

Season-high: 7

Season-low: 7

Comment: Byron finished just inside the top 10 and appeared to be one of the stronger Chevrolet entries throughout the weekend, a trend we expect to continue this year. No. 24 looks finally ready to battle for a championship.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

6. Denny Hamlin (--)

Season-high: 6

Season-low: 6

Comment: Hamlin, as usual, was in the mix with the leaders at a short track and, as usual, was in the mix with the associated short-track drama with a minor brush-up with Ross Chastain. He'll continue to be viewed as a title contender until proven otherwise and will be looking for a fourth Daytona 500 win two weekends from now.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

5. Ross Chastain (-2)

Season-high: 5

Season-low: 5

Comment: Chastain looked every bit himself at The Clash -- which is a good thing -- as he looks to build off his breakout 2022 season. That aggression will pay off huge in 2023, maybe even as soon as the "Great American Race."

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

4. Chase Elliott (-2)

Season-high: 4

Season-low: 4

Comment: Elliott appeared to struggle with his car this weekend, uncharacteristically hovering around 20th in practice, qualifying and the race. Still, he's been a near fixture in the Championship 4 of late, and there's not a single reason to be concerned yet.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

3. Kyle Busch (+8)

Season-high: 3

Season-low: 3

Comment: Well, there you have it. Again, it's only one (exhibition) race, but Busch clearly looks like he hasn't lost a step at all and will be just as formidable in his RCR tenure. Could title No. 3 come with his new organization?

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

2. Kyle Larson (+2)

Season-high: 2

Season-low: 2

Comment: Now that there's a full season of Next Gen racing behind us, we should start to see things shake out a bit more as the elite drivers reestablish themselves as such -- and make no mistake, Larson is as elite as they come. He landed in the top five at The Clash, and he'll probably spend the majority of race weekends this year there, too.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

1. Joey Logano (--)

Season-high: 1

Season-low: 1

Comment: No, he didn't land in the top 10 at The Clash (or even the top 15 -- he finished P16), but Logano's straight-whooping of everyone at Phoenix for his second title is still very fresh in our minds. It's going to take a little more than a mediocre result in an exhibition race to knock him from his post. The No. 22 is positioned once again for greatness in '23.