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NASCAR.com Power Rankings: Pocono/Watkins Glen

While he hasn't won since Phoenix, Harvick's 12 top-10 finishes in his last 15 races are remarkable, especially considering two of the three races that didn't result in one came at restrictor-plate tracks.

1
Team Penske

Keselowski may have won had the race gone the full length, but he'll continue to have shots if he's leading laps as he has in the past five races.

-1
Joe Gibbs Racing

With a pair of top-two finishes at Watkins Glen in the past three years (one of which was a win in 2013), Busch's recent road course prowess should get him back to looking dominant this weekend.

After a couple of down races at Loudon and Indy (22nd and 16th), Busch landed back in the top 10 at Pocono.

Apart from Kyle Larson's 8.0 average finish in just two races, Edwards' 8.4 mark in 11 Watkins Glen starts is best in the series.

Tough break at Pocono after a run-in with the No. 24, but Logano is the defending Watkins Glen winner and should rebound.


More: Logano, Elliott wreck at Pocono

Pocono didn't go well for Kenseth, who may slip again next week with just six top-10 finishes in 16 starts at Watkins Glen.

0
Hendrick Motorsports

This tends to be the part of the season we see a swoon from the No. 48 team. With just one top-10 from Pocono to Pocono, 2016 is no different.

1
Joe Gibbs Racing

Hamlin may have lost his way for a bit, but his three-straight top 10s suggest he may have righted the ship.

At some point, Truex's luck has to take a turn for the better, right? The No. 78 team looks great every week -- until it doesn't, by some fluke.


More: Truex hit with more bad luck

"Smoke" remains hot after another top-five finish at Pocono. And guess what? Watkins Glen is his best track on the circuit, with five wins at the road course.

The Larsonaissance continued at Pocono, where for a bit of time it looked like he'd be picking up his first Sprint Cup victory, not Chris Buescher.

0
Richard Childress Racing

Like Larson, Dillon showed up at Pocono -- we'll know if he's for real if it continutes at WGI, where the Richard Childress Racing driver has an average finish of 26.0 in two starts.

Newman followed two top 10s with two non-top 10s, but hey, it sounds like he could be back with RCR next year.


More: Newman on future with RCR

-4
Hendrick Motorsports

Elliott's downturn continued at Pocono after getting into it with Joey Logano. To make matters worse, he has a pretty steep debt to pay off to a fellow rookie.


More: Does Elliott owe Blaney dinner?

While his top 10s are few and far between, McMurray has finished in the top 20 in eight of his last 10 starts.

With Kahne battling for a Chase spot, he can't afford to repeat last year's 42nd-place result at Watkins Glen. With 40 cars in the field, he has a good shot.

-1
Hendrick Motorsports

Still no official word on Earnhardt's return, but his symptoms have at least "plateaued." Meanwhile, he continues to drop in the rankings (and standings).


More: Junior provides health update

Blaney has had more bad days than good ones lately, but his second 11th-place finish in three races put him back in the Chase mix.

Last season's XFINITY Series champ appeared in these Power Rankings in the preseason, but this win was unexpected. If Buescher can get into the top 30 in points, it'll have huge Chase implications.


More: Buescher wins first career race