Official Site Of NASCAR

NASCAR.com Power Rankings: Watkins Glen/Bristol

1
Team Penske

Keselowski had a career-high 25 top-10 finishes in 2015, nine of which were top fives. He already has 10 of the latter in 2016.

1
Joe Gibbs Racing

Busch led 192 laps in this race last year but finished eighth. He should have a good shot again this weekend, as long as he's happy with his car. He wasn't at Watkins Glen.


MORE: Busch frustrated -- 'I can't turn'

While he only has one win at Bristol, Harvick's 10 top-five finishes at the track rank second only to Matt Kenseth's 13 among active full-time drivers.

Busch has a whopping five wins at Bristol, his most at any track. Sure, they all came in 2006 or earlier, but he still knows how to get around the short track.

Logano, the race's defending winner, has the best average starting position (7.6) among active drivers.

Edwards won the spring Bristol race from the pole, leading a whopping 276 laps. Sweeping the season would be a great present to himself to cap off his birthday week.


MORE: Edwards at 37 -- through the years

2
Joe Gibbs Racing

Hot off his second win of the season, Hamlin comes into Bristol as the defending pole winner at a track where Toyota excels.

Kenseth was leap-frogged by his winning teammate (Denny Hamlin) here, but a third straight top-10 finish at Watkins Glen was impressive for the JGR driver.

Truex looked great at Watkins Glen until a run-in with Brad Keselowski in the closing seconds. It's not their first mixup.


MORE: No 'blood beer' for Truex and Co.

After missing the season's first eight races, Stewart has increased his position in the standings by an impressive 14 positions -- in just 14 races.

-3
Hendrick Motorsports

Johnson dropped three spots in the standings (here, too) and we now live in a world in which a retiring Tony Stewart looks like more of a title hopeful than a guy nicknamed Six-Time. 2016, man.


MORE: Knaus looking to right 48 ship

You'd think the fact that Newman and Tony Stewart (absent for eight races) have the same amount of top-10 finishes (seven) would bode poorly for the RCR driver, but he just keeps rising up the standings.

2
Hendrick Motorsports

Bristol tends to chew up rookies and spit them out. Elliott's top-five finish in his first attempt this spring begs to differ.

Larson crashed out of this Bristol race last year, got wrecked out of a top-five finish at Watkins Glen and his team got a written warning for failing pre-quaifying inspection twice. Things have been better in the No. 42 camp.


MORE: No. 42 team warned

-2
Richard Childress Racing

While Dillon's result at Watkins Glen was less than desirable, it wasn't all bad news for the young driver this week.


MORE: Dillon engaged to former NFL cheerleader

McMurray is teetering on the edge of the Chase Grid, but he needs a good run to solidify his standing.

The good news: Kahne is the last Chevrolet driver to win at Bristol. The bad news: That came more than three years ago.

Bayne has officially matched his career high in top-10 finishes. Wait, let me clarify. Bayne has as many top 10s this year as he does in the rest of his career -- combined.

-1
Hendrick Motorsports

Junior's 16,049 laps run at Bristol are most among active, full-time drivers. Unfortunately, he won't be adding to that total on Saturday night.

Buescher just needs consistent points at this ... point. With an average finish 5.5 spots higher than his average start at Bristol (in two races) he should continue moving the chains forward in the standings.