The NASCAR playoffs are here, which means it’s time for Team Penske to take the next step.In what has become an annual tradition, Roger Penske’s organization looks completely transformed as title up.Joey Logano cruised to victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway to take the top spot on lap 12 as teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric cruised through the early stages. Logano hasn’t had the best year, but the two-time champion clearly knows his way around. playoffs. The same can be said for Blaney, who gave it his all to win his first title in 2023.Here are our latest NASCAR rankings:
1. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 1Team no. 45 took a cautious approach on Sunday. Reddick, who just won the regular season championship, was happy to keep his car clean and save a day of highlights. He did so, finishing sixth after an extra tense time. The three-time road race winner is well positioned to qualify for the elimination stage.2.Bell is quietly the most in-form driver in the series after finishing fourth on Sunday. . He has three top-5 finishes, including a top-6 in five of his last six races. With a 40-point lead at the end, Bell is well positioned to start a run where he has never finished lower than eighth.
3. Kyle Larson
Last week: 2
This playoff system is ruthless – just ask Larson. He was No. 1, but a crash during Sunday’s first stage now puts him 10th in the rankings. Larson has no one to blame but himself for the crash, where he lost control of his car and crashed hard into the outside wall. Fortunately for team no. 5, have won at Watkins Glen twice in the last three years.
4. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 6Blaney’s third-place finish gives him eight top-five finishes this year, matching his total since 2023, when he won the title. Even after being involved in a crash late in the race, the number 12 was quick enough to regain his place on the track and eventually take the lead in the general classification.
5. William Byron
Last week: 5
A new place and nine stage points were enough to put Byron in a comfortable position for the play-offs. He has a 33-point lead at the starting line, tied with Reddick and behind only Blaney and Bell. Byron won at Watkins Glen last year, so all signs point in a positive direction for the No. 24.6. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 3
Atlanta was a weekend to forget from start to finish for Hamlin. He had engine problems in qualifying, with a lap more than two seconds off the best time. Sunday didn’t go much better, as he seemed content to be careful and avoid accidents. But the crashes did not happen and he was still caught in the spin-off incident, finishing 24th and placing only two points above the cut-off line.
7. Joey Logano
Last week: 8
Is it the magic of yesteryear? Logano reached the championship for the fourth time in every year since this playoff format began in 2014. Although it is not the best regular season, the 34-year-old veteran seems to have found a way in time. Logano still has a lot of work to do to make it in 2024, but his performance in Atlanta suggests it’s entirely possible.
8. Chase Elliott
Last week: 9
Elliott ran in the top 10 for most of the race, finishing seventh in Stage 1, eighth in Stage 2 and eighth in the series race solid The Georgia native had obviously enjoyed it more on his way home, but it was a much-needed finish after three straight top 10s.9. Ty Gibbs
Last week: 10
Gibbs was able to win his first race before a late-race caution. He lost the ensuing restart and dropped to 17th after leading 37 laps, putting him on the playoff bubble — just one point above the cutoff line heading into Watkins Glen.
10. Alex Bowman
Last week: Four eliminatedAmid rumors about his job security, Bowman had his best finish in almost two months. He crossed the line in fifth position and scored
NASCAR Power Rankings: Team Penske trio on the rise after dominant Atlanta race
NASCAR Power Rankings: Team Penske trio on the rise after dominant Atlanta race
