For all the chaos in the final laps of last weekend’s road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson emerged with another strong finish, keeping him atop the NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings.
Nine of the top 10 spots changed in this week’s rankings changed after the Indy race. Matt DiBenedetto climbs into the top 10 this week.
NASCAR Power Rankings after Indianapolis
1. Kyle Larson (Last time: No. 1) — Seemed headed for his sixth points win of the season until a late caution. Had to settle for third place. That marks his ninth top-three finish in the last 13 points races. He’s in sole possession of the points lead with two races left in the regular season.
2. Denny Hamlin (Last time: No. 3) — After the chaos from the late cautions, he was in position to win his first race of the season until Chase Briscoe, who had been penalized moments earlier by NASCAR, turned him as they headed toward the white flag. Hamlin finished 23rd. He led 27 laps on Sunday, second only to Larson’s 28 laps led.
3. Chase Elliott (Last time: No. 4) — His fourth-place finish is his eighth top-five result in the last 14 races. He has finished no worse than fourth in the last five road course races.
4. Kyle Busch (Last time: No. 2) — He was running fifth before he was collected in the chaos with the Turn 6 curb (Lap 78). He went on to finish 20th. It is only the third time in the last 10 races that he’s finished outside the top 10.
5. Ryan Blaney (Last time: No. 9) — His runner-up finish is his fifth top-10 result in the last seven races.
6. Christopher Bell (Last time: No. 5) — Among those who saw his race end early because of the Turn 6 curb. That snapped his streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes.
7. Kurt Busch (Last time: No. 8) — His sixth-place finish is his third top 10 in the last five races.
8. Alex Bowman (Last time: No. 6) — Finished 17th at Indy. He was 20th the previous weekend at Watkins Glen. Marks the first time since May he’s had back-to-back finishes outside the top 10.
9. Martin Truex Jr. (Last time: No. 7) — Turn 6 curb got him and led to a 15th-place finish.
10. Matt DiBenedetto (Last time: Unranked) — He finished fifth at Indy. That is his fifth finish of 11th or better in the last five races.
Dropped out: Kevin Harvick (Last time: No. 10)