NASCAR Team Power Rankings: STP 500 Edition

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March 24, 2017; Fontana, CA, USA; NASCAR cup driver Daniel Suarez (19) during qualifying for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 7 – Joe Gibbs Racing

Previous Week: N/A
Auto Club Results: Daniel Suarez (7th), Kyle Busch (8th), Denny Hamlin (14th) and Matt Kenseth (36th)

Coming into the season JGR was marked as the team to beat in NASCAR and when the season is over that could very well be the case. However, after five races JGR is not the team to beat on a weekly basis. In a combined 20 finishes this season, JGR has nine finishes outside of the top-20, six of them between Matt Kenseth and Daniel Suarez.

Kenseth is currently the weakest link on the team though. Despite starting his NASCAR career with three finishes of 20th or worse, Suarez has a pair of 7th-place finishes in his last two starts. Kenseth on the other hand has a pair of top-10’s this season paired with three finishes of 36th or worse. Through five races Kenseth has been the perfect example of hit or miss.

On the other side of the team Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have been a touch more consistent. Although JGR isn’t clicking on all cylinders right now, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if over the next five races two or three of them pick up wins and they are once again the top team in the sport. When it comes to Martinsville this week, all of them finishing inside of the top-20 would be a good place to start.

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