IndyCar: Driver Power Rankings After Texas

[Last Race: 8th (+3)] — No driver has been more inconsistent this season than Will Power. In all four of the races in which he has not finished in 13th place or lower, he has finished on the podium. Two of those four results have been wins, and he is just one of two drivers who have won multiple races so far this season. In the five races in which he hasn’t finished on the podium, he has had bad results, all of which being 13th place or lower.. No. 12. Team Penske, Chevrolet. WILL POWER. #5

#4. [Last Race: 4th (-)] — The start of the 2017 season for Graham Rahal looked like his awful 2013 and 2014 seasons as opposed to his fantastic 2015 and 2016 seasons. But he is now on a three-race streak of top 4 finishes, including two victories at Belle Isle. As the first of currently just two winners of multiple races so far this season, Rahal is just 43 points out of the lead of the championship standings and has been closing in on that lead race after race.. No. 15. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda. GRAHAM RAHAL

[Last Race: 2nd (-1)] — Takuma Sato was involved in the final crash at Texas while running in 3rd place, but since so many other cars wrecked before him, he still finished in 10th place for his fourth straight finish inside the top 10, something he has never done before in his IndyCar career. Since Scott Dixon also crashed, Sato lost hardly any ground in the championship standings as well, and he continues to look like a legitimate championship contender because of it.. No. 26. Andretti Autosport, Honda. TAKUMA SATO. #3

#2. [Last Race: 6th (+4)] — Simon Pagenaud really appears to have come into his own on oval tracks. His 3rd place finish at Texas was his third top 4 finish at the track in the past four races there and his fourth top 6 finish in six races there. Couple that 3rd place finish with his first career oval victory at Phoenix earlier this season and you get a driver that is really, really good on ovals as well as road and street courses and is a legitimate championship contender because of it.. No. 1. Team Penske, Chevrolet. SIMON PAGENAUD

#1. [Last Race: 1st (-)] — Scott Dixon maintains the top spot in these power rankings despite crashing at Texas. While running in 2nd place, he was involved in the final crash of the race and still managed to finish in 9th place, meaning he still has just one finish outside of the top 9 through nine races so far this season. Also, despite being involved in that wreck, his lead over 2nd place in the championship standings grew. How often can a driver say all of that after being involved in a wreck?. No. 9. Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda. SCOTT DIXON