NASCAR: Driver Power Rankings After Second Michigan Race

By Asher Fair | Aug 14, 2017

BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 13: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, and Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, lead the field in a restart during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 13, 2017 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

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BROOKLYN, MI – AUGUST 12: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DEWALT Flexvolt Toyota (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

#10 and #9

#10. [Last Race: 8th (-2)] — Clint Bowyer had a tire issue late at Michigan, and that cost him an opportunity to contend for at least a decent finish so he could get closer to the playoff cut line, as he is currently the first winless driver on the outside looking in. Seeing as how he has not won a Cup Series race since the 2012 season, he may have to qualify for this season’s playoffs on points, so his 23rd place finish at Michigan does not help his case at all.. No. 14. Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford. CLINT BOWYER

No. 20. Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota. MATT KENSETH. #9. [Last Race: 6th (-3)] — Oh, what could have been for Matt Kenseth, who is currently the final driver currently in the playoffs on points. He was running in 3rd place heading into overtime at Michigan, but a tire issue caused him to finish all the way back in 24th. Not only was he unable to capture his first win of the 2017 season; he was unable to take advantage of the fact that Clint Bowyer, the winless driver one spot behind in the standings on the other side of the playoff cut line, had a poor race. Keep your eye on the Kenseth-Bowyer playoff situation moving forward.

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