NASCAR Cup Series: Ranking the 8 round of 8 drivers
4th and 3rd
4. Martin Truex Jr.
The “Big Three” aren’t dead, but they sure are weakening. Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. is a prime example of this.
Averaging a 10.5 finish through the first six races of the playoffs, Truex Jr. is still competitive, but he doesn’t have the spark we saw earlier this season. After nearly winning the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval, he finished in 15th place in the race at Dover International Speedway and 23rd in the race at Talladega Superspeedway before finishing in fifth in the race at Kansas Speedway.
I have still picked Truex Jr. to reach the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but his glimmer may need a little polishing to build back my faith in him repeating as champion. The news about Furniture Row Racing closing their doors after this season can be viewed in two ways: (1) the inspiration for another championship or (2) the distraction that has limited Truex Jr. as of late.
3. Chase Elliott
Engine #9 has returned to its winning ways in the NASCAR Cup Series! Surprising to some and expected from others, Chase Elliott found himself in victory lane for the third time in 11 races this past Sunday following the race at Kansas Speedway.
Elliott took advantage of a late mistake by Kevin Harvick to put himself smack dab in the championship conversation. He went from “choker” to championship contender during the late summer months. He has slide up to the third position in my rankings due to his pure consistency and his ability to close the deal late in races.
I still have concerns about Elliott out-competing a mistake-free Harvick and a title-hungry Kyle Busch, but he is slowly becoming a favorite to win this year’s championship.
In my honest opinion, Elliott may have peaked a few weeks too early, but he is making noise nonetheless. He will have to claw his way to the Championship 4, but for the first time in his career, fans can label a title favorite without it being based on his name.