NASCAR Truck Series Power Rankings after 2019 M&M’s 200

Chevrolet, LW: 10. SHELDON CREED. #10. Sheldon Creed earned eight stage points and finished in sixth place in the M&M’s 200, yet he is in 10th in the championship standings. He is currently 43 points below the playoff cut line. While that amount isn’t insurmountable, he needs to continue to accrue more stage points and finish better.. No. 2, GMS Racing

#9. Todd Gilliland started in 11th place and finished 10th in the M&M’s 200. His Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Chandler Smith won the ARCA Menards Series race at Madison International Speedway and then debuted in the Truck Series by leading 55 laps and finishing in eighth. In case Gilliland’s job wasn’t already warm, Smith’s performance increased its temperature. Gilliland is now 42 points below the playoff cut line. Missing the playoffs wouldn’t bode well for his future with Kyle Busch Motorsports.. No. 4, Kyle Busch Motorsports. Toyota, LW: 8. TODD GILLILAND

HARRISON BURTON. #8. With Ross Chastain’s win disqualified, Harrison Burton stayed above the playoff cut line. He is the last driver above it with a 42-point margin over it. Burton started the M&M’s 200 in 10th place and finished the first two stages in eighth and fifth, respectively. He drove his #18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to a third place finish. More races like that will increase his margin over the playoff cut line and hopefully have him in contention for his the first Truck Series win of his career.. No. 18, Kyle Busch Motorsports. Toyota, LW: 9

#7. Lost in the post-race discussion was Ben Rhodes finishing in second place. If Brett Moffitt’s #24 Chevrolet had failed post-race inspection, Rhodes would’ve been declared the race winner. Alas, Moffitt won, so Rhodes settled for a second. Rhodes won the second stage, and he now has an 81-point margin over the playoff cut line. With a lead of more than one full race’s worth of points over the cut line, he can gamble a bit as he chases more playoff points and what would be his first victory of the season.. No. 99, ThorSport Racing. Ford, LW: 7. BEN RHODES

#6. Stewart Friesen consistently races up front, but the first victory of his Truck Series career continues to elude him. Sure, six playoff points and a fifth place finish are good results, but he wants more. He actually lost a position in the championship standings after the M&M’s 200. Nevertheless, he left Iowa Speedway with an 86-point margin above the playoff cut line. At what point do he and crew chief Trip Bruce gamble to secure that maiden victory?. No. 52, Halmar Friesen Racing. Chevrolet, LW: 4. STEWART FRIESEN