NASCAR Cup Series: 2019 Playoff Driver Power Rankings

By Asher Fair | Sep 10, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 08: Ryan Newman, driver of the #6 Acorns Ford, Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 McDonald's Chevrolet, Erik Jones, driver of the #20 STANLEY Wish For Our Heros Toyota, William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 AOI Toyota, Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Rush/Cummins Ford, Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wabash National Ford, Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, Kurt Busch, driver of the #1 Monster Energy Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield/Meijer Ford, pose for a photo with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy to start the playoffs following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 08, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 30: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

#9 through #7

No. 12. Team Penske, Ford. RYAN BLANEY. #9.

Ryan Blaney is fully capable of running strong at almost any track, but like many drivers previously discussed in this article, he simply hasn’t proven to be able to shut the door when it counts, and above all, his season has been plagued by inconsistency. If he can open up the floodgates with a win or two in the playoffs, he can contend for the championship, but for the time being, he figures to be a mid-pack playoff driver like he was in his first two playoff appearances in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

#8. . No. 1. Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet. KURT BUSCH

Kurt Busch may have only won one race in his first regular season driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, but his consistency has made him a popular dark-horse pick to advance to the Championship 4, as his average finish of 11.61 is the sixth best among all drivers. But consistency may not be enough to make him a legitimate championship contender unless he can couple that consistency with an occasional victory, and he has won only one race in September or later since the 2009 season.

#7. . No. 2. Team Penske, Ford. BRAD KESELOWSKI

Brad Keselowski is more than capable of getting hot and going on a deep playoff run, as he has demonstrated on several occasions in the past. But without a victory in nearly four months, does he have what it takes to come out on top of a playoff field that has seen nine different winners since he last made a trip to victory lane?

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