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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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

#3 through #1

#3. . No. 18. Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota. KYLE BUSCH

Kyle Busch is a virtual lock to qualify for the Championship 4 pretty much ever season. That is no different this season; he was the regular season champion and he scored by far the most playoff points throughout the season. But he has recently been outdriven at the site of Championship 4, Homestead-Miami Speedway, by fellow championship contenders, and he is on his longest win drought since he went more than one year without a victory from the 2016 season to the 2017 season. Perhaps most alarmingly, he has been the highest finishing Joe Gibbs Racing driver just twice in the last 12 races, and one of those instances was via a 14th place finish in the crazy wild card of a race at Daytona International Speedway in early July.

#2. . No. 11. Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota. DENNY HAMLIN

There is not a more accomplished NASCAR Cup Series driver currently competing in the sport who has not won a championship than Denny Hamlin. Fortunately for Hamlin, he has a great chance to secure his first career title this year. Because of the success of teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch, Hamlin flew under the radar for much of the regular season, but he established himself as a serious title contender by winning two races late amid a streak of six consecutive top five finishes and five consecutive top three finishes. Could 2019 finally be his year?

. No. 4. Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford. KEVIN HARVICK. #1

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Nobody is set to enter the playoffs hotter than Kevin Harvick. It took him until the regular season’s 20th race to finish in the top three, and he did so with a victory.

He has now taken a series-high three victories in the last seven races and two victories in the last four races, and he is set to enter the playoffs coming off of a victory as well.

After securing a career-high eight victories last season but failing to win a championship, Harvick is out to prove a point, especially to those who counted him out early on in the 2019 season after he struggled to win.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Be sure to tune in to each and every one of the 10 races in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, beginning with the South Point 400 this Sunday, September 15. NBC Sports Network is set to broadcast this race live from Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.

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