NASCAR Power Rankings: Round of 12 comes down to the wire
By Asher Fair
Who moved up and who moved down in the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Power Rankings following the round of 12 finale at Kansas Speedway, the Hollywood Casino 400?
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag for the fifth time in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season by winning the dramatic round of 12 finale at Kansas Speedway, the Hollywood Casino 400. The results of this race determined the six remaining unclaimed spots in the round of 8, the third round of the four-round, 10-race playoffs.
How did Hamlin’s victory in this 277-lap race, which was extended by 10 laps due to two late caution flag periods that caused two overtime periods, around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Kansas Speedway oval in Kansas City, Kansas affect the NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings?
These NASCAR Cup Series Driver Power Rankings were calculated using a formula, which you can see here. But before they are revealed, take a look below at some of the highlights of this edition of these rankings.
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NASCAR Cup Series Driver Power Rankings Analysis
The round of 8 is set, and it took until the 277th and final lap of the Hollywood Casino 400 to set it as a result of the rally by Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, who started the race two positions and 22 points behind the round of 8 cut line, to knock Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, who started the race two positions and 20 points ahead of it, out of championship contention and to advance to the round of 8 himself.
The eight round of 8 drivers have found their way to the top eight in these power rankings after their point totals were reset based on their playoff point totals upon the conclusion of the round of 12.
With the points reset, we have a new leader of the championship standings and a new leader of these power rankings. However, they are not one in the same; in fact, the new leader of these power rankings is the driver who closed out the round of 12 with the most points prior to the reset.
Five of these eight drivers have won one of the last five races, and six of them have won at least one of the last seven races. Two of them, including the leader of the standings, are still seeking their first victories since June. Both of these drivers competed in last year’s Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Three round of 8 races at Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and ISM Raceway over the course of the next three weekends are slated to determined which four drivers will advance to this year’s Championship 4.