NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin’s win sets up Championship 4
By Asher Fair
Denny Hamlin’s victory and Kyle Busch’s runner-up finish in the Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway solidified the field for the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4.
While he did not finish the round of 8 in the top four in the point standings, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin locked himself into the Championship 4 of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs along with teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick by winning the round of 8 finale at ISM Raceway, the Bluegreen Vacations 500.
How did Hamlin’s victory in this 312-lap race around the four-turn, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) ISM Raceway oval in Avondale, Arizona 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
As expected, the four Championship 4 drivers rank in the top four of these formulated NASCAR Cup Series Driver Power Rankings heading into the Championship 4. In fact, they all entered ISM Raceway in the top four in these rankings despite the fact that Denny Hamlin entered the round of 8 finale below the Championship 4 cut line.
Team Penske’s Joey Logano, who entered the race above the cut line, entered it in the fifth position in these rankings. The reigning champion stayed there following his ninth place position and currently sits in fifth in the championship standings, the best he can possibly finish after seeing his repeat title bid come to an end on Sunday afternoon.
With the 12 eliminated playoff drivers having their point totals reset to their original point totals to start the playoffs plus the points that they have accumulated through the first nine races of the playoffs, there were a few notable movements below Logano, including one round of 8 driver plummeting all the way to the bottom (16th) of the playoff field after an abysmal round.