NASCAR: Way-too-early driver power rankings for 2022
By Asher Fair
NASCAR rankings: #8 to #5
8. Joey Logano, #22 Team Penske, Ford: Who had Joey Logano with just one win in 2021, and among those few individuals, who had that win coming in the first Cup Series dirt race since 1970? Fortunately for him, he has made the Championship 4 every even year (4 for 4) since the format was introduced, so look for a bounce-back campaign in 2022.
7. Kyle Busch, #18 Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: Since winning four times in 2019 by early June of that year, he has only made four more trips to victory lane. You just kind of get the feeling that the crew chief wasn’t the only issue in 2020, as he again failed to make the Championship 4 in 2021 and finished even worse in points despite winning twice.
6. William Byron, #24 Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: The fact that the #24 team went winless after February in 2021 is shocking. He undoubtedly has the speed and potential to break through and make a deep playoff run, though challenging his top two teammates may be, well, challenging.
5. Martin Truex Jr., #19 Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: As long as the season finale is at Phoenix Raceway, he is going to be a serious contender if he makes the Championship 4. The issue may just be making it there. After missing it entirely in 2020, he did qualify in 2021, but only barely, thanks to multiple rivals experiencing their own round of 8 issues.