Kyle Larson hit the jackpot in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The 2021 champion scored his fourth victory of the season in the South Point 400 after leading 133 laps and sweeping the stages. More importantly, Larson became the first driver to punch his ticket to the Championship 4.
With just two races left in the Round of 8, there are still seven drivers fighting to join Larson in the Championship 4. And the battle couldn't be closer after all eight playoff drivers finished in the top 11 positions on Sunday.
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Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings heading into the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Sunday, Oct. 22, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC.com):
1. Kyle Larson
Last week: 3
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The only driver locked into the title race takes his rightful place atop the power rankings. Larson was dominant on Sunday, scoring the maximum amount of points and holding off a late challenge to earn his second career Championship 4 appearance. While Larson hasn’t been the most consistent driver this season (seven DNFs), he leads the series with 1,031 laps led. He’ll be tough to beat at Phoenix as he seeks a second Cup title.
2. William Byron
Last week: 1
Seventh-place was Byron’s worst finish in a month. Even though he was overshadowed by his quicker teammate Larson, the No. 24 team is still in a great spot. Byron is nine points above the cut line and he’s a past winner at both Homestead-Miami and Martinsville. Hendrick Motorsports, with Larson already clinched, can now focus all of its attention on getting Byron in.
3. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 2
Is Hamlin trending in the wrong direction? The No. 11 was good, but not great at Las Vegas – typically one of Hamlin’s best tracks. He’s shown race-winning speed nearly everywhere this season, so it was strange to see him finish 10th and never seriously challenge up front. Hamlin is two points above the cut line with essentially no margin for error.
4. Christopher Bell
Last week: 6
While Hamlin had an uncharacteristic run, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate picked up the slack. Bell likely would’ve passed Larson for the win if he just had one more lap. Either way, it was an encouraging result with 61 laps led and 17 stage points. Bell, who hasn’t won a race since April, could be heating up at the perfect time.
5. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 5
Reddick quietly finished eighth at Las Vegas after earning nine stage points. In a normal race, that’s the type of solid run a driver can be happy with. But things are tough in the Round of 8, and Reddick is still 15 points below the cut line. The No. 45 team has to be even better if it hopes to make the Championship 4.
6. Chris Buescher
Last week: 4
We’re nitpicking at this point with these playoff drivers. Buescher finished 11th at Las Vegas – his second-best career finish at the track – but he finds himself 23 points below the cut line. That’s what happens when you don’t earn any stage points. Buescher isn’t in must-win territory yet, but he’ll be in trouble if he doesn’t gain ground at Homestead-Miami.
7. Brad Keselowski
Last week: 8
After being eliminated from the playoffs, Keselowski was in contention to win at Las Vegas. He led 38 laps, scored 14 stage points and finished fourth. Keselowski, two years after leaving Team Penske to become a part-owner of RFK Racing, has completely transformed his new organization. These last few races will be valuable test time for 2024.
8. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 7
Blaney crossed the line sixth on Sunday but was initially credited with a last-place finish when his car failed post-race technical inspection. The decision was reversed on Monday evening when NASCAR said it discovered an issue with the template used for inspection. So, instead of being 56 points back he is now just 17 below the cut line. It's still not an ideal points position, but Blaney is at least still within striking distance.
9. Martin Truex Jr.
Last week: 10
Finally, some positive momentum for Truex. The regular season champion went six straight races without a top-15 finish (!) to open the playoffs. There were finally signs of life at Las Vegas, where Truex was ninth. He’s only two points above the cut line, but perhaps one solid run will wake this team up.
10. Kyle Busch
Last week: first four out
Like Keselowski, Busch had a strong performance just a week after being eliminated from the playoffs. He finished third for the second straight week, posting consecutive top-fives for the first time since July. It’s obviously too little too late for the championship, but Busch’s first season with Richard Childress Racing (three wins) has undoubtedly been a success.
First four out: Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano
