Skip to content
Official Site Of NASCAR
Home Click to view NASCAR Cup Series NewsNASCAR Cup Series News Click to view NASCAR Xfinity Series NewsNASCAR Xfinity Series News Click to view NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NewsNASCAR Camping World Truck Series News Click to view eNASCAReNASCAR Click to view NASCAR RootsNASCAR Roots Click to view NASCAR 101NASCAR 101 Videos Photo Galleries Results Standings Weekend Schedule Click to view DriversDrivers Click to view Driver StatsDriver Stats Historic Results Click to view Buy TicketsBuy Tickets Click to view Camping InfoCamping Info Click to view Fantasy LiveFantasy Live Click to view BetCenterBetCenter Click to view Mobile AppsMobile Apps Click to view NASCAR PodcastsNASCAR Podcasts Click to view NASCAR ShopNASCAR Shop Click to view My ProfileMy Profile
  • Most Recent
  • Power Rankings
  • Paint Scheme Preview
  • Fantasy Fastlane
  • XMost Recent@nascarcasmAt-TrackDriver WinseNascarFantasy FastlaneLineup GalleryMemorable MomentsMost Popular DriverNASCAR CompetitionNASCAR RootsPaint Scheme PreviewPower RankingsThrough the YearsTrack Winners
X

Power Rankings: Does it all come down to Denny Hamlin?

By Pat DeCola | Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Saved to `My Liked Photos`
1 of 5
View Fullscreen
NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the 2021 NASCAR Playoffs drivers after the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway and before the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.
Saved to `My Liked Photos`
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
2 of 5
View Fullscreen

4. Martin Truex Jr. (--)


Season-high: 2nd
Season-low: 10th
Comment: Sunday was anything but pretty for Truex Jr., but he squeaked by into the Championship 4 despite three finishes outside the top 10 in the last five races, two of which were 25th or worse. That speaks to the consistency and quality of the No. 19 team's season overall, and they're certainly a more than deserving group to be racing for the title this weekend. While Truex and Co. are probably the championship-eligible team with the least momentum, in no way are they a long shot to take the whole thing — the 2017 champ is still a four-time 2021 winner, and the first of those victories came earlier this season at Phoenix.
Saved to `My Liked Photos`
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
3 of 5
View Fullscreen

3. Chase Elliott (-1)


Season-high: 1st
Season-low: 10th
Comment: While he was unable to match last season's five-win total, Elliott's title defense was about on par with his stats from a year ago, with an even better average finish (11.7 to 11.5). And that's with a stretch run that has seen him finish outside the top 10 in four of the last seven races with no wins since Road America. Still, he did what he needed to in order to advance, and was actually the first driver to clinch his spot on points. He's the defending race winner at Phoenix (obviously), and five of his past eight races there have netted him a top-seven finish, four of which were top fives. You can't go wrong with any of these four remaining drivers, and Elliott's a strong pick to hoist the trophy in the desert for the second straight year.
Saved to `My Liked Photos`
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
4 of 5
View Fullscreen

2. Kyle Larson (-1)


Season-high: 1st
Season-low: 14th
Comment: Okay, I know this is a bit shocking, but hear me out. Everyone and their mother expects the No. 5 team, with the domination it has shown to the tune of nine 2021 wins, to just waltz to the title on Sunday. That's not how any of this works, however. We always make such a big deal of the first driver to clinch to open the Round of 8 having such an advantage with more time to prepare, yet that driver has only gone on to win the title twice (Jimmie Johnson, 2016; Joey Logano, 2018). Larson, who until this year had some questioning his ability to come through in the clutch, has also never been in a Championship 4, while the No. 1 ranked driver is going for the third year in a row and fourth overall. Nobody will be surprised if Larson wins the title on Sunday, but there are enough factors working for his 2021 counterpart that it shouldn't be a shock to see the Hendrick driver fall short, either.
Saved to `My Liked Photos`
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
5 of 5
View Fullscreen

1. Denny Hamlin (+2)


Season-high: 1st
Season-low: 6th
Comment: It's time. We're tired of hearing it. Denny, himself, is surely tired of hearing it. After Sunday, I feel pretty good about the notion that Hamlin will no longer be "the best driver without a title," because he'll be a champion. In so many ways, he's had a better season than his seven-win campaign a year ago, and in some he was better than Larson (8.6 average finish to Larson's 9.3). Coming off one of his most emotional races ever, expect a charged up — and uber-focused — Hamlin to find his way to the front at Phoenix and fight tooth and nail with any driver that tries to get past him. All eyes should be on the 11 on Sunday.
Presented By:
Leaderboard
Leaderboard
NASCAR Drive
Live Cameras
NASCAR Mobile Download
Download APP
 
Facebook(opens in a new tab) Twitter(opens in a new tab) Instagram(opens in a new tab) Snapchat(opens in a new tab) TikTok(opens in a new tab) YouTube(opens in a new tab) Discord(opens in a new tab)
INFORMATION
Help/Contact Us About NASCAR Careers Official Partners Terms of Use Privacy Statement Accessibility Suppliers Site Map AdChoices
NDM Advertising Sponsorship
PRODUCTS
Follow Live Mobile Apps Scanner NASCAR Drive Fantasy Live NASCAR Shop
INITIATIVES
NASCAR Green NASCAR Foundation NASCAR Diversity NASCAR Fan Council NASCAR Refuel
MORE SITES
IMSA FloRacing eNASCAR NASCAR Kids NASCAR 101 NASCAR Hall of Fame Official NASCAR Members Club NASCAR Foundation Auction Monster Energy Coca-Cola Credit One Bank

NASCAR® and its marks are trademarks of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright © 2022 NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

NASCAR Logo Home
Schedule
Race Center
Standings
NASCAR Fantasy Live Logo Fantasy