NASCAR Power Rankings: Martin Truex Jr. returns to top spot after third win

NASCAR Cup Series

Updated Jul. 18, 2023 1:02 p.m. ET

Martin Truex Jr. looked so good at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it’s hard not to put him at the top of the power rankings. The only thing missing for him this year is a win at an oval bigger than 1 mile.

Something tells me that could come in the next month or so.

Here are this week’s power rankings following a Monday race. And since that was the third Monday race of the year, while they aren’t ranked by Monday performance, here is an analysis on drivers’ Monday race finishes (Dover, Charlotte and New Hampshire).

1. Martin Truex Jr. (Last week: 3): Truex is the only driver who has finished top-5 in all three Monday races — he won at Dover as well as New Hampshire and was third in Charlotte. Only two drivers have finished top-10 in all three races: Truex and Tyler Reddick.

2. Kyle Larson (LW: 2): Larson finished third at New Hampshire, so maybe he has gotten rid of some Monday blues. He was 32nd at Dover and 30th at Charlotte as he was involved in accidents in both races.

3. William Byron (LW: 4): Byron was fourth at Dover and second at Charlotte. So he shouldn’t have sweated New Hampshire too much. But despite a top-10 starting spot at New Hampshire, he ended up a disappointing 24th.

4. Kyle Busch (Last week: 1): Busch probably doesn’t want to see another Monday race, especially in the playoffs. He wrecked early and finished 36th at New Hampshire. He was 21st at Dover and sixth at Charlotte.

5. Denny Hamlin (LW: 5): Just like his season, Hamlin has had some speed on Mondays but mixed results. He was fifth at Dover and seventh at New Hampshire. He was 35th at Charlotte, where he was the victim of Chase Elliott’s hook.

The Crayon 301 saw Martin Truex Jr. dominate and take the checkered flag at New Hampshire for the first time in his career.

6. Ross Chastain (LW: 6): Chastain was second at Dover but with some drama. He was 22nd at Charlotte and 23rd at New Hampshire. What was most surprising about his race Monday was a lack of speed.

7. Christopher Bell (LW: 7): Bell had great speed at New Hampshire but no execution as his team had pit-road miscues. He then wrecked late to finish 29th. Bell was sixth at Dover and 24th at Charlotte.

8. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10): Keselowski has been solid on Mondays — at least on the 1-mile tracks. He was eighth at Dover and fifth Monday. He was 19th at Charlotte. Keselowski probably wouldn’t mind more Monday races.

9. Ryan Blaney (LW: 8): Blaney, like Byron, had great Monday races earlier this year with a third at Dover and then one of his strongest performances in his win at Charlotte. He was maybe the second-best car at New Hampshire, but a pit-road penalty for running over his air hose relegated him to a 22nd-place finish.

10. Joey Logano (LW: NR): Logano had no use for Mondays until New Hampshire, where he finished second to Truex. Logano was 31st at Dover and 21st at Charlotte.

On the verge: Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace

Bob Pockrass discusses whether Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman are in a must-win situation to make the playoffs.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.

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