The defending champion is heating up.
Ryan Blaney won The Great American Getaway 400 on Sunday at Pocono Raceway, leading a race-high 41 laps to score his second victory in the last five races.
Blaney is the fifth driver to win multiple races this season as he appears to be rounding into form for another potential title run.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Next up is a trip to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway – the final race before the two-week Olympic break – with the Brickyard 400 scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. How does the field stack up heading into Indy? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:
1. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 3
Sports
In partnership with NBC Sports Philadelphia
One spot short of his eighth Pocono victory, Hamlin had to settle for second on Sunday. But it was a much-needed result after five straight finishes outside the top-10. The Brickyard is the only crown jewel event that Hamlin hasn’t won (three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s, one Coca-Cola 600), so keep an eye on him this weekend.
2. Christopher Bell
Last week: 1
Bell arguably had the best car in each of the past three races, which made it strange to see him finish 12th and never compete out front at Pocono. The Brickyard oval is an unknown for Bell, who only raced there as a rookie in 2020 (finishing 12th) before NASCAR switched to the road course circuit.
3. Kyle Larson
Last week: 2
If it weren’t for a late speeding penalty, Larson would’ve been in the mix for a top-five. But even so, his car just didn’t have race-winning speed – a rarity for the No. 5 team. Larson finished 13th, but all eyes are now on the Brickyard, where he competed in the Indy 500 in May.
4. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 5
At 21 races, this is the earliest point in a season that Blaney has ever won multiple races. The nine-year veteran has 12 career victories, but his run of four wins over the last 27 races dating back to last year suggests his best is yet to come. A win at the Brickyard would hold extra meaning for the Team Penske driver, whose boss (Roger Penske) owns the track.
5. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 4
Reddick scored his fourth straight top-10 finish with a sixth-place run in Pocono. With an 11.7 average finish, Reddick is well on his way to a career season. He’s just 20 points behind Chase Elliott in the regular season standings, which would give him even more playoff bonus points as he seeks his first championship.
6. Chase Elliott
Last week: 6
Speaking of Elliott, Pocono was a case of good news-bad news for the 2020 champion. On the bright side, he finished ninth and showed elite speed with 98 green flag passes. But he was nabbed for speeding on pit road late in the race, which probably cost him a win or top-five.
7. William Byron
Last week: 7
Byron’s fourth-place finish in Pocono gives him consecutive top-10s for the first time since May. The 26-year-old driver has been slumping throughout the summer, but perhaps the No. 24 team has turned the corner.
8. Alex Bowman
Last week: 9
What a difference a victory can make. Bowman won in Chicago last week and looked like a completely refreshed driver in Pocono, finishing third and scoring nine stage points. Indy will be a real test for Bowman, who has never finished inside the top-20 in five Brickyard oval starts.
9. Brad Keselowski
Last week: 8
Keselowski drops a spot despite a solid seventh-place run in Pocono. He led 20 laps in Stage 2 and had an overall productive day with 11 stage points. The 2018 Brickyard winner, Keselowski should be one of the favorites this weekend.
10. Joey Logano
Last week: First four out
While Logano’s win in Nashville two weeks ago was due to fuel mileage, his fifth-place finish in Pocono was a testament to speed and strategy. Logano has turned things around after a tough start to the season. The Team Penske driver always has added pressure in Indy, where he’s never won in 12 oval starts.
First four out: Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Bubba Wallace
