-
Follow Us
On Facebook
On Flipboard
NASCAR power rankings: Bubba Wallace rises after breakthrough Brickyard win
Bubba Wallace held off Kyle Larson to score the win in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here’s where the NASCAR Cup Series field stacks up 22 races into the 2025 season.
1. Denny Hamlin
After a crash in qualifying, Hamlin drove from last to third on Sunday and moved within 20 points of the lead in the regular season standings. Had he not missed the June 15 race in Mexico City, he’d be even closer to the top of the points list.
2. Chase Elliott
Elliott stumbled at Indy and could only muster a 13th-place effort with no stage points. Had William Byron not run out of fuel on the final lap, Elliott wouldn’t have left Indianapolis as the points leader - his advantage is only four points as the circuit heads to Iowa.
3. Kyle Larson
Larson got back to form on Sunday with a runner-up effort. He wasn’t able to snag another Brickyard 400 win, but Iowa on Aug. 3 offers another winning opportunity for the No. 5 team.
4. William Byron
Byron was in line for a top-five finish until he ran out of gas on the last lap and finished 16th. Should Eliott misstep at Iowa, the Daytona 500 champion will be waiting in the wings to take the points lead.
5. Christopher Bell
Aside from a bizarre right-rear hook on Zane Smith in overtime, Bell put together a solid race at Indy en route to an eighth-place finish. He also moved into fifth in the standings, and a big day at Iowa could put him in the thick of the fight for the regular season championship.
6. Ryan Blaney
Blaney won Stage 2 and finished seventh for a solid 40-point day. He’s the defending winner at Iowa, where he’ll be looking to pick up his second victory of 2025.
7. Tyler Reddick
A decision to pit late in the race doomed Reddick, who was caught up in a crash in overtime that relegated him to a 29th-place finish and dropped him to sixth in the standings. The good news? While he’s yet to win this season, he maintains a 138-point cushion to the playoff cut line.
8. Ryan Preece
A fourth-place effort at Indy doesn’t mean much for Preece’s playoff outlook thanks to Wallace winning, but it does give Preece and the No. 60 team plenty of momentum heading into Iowa. Preece now has nine top-10 finishes this season.
9. Chase Briscoe
Briscoe finished 18th after starting on the pole and leading 34 laps. It was a disappointing showing from the Mitchell, Indiana, native, but he’s still putting together an impressive 2025 campaign.
10. Ty Gibbs
Gibbs only finished 21st in the Brickyard 400, but he did beat Ty Dillon to earn the $1 million prize for winning the In-Season Challenge. Like many of his peers below the cut line, it will take a win for Gibbs to make the playoffs at this point in the season.
11. Brad Keselowski
Keselowski kept the good times rolling with a fifth-place finish at Indianapolis. He’s been in must-win territory for a while, but it’s nice to see the 2012 champ have some speed again.
12. Bubba Wallace
Wallace turned in what could be considered the most impressive drive of his career in a pressure-packed situation on Sunday. He’s now locked into the Cup Series playoffs after breaking a 100-race winless streak dating back to September 2022.
13. Alex Bowman
Bowman finished ninth and kept a one-race cushion to the cut line on Sunday. Barring a major collapse over the next four weeks, the No. 48 team’s playoff hopes are in good shape.
14. Chris Buescher
Buescher finished 14th at Indy, but Wallace’s win moved Buescher firmly to the cut line in a bubble battle with Preece. Iowa will set the tone for the RFK Racing teammates as they fight each other for the final playoff spot.
15. Austin Cindric
Cindric led the most laps (40) but finished 15th after an untimely flat tire late in Stage 2. Upcoming races at Watkins Glen (Aug. 10) and Daytona (Aug. 23) are great opportunities for Cindric to snag another win before the playoffs begin.
16. Kyle Busch
Busch is now firmly in must-win territory after a 25th-place finish at Indianapolis. If the future Hall of Famer can’t win over the next four weeks, he’ll miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.
More must-reads:
- NASCAR Brickyard 400 takeaways: Bubba Wallace ends lengthy winless streak
- How top four NASCAR drivers are trending in race for regular-season title
- The 'NFL all-time touchdown receptions leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
