Another season, another foray into the only playoff system in Motorsports. You all know how we feel about the system, so like capitalism, we’re just gonna save our grievances and participate in the fun. 

Remember, this is a power RATING not a ranking, so choices are influenced by recent results.

#16: Shane Van Gisbergen

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Under 99% of circumstances, I would gleefully put Austin Dillon here. Hell, I almost did it anyway, but I just can’t in good faith trust SVG to even squeak out of the first round. While his road racing acumen is second to none, there isn’t a single true road race on the schedule in the playoffs (Odd, in my opinion) and the Roval isn’t until the round of eight. It isn’t looking good for the first three races of the round of 16 for SVG. 

There’s a snowball’s chance in hell at both Kansas and WWT Raceway, barring the first ever Big One for either track, and that leaves Bristol. The 36-year-old rookie finished 36th in the 88’s last go around at the track and It seems it will be a decent amount of time before the Kiwi becomes a real playoff threat, but expect him to be a yearly member as long as we have road racing. 

#15: Austin Dillon

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All five of Austin Dillon’s fans will wonder why it’s him here and not drivers like Bowman or Cindric, and that simply comes down to the fact that they are always good to be in the mix, even if it’s in the sub 10s. Austin Dillon’s Richmond dominance is so odd to me that I wonder if Richard Childress has dirt on the promoters of the track (honestly, probably). 

It was Dillon’s first win in his 12 year career that didn’t involve some sort of tomfoolery on his end, and it was also his first top five of the season. His supporters will tell you that he’s actually underrated and will get the most out of his car, but that just isn’t true. Dillon has shown some competency at short tracks, with him finishing 10th at the Bristol Spring race, but much like SVG, it will be too little too late. 

#14: Josh Berry

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When Josh Berry captured the Wood Brothers 101st win at Las Vegas in March, I was sure it was a turning point for the once great Cup team. Finally, they captured a win at an intermediate oval and won it off of speed. 

Fast forward to the start of the Playoffs and that win has remained the sole reason they find themselves here. I don’t think that’s to say WBR is done making a splash as a team, as long as they have a motivated Berry, there will be a chance. I just think there’s other drivers and teams in this field that will have the same motivation and better equipment to advance farther, but unlike the previous drivers I listed, Berry has a chance to make a scene. 

#13: Austin Cindric

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Cindric, who shuffles into eighth in the playoff seeding, finds a nice warm spot outside of the Top 10 in our rankings. The fact of the matter is that Cindric will always be the exact opposite of consistency. There will be a stretch of weeks where he looks competent with a team like Penske, and then some where he’s just falling behind. 

His Talladega win has got him locked in, but we will see what Cindric we get in the first three rounds. Expect him to get caught up in the round of 16 barring any crazy circumstances. 

#12: Alex Bowman

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Putting Bowman this high is generous, I know, but I feel like my reasoning isn’t too insane. Bowman, unlike some of the other drivers under him, has the foundation that is Hendrick Motorsports behind him.

Now that’s the case for the regular season and he still finds himself woefully behind, but I think (and hope) the dodged bullet of missing the playoffs entirely has woken up this team. A deep run into the post season may be exactly what he needs if he wants to continue to keep the seat lukewarm. 

#11: Tyler Reddick

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It just feels flat out wrong putting Reddick this deep into a power ranking for the playoffs. He was my championship favorite heading into Phoenix last year, and it seems that loss changed something in the #45 team unexpectedly. 

Reddick got out of Daytona scott-free after an early wreck gave the entire team a heart attack, but he was ever so close to missing out on the entire show. The fall from grace for the driver who seemed prepared to break into the series upper echelon is unexplainable, but it’s why I have him higher up than some on my rankings. 

#10: Ross Chastain 

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Ross Chastain continues to be Trackhouse’s flagship driver five seasons into their existence in Cup, but the part-time Florida farmer still has much to be desired when it comes to championship consistency. 

Chastain added a crown jewel to his resume this past May by winning the Coke 600, but still has yet to catch fire the way he did in 2022. Whether you want to put that on Trackhouse or the parity of the Next Gen car in its inaugural year is up to you, but it doesn’t change the facts. With Connor Zilisch fast track to Cup starting next year and SVG continuing to improve on ovals, this may be Chastain’s last chance at a championship run as the man of the (Track)house. 

#9: Bubba Wallace 

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Before Indianapolis, Bubba Wallace had started to fizzle out once again. After a start to spring that we’d never seen before, Wallace cooled off in a major way heading into and during the summer.

But after a grueling Brickyard 400 win that proved he didn’t need a rain delay or a teammates crew to take it home, something shifted. While the last two weeks have ended in less than stellar results, Wallace was up front for both races before falling back for whatever reason. 

Point being, having a new CC and being a father has moved Wallace up a tier in the roster, clearly. It’ll be the question of if he can carry that to when it matters most that’ll be interesting.

#8: Christopher Bell 

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Remember when Bell took us all back to the 2020 and 2021 seasons by winning three races in  a row to start the year? I thought the Next Gen was finally figured out by that group and the dominance of the Gen. 6’s final years had manifested in the new car. Well he hasn’t won another time since then, and it doesn’t make the most sense to me. 

Bell is much like Reddick in that it’s just a matter of flipping that switch, we know he can win and we certainly know he can do it consistently. It’ll be a matter of doing it when it counts for the 2024 Championship Four driver. 

#7: Joey Logano

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Now if you’re grabbing your pitchforks, I’d agree putting Joey this high up the list is a bit of a hot take, but as much as I hate it, can you deny the defending champ? Logano benefitted from a questionable call last season that saved his year and ended up taking it all the way for his third title.

Despite a year of regression for his standards, I have no doubt the cutthroat vet will find a way to keep his hopes of a defense alive; By any means necessary. 

#6: Chase Briscoe

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Our generation’s Rocketman, Chase Briscoe has ended off the regular season with a type of consistency that lands him up this high (I could swap him and Logano, realistically, but I’m high on Briscoe). 

The driver of the #19 has the most pole awards this season in the field, and while it’s not translating to wins, he doesn’t need them to. His ability to rack up important points will pay dividends in the modern NASCAR postseason, which is why I think Briscoe has as good a shot as any of the next five to make a deep run. 

#5: Denny Hamlin

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Hamlin has had a quietly efficient 2025, staying consistent in points and snatching a few wins while he’s at it. It once again comes down to what he can do in the playoffs, where he has yet to capture that elusive championship

Any murmurings of a team change or full time retirement ended when he signed an extension, so Hamlin’s chances aren’t quite dry. Regardless, the 20-year Cup veteran can’t rest on his laurels when the last piece of his career continues to allude him. 

#4: Chase Elliott

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The 2020 champion has had one of the quietest, yet most efficient, seasons in the field. Despite his one win at Atlanta, Elliott has remained in the top 5 in points all year, even coming close to capturing the regular season title. 

The start of the playoffs will benefit Elliott, whose 2020 title took advantage of the system perfectly, winning when it mattered and giving him the chip. If Elliott gets hot, who knows if the rest of the field can keep up. 

#3: Kyle Larson

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Yung Money (seriously what a terrible nickname) came ever so close to getting that elusive superspeedway victory on Saturday, but came up short. Luckily for the 2021 champ, the playoffs won’t meet another one of those tracks until the round of eight.

Unfortunately for his competition, those are about the only tracks Larson isn’t elite on. Expect the flagship driver of Hendrick to make a run into the playoffs this season and contend for immediate wins in the Round of 16. 

#2: William Byron

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William Byron has spent a year enjoying the life of being NASCARs PR child. His Daytona 500 win catapulted it, and their announcement of being NASCAR 25’s main cover athlete seemed to send it home. 

Despite the celebrity life, Byron has remained as rock solid as his two other HMS mainstays, and recent summer win in Iowa quelled any doubts that the 500 was his one trick. It will be interesting to see how hot of a start the 24 team gets to, but no doubt they’re poised for a run.

#1: Ryan Blaney

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This is a power ranking after all, and I don’t think anyone is hotter than the #12 team right now. After a Daytona drive that would make the Intimidator shed a tear, Blaney will use the extra points to get a head start on his competition. 

Blaney’s playoff ability was no better exemplified than in 2023 when he captured his first championship. He’s one of the many drivers in the top ten here that are good for the final round. Like his peers, it will be a matter of luck and execution.