Power Rankings Review: All-Star Week

By Richard Tix

NASCAR is heading to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race and that means one thing on NASCAR Behind the Wall, bye week. Well, only a by week from Race Previews and Reviews. So, instead of the normal articles, this week I will pass the time with a Power Rankings Review. Also coming this week is an 2014 All-Star Week article with photo's, videos, and articles from the past and present.

Lets take a look at the Power Ranking Review. NASCAR Behind the Wall will take this weeks rankings (Week 11) and take a look at how each driver has ranked in the Power Rankings from week to week. Some guys have not fallen out of the rankings all year (Gordon, Kenseth, and Dale Jr) while others just got into the ranking for the first time (Kasey Kahne). Each driver has had a different season so far so lets start off by looking at who has held the top spot each week and then dive into each driver.

Who's Number 1?
Week	Driver	Race	Finish That Week
Week 1	Dale Earnhard Jr	Daytona	1st
Week 2	Dale Earnhard Jr	Phoenix	2nd
Week 3	Dale Earnhard Jr	Las Vegas	2nd
Week 4	Brad Keselowski	Bristol	14th
Week 5	Carl Edwards	Auto Club	10th
Week 6	Dale Earnhard Jr	Martinsville	3rd
Week 7	Jeff Gordon	Texas	2nd
Week 8	Jeff Gordon	Darlington	7th
Week 9	Jeff Gordon	Richmond	2nd
Week 10	Kyle Busch	Talladega	12th
Week 11	Jeff Gordon	Kansas	1st

1. Jeff Gordon

#24 Jeff Gordon
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
7	5	4	2	3	5	1	1	1	3	1

Well Jeff Gordon heads into the All-Star Race at Charlotte as our Power Rankings leader and NASCAR's Points leader. Gordon has had a great 2014 start after an offseason that had rumors of retirement swirling. On NASCAR Behind the Wall Gordon has been no slouch either as he has held the top spot in the rankings 4 weeks (4 of the last 5). He also hasn't left the top 5 since starting off the year in 7th after Daytona.

2. Kevin Harvick

#4 Kevin Harvick
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
8	4	11	NR	NR	NR	NR	8	7	2	2

From week to week Harvick has been a contender to win but he has yet to hold the top spot in the Power Rankings. Consistency will still be key to winning a Championship in 2014, but as of last "Happy" has turned it on. He has been a runner up the past two weeks (to Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon).

3. Matt Kenseth

#20 Matt Kenseth
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
2	6	7	5	2	3	2	2	2	4	3

Matt Kenseth has had a very good 2014 season, but we have yet to see that greatness that he had in 2013. In the Power Rankings we see the same thing. He has held a 2nd or 3rd spot 7 times in 11 weeks yet he has yet to hold the #1 spot. Kenseth is also still in the no win category on the season, but I am sure we will see a change in that soon.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr

#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
1	1	1	3	4	1	7	4	5	4	6

Our early season Power Rankings leader, Dale Jr has held the #1 spot 4 weeks, including the first 3 weeks of the 2014 season. He and Jeff Gordon has held the top spot in 8 of the first 11 weeks and are the #1 spot week leaders (both held it 4 weeks total). Both drivers also are tied for the longest stretch of holding the #1 spot (3 weeks). As of late Jr has looked human in the rankings and just can't get back over the hump.

5. Kyle Busch

#18 Kyle Busch
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
5	7	9	NR	7	6	3	3	4	1	5

Kyle Busch's 2014 season got off to a slow start and it showed in the Power Rankings (Even dropping out in week 4). But in the last 5 weeks Rowdy has turned it around with a bit more consistency, including staying out of trouble at Talladega and taking the #1 spot for a week. Kyle has still yet to be dominant from week to week so there is still more to be desired on the season.

6. Joey Logano

#22 Joey Logano
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
9	8	5	NR	NR	9	4	9	3	7	6

Logano has been one of the fastest cars on the track all season, but the problem has been staying away from bad luck or problems. When he is on he is on, but the rankings will never show that unless you stay hot for periods of time. One thing is for sure, JoLo has been having his best season of his young career. If he keeps it up he may just contend for a title in 2014.

7. Carl Edwards

#99 Carl Edwards
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
NR	11	6	4	1	4	5	5	6	10	7

Carl Edwards has had a quiet season in 2014 but he has been hanging around. Just like 2013, Carl has an early season win which helped him take the top spot in the Power Rankings for one week (Week 5). Hopefully for Carl's sake, the end of his season doesnt go like 2013 where he completely fell off. Also to note, still no word on his contract talk for 2015 and on.

8. Greg Biffle

#16 Greg Biffle
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
11	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	11	11	5	8

Greg Biffle started the season off with an 8th place finish at Daytona and entered the season off in the Power Rankings, but he then hit a 5 race skid where he had one top 15 (12th at Bristol). Currently though, the Biff is on a 5 race stretch where he has finishes of 6, 5, 15, 2, and 16th and it shows in the Rankings. He now has been back in the Power Rankings for four straight weeks.

9. Kyle Larson

#42 Kyle Larson
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
NR	NR	NR	NR	11	NR	12	10	12	8	9

Kyle Larson is having a pretty good Rookie Campaign in 2014 and it shows. He has held the most weeks in the Rankings of any rookie. He also has been in the rankings the past 5 weeks and 6 or 7 weeks. Not too bad for just a kid. Not to mention he is 13th in the Sprint Cup Standings.

10. Kasey Kahne

#5 Kasey Kahne
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	10

Well, this is a boring Power Rankings stat line to look at. To say Kahne has had a rough start to 2014 is an understatement. Finally, after 11 races Kasey Kahne has broke through and into the NASCAR Behind the Wall Power Rankings after a 3rd place finish at Kansas. Lucky for him, NASCAR is hitting some track that Kasey should do well at including Charlotte.

11. Brian Vickers

#55 Brian Vickers
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	11	NA	NA	11	11

Brian Vickers has had a nice bounce back season since his health battles the past few seasons. When it comes to the Power Rankings he has finally broke through as of late, but hasn't moved from that 11th place spot. His last few races have been up and down but he is still 10th in the Sprint Cup Standings.

12. Jimmie Johnson

#48 Jimmie Johnson
Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
4	2	3	6	5	2	9	6	10	NR	12

Can you believe we are 11 races into the 2014 season and JJ still doesn't have a win? How about the fact that JJ hasn't reached my #1 spot yet? Or the fact that just last week (Week 10) JJ fell out of the Power Rankings? Some fans maybe fretting, but JJ is still 7th in the Sprint Cup Standings even though all those statements are true. Which can only mean one thing, JJ still has something left to give in the 2014 season and other drivers may have to watch out when the #48 team gets it going.



That's it for the Power Rankings Review. I will most likely come back to this Power Ranking Review style of looking at the rankings again later this year. Until then, check out the weekly Pit Road which is a race review and current Power Rankings. Also, come back for weekly TV/Race Schedules, Driver Entry Lists, NASCAR News and Links, and Race Previews.