2017 NASCAR Pit Road Week 34: Texas

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

AAA Texas 500

By Richard Tix

The 2017 season is dwindling down and so are the Power Rankings. Once again this week the top eight are made up of entirely current playoff drivers, but after next week only the top four will be. Meaning? Fresh faces on the Power Rankings as the season ends.

Speaking of the season ending, after Texas NASCAR now has just one spot open for the Championship at Homestead. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. are locked into a shot at the 2017 Championship, but who is the fourth that will join them? Will it be Brad Keselowski who currently holds the spot on points? Will it be Denny Hamlin who has been knocking off top tens left and right lately? Will it be Ryan Blaney who has three straight top tens for the first time this year? Or will it be a Hendrick driver (Chase Elliott or Jimmie Johnson) who badly need a win and have fallen off (performance and/or luck) down the stretch?

The final cut line before the final race makes everything seem like a bigger stage heading to Phoenix so be sure to tune in this weekend!

Pit Road Power Rankings: Week 34 (Week 33)

1. Martin Truex Jr (LW-1)- Martin is locked into the Finale at Homestead (which has been known for about three months now...). The No. 78 is the car to beat, but during a winner take all, its anyone's game.
2. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- Rowdy didn't need to press the issue at Texas, but it still wasn't the run they were looking for. Look for a strong run at Phoenix to get momentum back.
3. Kevin Harvick (LW-5)- Harvick locked in a spot at Homestead AND has Phoenix next up on the schedule. He has been consistent all season and is getting hot at the right time.
4. Denny Hamlin (LW-6)- Hamlin has five straight top tens including three top fives. If he makes Homestead and Chase doesn't we can talk payback, until then the TV broadcast has done enough.
5. Brad Keselowski (LW-3)- BK is safe and might be the fourth driver into Homestead, but he has to run well and hope the 11, 21, 24, or 48 don't win at Phoenix. He holds almost all the power to advance, but anything can happen when a win locks you into the next round.
6. Ryan Blaney (LW-7)- This No. 21 team has really made some strides in consistency now that everything is on the line. This is the first time the No. 21 has put up back to back top tens all season, and it happens to be back to back to back...
7. Chase Elliott (LW-4)- Chase put up another quality eight place finish, but the incident at Martinsville leaves him in a must win position.
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- The No. 2 team pulled a JJ (coming back from laps down to post a good finish), meanwhile the No. 48 team couldn't. Somethings been off and all year we have been waiting for it to click, because that's what this team does.
9. Matt Kenseth (LW-9)- Back to back top tens for Kenseth. It is a shame Matt couldn't find a competitive ride and is stepping away in 2018, I will greatly miss his dry humor and personality.
10. Kasey Kahne (LW-11)- He isn't posting top tens left and right, but these top 15's are encouraging considering the season he has had.
11. Kurt Busch (LW-NR)- Kurt won his first pole of 2017 and followed it up with a nice top ten. However, he still was held without leading a lap even after breaking a track record.
12. Austin Dillon (LW-NR)- I really thought AD and RCR would continue it's momentum from 2016 into a nice 2017. I was wrong, but the team is slowly putting some ok finishes together late in the year (three straight top 15's).

Dropped Out: Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-10) and Trevor Bayne (LW-12)