2017 NASCAR Pit Road Week 22: Watkins Glen

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

I Love New York 355 at the Glen

By Richard Tix

The Week 22 NASCAR Power Rankings after Martin Truex Jr's win at WGI.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Week 22 (Week 21)

1. Martin Truex Jr (LW-1)- Truex must have heard Rowdy coming for the top spot because he put in another strong performance on Sunday at WGI. 34 playoff points before the 15 he will get for being regular season champion.
2. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- I missed the scuffle with BK (step away for ten min and miss a huge chunk of the storyline...), but from what I heard it seemed more like a racing deal. Either way, Rowdy had a winning car and let the emotion over take him (took it out on BK and his CC later for not having a plan). This is still a Championship caliber driver who could get hot going into the Playoffs.
3. Denny Hamlin (LW-6)- Past the 78 and the 18, it's a mixed bag of drivers headlined mostly by Toyota's. Hamlin has a fourth or better finish (including a win) in four of his last five races and six of his last eight.
4. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- BK screwed himself on a late pit by (barely) going thru too many boxes, but if not for that he was setting up for a top five after leading a bunch of laps.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW-7)- Another Toyota getting it going at the right time. Kenseth has four straight top tens (three top fives) and escaped WGI without a new winner. 
6. Daniel Suarez (LW-10)- ANOTHER Toyota driver turning it on, Suarez is starting to get the hang of things as of late. He has four straight top tens and notched his first top five of his career on Sunday.
7. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- Rough day for the No. 4 team. Not a bad car, but some poor luck.
8. Chase Elliott (LW-9)- Fast car all day, but again faded. Almost every time it has been on a mid to late race strategy call (or sometimes lack of call). They have to realize soon that Stages aren't going anywhere for awhile and they need to adjust.
9. Clint Bowyer (LW-11)- Another quality run, but this team has to find winning speed or a winning call and the way Toyota's are running it needs to be a winning call.
10. Erik Jones (LW-NR)- Throw out to wreck at Loudon and IMS and Jones has Four straight top tens... Yup, another Toyota.
11. Kyle Larson (LW-5)- It's been one heck of a slide for Larson. He was so close to first just weeks ago and now Kyle Busch has passed him in the battle to catch Truex.
12. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- JJ is getting one more pass because I still can't count him out of any season, but holy crap has he been struggling to find good finishes.

Dropped Out: Kasey Kahne (LW-12)

Just Missed: Ryan Blaney and Michael McDowell

2015 Pit Road Week 22: Watkins Glen

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Cheez-It 355 at the Glen" Week 22

By Richard Tix

This last week their was plenty of build up and anticipation for NASCAR heading back to a road course. Like every year, the "we need more road course" comments came back out, as did the "we need a road course in the Chase." Well, I can not say I disagree with either (I have been saying for awhile now add another road course and some more short track action).

WGI lived up to its hype again with another dramatic finish. This time it was partly due to fuel mileage, but non the less we had a last lap pass and plenty of entertainment. Except this year an underdog didn't win and no one stole a Chase spot.

The tracks are dwindling down for guys who have yet to have a 2015 win. With the last road course out of the way is there any chance of a 2015 win less driver to lock himself into the Chase via a visit to Victory Lane? 

NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway this week and will test out a new high drag package (different but similar to Indy). MIS and this package might give a driver like Jeff Gordon, Paul Menard, or Kyle Larson a chance to steal one from the top teams. It will be interesting to watch it play out, also interesting? This weeks Power Rankings:

2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen Race Results- Racing Reference

Week 22 Power Rankings (Week 21)

1. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- Rowdy has finally cracked the top 30 and is now in the Chase (as of this writing). Don't forget he still has to stay in the top 30 (currently in the good by 6 points). But, I expect him to stay there easily. Sunday he had a fast car and finished runner-up, so he has stayed hot. Finish: 2nd
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- It's hard not putting Harvick #1, but he hasn't won in 19 races (Phoenix). He is still notching top 5's left and right so he has no need to worry and is still a top title contender. Finish: 3rd
3. Joey Logano (LW-5)- After running out of fuel in a very well run Pocono race and finishing 20th, JoLo bounced back in a big way Sunday winning the Cheez-It 355. It was his first win since the Daytona 500 and is now completely locked into the Chase: Finish: 1st
4. Matt Kenseth (LW-2)- Five straight top 10 finishes, three of those were top 5's with a win at Pocono. Yes, the Pocono win was all based off of guys running short on fuel, but a win is a win and so is five straight top 10's. Finish: 4th
5. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- Brad also has five straight top 10's right now, and a few of those races he had a car capable of winning. Yet, he has come up short. BK looks to be a contender down the stretch. Side note: if you missed it check out his touching and emotional blog post from this week. Finish: 7th
6. Jimmie Johnson (LW-6)- Jimmie and the #48 team fought for that top 10. It was a long day, but those kinds of finishes show up down the stretch in a Championship run. Finish: 10th
7. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- Pocono's finish broke up his top 10 streak of seven straight, but on Sunday he started a new one. That is 10 top 10's in his last 12 races. Finish: 5th
8. Carl Edwards (LW-8)- Carl has had a rough year overall, but things have been getting better. He has four top 10's in his last five races and lead at least one lap in three of those. The speed and finishes are starting to turn a corner. Finish: 8th
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-9)- Deja vu? Jr started 7th and finished 11th at WGI. WGI is not one of Jr's favorites, but he once again just missed the top 10 and salvaged a day turning right. Finish: 11th
10. Clint Bowyer (LW-12)- Another top 10 for Bowyer means he can continue to stress a bit less. An even bigger outcome on Sunday? AJ Allmendinger (or any win less driver) didn't win. Finish: 6th
11. Kyle Larson (LW-NR)- Someone's parody account on Twitter may finally rejoice (although I am sure he will ask to be higher...). It wasn't what Larson needed, but he is on a stretch of good finishes so maybe the win is around the corner? Finish: 12th
12. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menard is now second only to Jamie McMurray in non win Chase points. Meaning, he is the second guy to get in on points if the Chase started today. Finish: 13th

Dropped Out: Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin

Just Missed: Ryan Newman

Honorable Mention: Sam Hornish Jr (9th)