Might as well lead off with who’s not here in our humble Top 10.
It’s tough to win two straight races, and three of the past five, and stay on the outside looking in. But such is the disparity between Shane van Gisbergen on road courses and Shane van Gisbergen everywhere else.
Given that one-sixth of the Cup schedule is on road courses, should SVG get at least a cursory visit to that 10th slot on our board this week? If not now, for Pete’s sake, when? Fair question.
Here’s another fair question: Should Denny Hamlin still be on the far-north end of our top 10? He’s had two clunkers in the past three weeks, sandwiched around a rare quality finish on a road course, maybe because that road course was actually a street course.
But with the other three-time winners (Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell) bogged down a bit, who else would you put there? So it remains Denny, for now.
1. Denny Hamlin
Grip on our top spot is weakening, as is his grip on the 23XI charter, if NASCAR decides to play hardball.
2. Chase Elliott
Keeps piling up points and conserving room in the trophy case.
3. Kyle Larson
Played some pinball at Sonoma as his Summer of Shove continues.
4. Christopher Bell
A fifth at Sonoma slowed his recent mini-slump.
5. Chase Briscoe
Made SVG work on the late restarts at Sonoma and got a rare good road-course finish.
6. Chris Buescher
Wonders why he’s never found the White Cliffs of Dover.
7. William Byron
Not back on eight cylinders yet, but probably back to 7½.
8. Alex Bowman
A win and five top-5s in his last seven Dover starts.
9. Tyler Reddick
Made some hay at road courses the past two weeks, but right-hand turns at Dover aren’t recommended.
10. Ryan Blaney
Wine country delivered sour grapes. Raise your hand if you didn’t irritate Blaney at Sonoma.
— Email Ken Willis at [email protected]
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