NASCAR Playoff Power Rankings 2025: Who can survive the grinding gauntlet heading into Bristol Motor Speedway

Denny Hamlin punched his ticket to the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with his win on Sunday at the World Wide Technology Raceway. It was the driver of the #11's 59th career victory and a series-high fifth win of the 2025 season.

This Saturday night, the circuit returns to the Bristol Motor Speedway for the cutoff race of the Round of 16. Who's sitting in a prime position to survive the opening round of the playoffs and advance? Let's have a look at this week's NASCAR Power Rankings.

5. Chase Elliott

NASCAR: Cup Series-Practice and Qualifying - Source: Imagn

Chase Elliott needed a strong day at the WTT Raceway, and he delivered. The driver of the #9 started from the 19th position on Sunday and came home with a quality third-place finish. The effort of the Hendrick Motorsports star has him in a great spot heading into the last race of the Round of 16.

On the heels of a 17th-place finish at Darlington, Elliott was a mere nine points above the cut line to advance to the Round of 12. Now, the 2020 Cup Series champion has a decent 28-point cushion heading into Bristol. The Georgia native has finished in the top 10 in four of the last five Bristol races, which is sure to give the #9 confidence in their chances of advancing to the next round.

4. Bubba Wallace

NASCAR: Cup Series-Practice and Qualifying - Source: Imagn

Bubba Wallace remains high in the NASCAR Power Rankings following a strong run at the WTT Raceway. The driver of the #23 won stage two, led 73 laps, and posted an eighth-place finish. The 23XI Racing driver is off to a hot start in the playoffs as he registered a sixth-place run in the opener at Darlington.

With one race remaining in the Round of 16, Wallace is fourth in the standings with a 50-point barrier over the cutoff. The three-time Cup Series winner has only advanced to the Round of 12 once in his career, but is in a comfortable position to do so again. Wallace finished third in the Bristol playoff race last season as a non-playoff driver.

3. Ryan Blaney

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Race at WWTR - Source: Imagn

Ryan Blaney put together another solid run on Sunday in the second NASCAR Cup playoff race. Despite spinning out midway through, the driver of the #12 rallied to finish fourth and give himself a great advantage over the cut line heading into Bristol. It was a bounce-back race for the 2023 Cup champion after finishing 18th at Darlington.

The Team Penske star has a 42-point buffer over the cut line to advance to the Round of 12. In the last two Bristol races, Blaney has finished no worse than sixth. Blaney entered the playoffs with momentum after six straight top-10 finishes, including a win in the regular season finale at Daytona. Now, a decent run at Bristol should be enough for Blaney's title hopes to continue.

2. Denny Hamlin

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Race at WWTR - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin took another step closer to his quest for an elusive first NASCAR Cup Series championship on Sunday. The driver of the #11 led a race-high 75 laps en route to victory at the WWT Raceway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver's fifth victory of 2025 guarantees him a spot in the Round of 12.

Hamlin has an opportunity to build on his momentum this Saturday night at Bristol. The 44-year-old has four top-five finishes in the last four Bristol races, including a pair of victories in September 2023 and March 2024. The 59-time Cup winner also has a short track win this season that came at Martinsville in March. With nothing to lose, don't be surprised if Hamlin picks up win #6 of 2025 on Saturday night.

1. Chase Briscoe

NASCAR: Cup Series-Practice and Qualifying - Source: Imagn

Fresh off a dominant win at Darlington, Chase Briscoe kept the momentum rolling at the WTT Raceway. The driver of the #19 won stage one, led 15 laps, and came home second behind Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin. The four-time Cup Series winner's hot playoff start has him topping this week's NASCAR Power Rankings.

Briscoe has two victories this season, which came at Pocono in June and Darlington two races ago. The Darlington win guarantees him a spot in the upcoming Round of 12. At Bristol, Briscoe has finished top 10 in the last two races, including a fourth-place run this past spring. Given his recent hot streak and solid Bristol finishes, expect Briscoe to be a contender this Saturday night.