NASCAR Power Rankings: 5 standout drivers shaping up for 2025 Kansas Cup race

In a race that saw 12 cautions and an overtime finish, Joey Logano prevailed on Sunday, May 3, at Texas for his first win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The defending Cup champion's victory makes him the seventh different winner of the 2025 campaign.

Like all weeks, some drivers left Texas feeling satisfied about their performance while others were unpleased. As the Cup Series circuit gets set to head to Kansas Speedway, let's take a look at the top five drivers in this week's power rankings.

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#5 Denny Hamlin

NASCAR: Food City 500 - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin didn't have the day he wanted at Texas. On the 74th lap of Sunday's race, he saw his engine expire as his car burst into flames, resulting in a last-place finish of 38th. Despite that, Hamlin still finds himself in the top five of this week's power rankings.

Hamlin scored back-to-back victories at Martinsville and Darlington last month and followed up with a runner-up finish at Bristol. Despite now having two straight finishes outside the top 20, Kansas is one of his better tracks.

In his last seven races at Kansas, Hamlin has finished no worse than eighth and won the 2023 spring race. Aiming to get back on track, Kansas is certainly the place Hamlin can do it at.

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#4 Tyler Reddick

NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 - Qualifying - Source: Getty

He might've come home with a 21st-place finish, but Tyler Reddick still had a strong run in Texas. The driver of the #45 placed runner-up in both stages at the 1.5-mile track and carries momentum into Kansas, a track that's been good to him in recent memory.

Reddick won the fall 2023 race at Kansas and has three other top-10 finishes at the track. Currently sitting fifth in the points standings, it's only a matter of time before the 23XI Racing driver pushes his way into victory lane in 2025. Kansas could be the place Reddick can do it at having been a former winner.

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#3 Christopher Bell

NASCAR: Wurth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY - Source: Imagn

After a horrific crash at Talladega the week prior, Christopher Bell rebounded with a ninth-place run on Sunday at Texas. The driver of the #20 remains the winningest driver in 2025 with three victories and continues to stand tall in the power rankings.

Bell won three straight races early in the year at Atlanta, CoTA, and Phoenix. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has accumulated five top fives and sits sixth in the points standings after 11 races. Bell could rack up his fourth victory this weekend as he's finished top 10 in his last three Kansas races and started on the pole for all of them.

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#2 William Byron

NASCAR: Wurth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY - Source: Imagn

William Byron continues to be one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series field. The driver of the #24 accumulated eight stage points in Sunday's race at Texas and posted a 13th-place finish. The consistency continues to reward this year's Daytona 500 winner as he remains the points leader for the ninth straight race.

Heading into Kansas, Byron seeks his second win of the season after winning the opening race of the year at Daytona. The Hendrick Motorsports driver finished runner-up at Kansas last fall and also placed third in the spring 2023 race. With momentum on his side, don't be surprised if Byron nabs his first Kansas win this weekend.

#1 Kyle Larson

NASCAR: Wurth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY - Source: Imagn

After leading a race-high 90 laps and finishing fourth at Texas, Kyle Larson tops this week's NASCAR Cup power rankings. The driver of the #5 continues to show consistently why he'll be a favorite for the championship by season's end as he has two wins, seven top fives, and sits second in the points standings.

Heading into Sunday, the Hendrick Motorsports star is the defending winner of the Kansas spring race. The 2021 Cup champion has two wins total at the track and has finished no worse than eighth in seven of his last eight starts. With stats like those, you can't deny that Larson will be a contender this weekend at Kansas.