NASCAR Power Rankings updated after Ryan Blaney locks playoff spot with Nashville win

Ryan Blaney cruised to a dominant victory at Nashville Superspeedway to clinch his first NASCAR Cup victory of the season. A trip to victory was long-awaited for the #12 Penske team, as the rest of the Penske teams had already punched their playoff ticket, including affiliate Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry.

Carson Hocevar finished second, matching his best result in the NASCAR Cup Series, ahead of veteran driver Denny Hamlin. The Cracker Barrel 400 featured several comeback stories, as Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell overcame adversity to secure top-10 finishes.

Ahead of NASCAR's visit to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, let us take a look at the top-five Cup Series drivers in the Power Rankings.

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NASCAR Power Rankings post Nashville Superspeedway

#5. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin (Source: Getty)

Denny Hamlin was on baby watch at Nashville Superspeedway but still managed to complete the 400-mile race with a stage win and a third-place finish. The veteran NASCAR driver didn't have the outright pace to challenge Blaney but climbed two spots in the standings to fourth overall.

Following his back-to-back wins, the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing team endured a rough stretch of results. After missing out on a victory at Charlotte, Hamlin's team executed a clean race to secure a solid finish.

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#4. Christopher Bell

Christopher Bell (Source: Getty)

Christopher Bell recovered to finish 10th at Nashville Superspeedway after being spun by Erik Jones. While he didn't have the speed to contend for the win, Bell scored points in both stages, continuing to build momentum and extend his top-10 streak.

The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing team has struggled to build on its three consecutive wins from earlier in the season. However, consistency has been key for Bell, who has finished inside the top 10 in seven of the last eight races. He sits third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, 88 points behind William Byron.

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#3. Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney (Source: Getty)

Ryan Blaney finally made the trip to Victory Lane after coming heartbreakingly close to winning on multiple occasions this season. Despite starting 15th, he gained track position with clever strategy, winning the second stage and leading 139 laps en route to victory.

The #12 Penske team holds an edge over the field on long runs, especially on intermediate ovals. After dominating at Homestead and earning third-place finishes at both Texas and Kansas, Blaney finally took the checkered flag at Nashville.

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#2. Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson (Source: Getty)

Kyle Larson salvaged a top-10 finish from what appeared to be his toughest weekend of the season in terms of speed. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy lacked pace in practice and qualified 28th, but Larson stayed on the lead lap, avoided trouble, and executed strong restarts to finish eighth.

Aside from the disastrous Memorial Day double, the 2021 NASCAR champion has been consistent, finishing inside the top five in five of the last eight races. However, he has fallen 48 points behind points leader William Byron over the past two weeks.

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#1. William Byron

William Byron (Source: Getty)

William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports didn't appear to have the speed to contend for the win, but he ran a clean race, finishing inside the top five in both stages and securing a fifth-place finish in the final stage.

Byron continues to hold the best average finishing position in the Cup Series at 9.2. Despite his consistency, he needs to add another win to his tally, as he currently has just 11 playoff points compared to Larson's 23.