Monday Martin strikes again.
For the second time this season, Martin Truex Jr. won a race-delayed race on a Monday afternoon. This time it was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the 43-year-old veteran led 254 of 301 laps to score his third victory of the season and 34th of his career.
The regular season continues to wind down, with six races remaining and five playoff spots up for grabs as the series heads to Pocono Raceway next week.
Who’s the driver to beat after the race at New Hampshire? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings before the next race at Pocono (Sunday, July 23, 2:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBCSports.com):
1. Martin Truex Jr.
Last week: 3
Sports
Won the first stage, won the second stage, won the race. It was a flawless performance from Truex and the No. 19 team on Monday as he scored his first career win at New Hampshire. On a track that compares similarly to championship host Phoenix Raceway, MTJ made a statement to his competitors with this run.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
2. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 2
It was an oddly quiet weekend for Hamlin at one of his best tracks. He didn’t match the speed of his teammates Truex and Christopher Bell in practice and qualifying on Saturday. Then in the race, he quickly moved into the top-10 but couldn’t keep up with the leaders. Hamlin finished seventh, which is around where the No. 11 ran for most of the race.
3. William Byron
Last week: 1
What happened to the No. 24 at New Hampshire? I’m not sure if Byron even knows. He started seventh and took two tires on the opening pit stop, gaining the lead for nine laps and finishing second in Stage 1. The car then disappeared completely, dropping outside the top-20 before finishing 24th. That drastic of a shift in the middle of a race is puzzling.
4. Kyle Larson
Last week: 5
Larson’s race was the opposite of his teammate Byron’s, as he struggled early before coming on strong late. He faded from his 15th-place start to outside the top-20 in the opening stage, then recovered to finish second in Stage 2 and third in the race. Larson now has a series-best nine top-fives in 20 starts this season.
5. Kyle Busch
Last week: 4
Busch hit the trifecta in New Hampshire, crashing in practice, qualifying and the race. The damage during the race was terminal, giving him a last-place finish in 36th to snap a seven-race top-10 streak. Busch could turn things around quickly next week, though – he has four career wins at Pocono.
6. Joey Logano
Last week: 8
The New England native came up one spot short on Monday, finishing second at his home track. Still, it was one of the most complete races Logano and the No. 22 team have put together this season. He was competitive from start to finish, which could be a good sign moving forward for the defending champion.
7. Christopher Bell
Last week: 7
Monday was a missed opportunity for Bell. He finished two laps down in 29th after starting on the pole. The No. 20 pit crew put Bell behind early in the race with several miscues on pit road. Then, in the closing laps while running top-10, Bell slid into the wall on his own. That’s now three straight finishes outside the top-15 for Bell.
8. Ross Chastain
Last week: 6
The slump continued for Chastain at New Hampshire as he finished 23rd after starting 31st. In his last eight races, Chastain has six finishes outside the top-20. He won at Nashville during that stretch, but the bad finishes have been stacking up quickly as Chastain tumbles down the points standings.
9. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 9
Blaney was in contention for the win at New Hampshire before the final pit stop, when he got a penalty for running over equipment. That forced him to restart at the rear, and he only recovered to finish 22nd when he was destined for a top-five.
10. Brad Keselowski
Last week: first four out
Keselowski has four top-fives and eight top-10s through 20 races in his second season with RFK Racing. He had just one and six, respectively, in 36 races last season. The improvement from this team has been significant, with Keselowski notching another top-five finish at New Hampshire.
First four out: Chris Buescher, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick
