NASCAR Power Rankings: Top drivers, and their feuding history

The winner of a NASCAR Cup Series race typically is somewhere already in the power rankings or joins them after a victory.

But considering Austin Dillon’s season, his win at Richmond won’t vault him into the power rankings considering that was just his third top-10 of the campaign.

Here are this week’s power rankings with recent finishes weighed more heavily. In the theme of the Richmond finish, the commentary takes a look at some of these drivers’ feuds with other drivers. The rankings aren’t based on the feuds, just the commentary.

1. Denny Hamlin (Last Week: 2)

Hamlin has had his share of controversy, especially in tangles with Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and Brad Keselowski through the years. Now add Austin Dillon to the list.

2. Kyle Larson (LW: 1) 

Larson’s most controversial move might have come just as he was learning stock cars and he wrecked Mike Stefanik to win his first K&N East race. He lately has been in some heated battles with Hamlin, and he also has a history with Christopher Bell. And who can forget the Watkins Glen tangles with Chase Elliott?

3. Tyler Reddick (LW: 3)

Reddick’s biggest controversy might have come this year when he wrecked Chris Buescher at Darlington. Neither of them won the race thanks in part to Reddick’s mistake. 

4. Chase Elliott (LW: 5)

Elliott was suspended for a race last year for hooking Denny Hamlin in retaliation, but his most infamous feud was in 2021 with Kevin Harvick after Harvick was furious with him after Bristol for holding him up. Elliott was able to advance in the playoffs at the Charlotte road course later that year despite Harvick spinning him during the race. Elliott delivered the savage line, wishing Harvick, who was eliminated, a “merry offseason and a happy Christmas.”

5. Christopher Bell (LW: 6)

Bell and Larson have had their moments as they have battled in both sprint cars and stock cars. Beyond Larson, Bell had seemed to stay out of much of the controversy — up until last March when Kyle Busch went up to him and chewed him out after the race at COTA.

6. Ryan Blaney (LW: 4)

Blaney doesn’t seem to have any long-lasting feuds but does get frustrated with drivers on occasion. Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar and William Byron — all just this year — among them.

7. Bubba Wallace (LW: NR)

Wallace was suspended for a race for hooking Larson in retaliation in 2022 at Las Vegas. Wallace also was fined earlier this year for running into Alex Bowman on the cool-down lap at Chicago. He said his past issues with Bowman didn’t impact that move. 

8. William Byron (LW: 7)

Byron had his infamous tangle with Joey Logano at Darlington in 2022. The often mild-mannered Byron had some choice words for Logano after that one. 

9. Brad Keselowski (LW: 9)

Keselowski has a long history of beefs, from Denny Hamlin to Carl Edwards to his most long-running rivalry with Kyle Busch. They have never liked each other. 

10. Joey Logano (LW: NR) 

Logano has had incidents with several drivers during his career, from Kevin Harvick to Tony Stewart to Matt Kenseth to Martin Truex Jr. to Denny Hamlin to William Byron. Hey, you don’t win a couple of championships in this day and age with upsetting someone. Or so it seems. 

Dropped out: Alex Bowman (LW: 8), Todd Gilliland (LW: 10). 

On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Martin Truex Jr.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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