The NASCAR playoffs are here, which means it’s time for Team Penske to step up.
In what has become a yearly tradition, Roger Penske’s organization looks completely transformed as the stakes get raised.
Joey Logano scored the victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway to clinch the first spot in the Round of 12, while his teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric swept the opening stages.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Logano hasn’t had the strongest year, but the two-time champion clearly knows how to get it done in the postseason. The same can be said for Blaney, who turned it on to win his first title in 2023.
The Round of 16 continues next Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network) at Watkins Glen as the New York road course hosts its first ever playoff race. How does the field stack up after the playoff opener? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:
1. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 1
The No. 45 team took the safe approach on Sunday. Reddick, fresh off winning the regular season championship, was content to keep his car clean and salvage a solid points day. He did just that, finishing sixth after a hectic overtime restart. The three-time road course winner is in a great spot to advance to the Round of 12.
2. Christopher Bell
Last week: 4
Bell is quietly the hottest driver in the series after finishing fourth on Sunday. He has scored three straight top-fives, with top-six finishes in five of his last six races. With a 40-point cushion on the cutline, Bell is sitting pretty heading to a track where he’s never finished worse than eighth.
3. Kyle Larson
Last week: 2
This playoff system is ruthless – just ask Larson. He was the No. 1 seed, but a Stage 1 crash on Sunday now has him 10th in the standings. Larson has no one to blame but himself for the wreck, where he lost control of his car and slammed hard into the outside wall. Luckily for the No. 5 team, they’ve won at Watkins Glen twice in the last three years.
4. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 6
Blaney’s third-place finish gives him eight top-fives on the year, which matches his total from 2023 when he won the title. Even after being involved in a wreck late, the No. 12 was quick enough to regain track position and ultimately claim the overall points lead.
5. William Byron
Last week: 5
A ninth-place finish and nine stage points was enough to put Byron in a comfortable spot for the playoffs. He’s 33 points above the cutline, which is tied for Reddick and behind only Blaney and Bell. Byron won at Watkins Glen last year, so all signs are pointing in a positive direction for the No. 24 team.
6. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 3
Atlanta was a weekend to forget from start to finish for Hamlin. He had engine troubles in qualifying, with his lap over two seconds off the pace. Sunday didn’t go much better, as he seemed content to be cautious and avoid crashes. But the wrecks didn’t come and he was still collected in the lap-lap incident as he finished 24th and sits just two points above the cutline.
7. Joey Logano
Last week: 8
Is the even-year magic back? Logano has made the Championship 4 in every even-numbered year since this playoff format began in 2014. Even when he doesn’t have the best regular seasons, the 34-year-old veteran seems to find a way come playoff time. Logano still has a lot of work to get there in 2024, but his Atlanta performance suggests that it is absolutely possible.
8. Chase Elliott
Last week: 9
Elliott ran inside the top-10 for most of the race, finishing seventh in Stage 1, eighth in Stage 2 and eighth in the race for a solid run. The Georgia native obviously would’ve liked more at his home track, but this was a much-needed finish after three straight outside the top-10.
9. Ty Gibbs
Last week: 10
Gibbs was in position to potentially win his first race before a late caution. He botched the ensuing restart and fell to finish 17th after leading 37 laps, which puts him on the playoff bubble – just one point above the cutline heading into Watkins Glen.
10. Alex Bowman
Last week: First four out
Amid rumors about his job security, Bowman earned his best finish in nearly two months. He crossed the line fifth and scored 16 valuable stage points. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is now 27 points above the cutline as he looks to advance out of the Round of 16 for the fifth time in his career.
First four out: Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez
