Fans are trained to expect the unexpected when NASCAR races at Daytona, but Saturday was stunning even for the most seasoned viewers.
Harrison Burton, sitting 34th of 34th among full-time drivers in the points standings, led one lap – the final one – to steal his first career win in his 98th start while over three-quarters of the field was involved in some sort of accident.
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With Burton winning the penultimate race of the regular season, there are now just three playoff spots left unclaimed.
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Next up is the regular season finale, the iconic Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. How does the field stack up after Daytona? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:
1. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 1
Reddick remains atop the power rankings despite being involved in two accidents and finishing 28th on Saturday. The 23XI Racing driver remains the points leader entering Darlington, where he could clinch his first regular season title.
2. Kyle Larson
Last week: 3
At times, it looked like Larson was finally going to get his first superspeedway victory. But he suffered too much damage late and finished 21st after leading five laps and collecting eight stage points. The reigning Southern 500 winner needs a repeat performance if he wants to overcome the 17-point deficit to Reddick.
3. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 2
Hamlin’s day ended early with heavy damage in the first big wreck in Stage 2, subjecting him to a 38th-place finish. The three-time Daytona 500 winner will move on to Darlington, where he’s won four times in his Cup career.
4. Christopher Bell
Last week: 4
It was a quiet night for Bell until the final stage, when he was suddenly in position for a great finish. He avoided most of the carnage and came home third, his best finish in nearly two months.
5. William Byron
Last week: 5
The Daytona 500 winner couldn’t sweep the season in Florida, but he was in the mix for most of the night. Byron finished top-10 in both stages before finally crashing out at lap 158, just shy of the scheduled distance, and finishing 27th.
6. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 7
Blaney was involved in the same accident as Byron while running near the front late. He finished 29th but scored 15 stage points to at least salvage a decent points day. The No. 12 team is fourth in the standings and well-positioned to potentially be the first repeat champion since 2010 (Jimmie Johnson).
7. Chase Elliott
Last week: 6
It was a short night for Elliott, who was involved in the wreck with Hamlin in Stage 2. He finished 36th, the first time in 25 races this season that he’s finished worse than 21st. Elliott is still just 18 points behind Reddick, so the regular season title is within sight with one race to go.
8. Brad Keselowski
Last week: 8
Keselowski restarted on the front row in the closing laps but was penalized for going early. There were two more accidents after his penalty, though, which helped him recover to finish eighth after leading eight laps and earning 12 stage points. Keselowski’s lone win this season came at Darlington in May, so he’ll be among the favorites this weekend.
9. Joey Logano
Last week: 10
Logano had a front-row seat when Michael McDowell nearly flipped, the same crash that collected Byron and Blaney. The No. 22 got the worst of it by finishing 31st, but Logano still jumps a spot in the power rankings after leading a race-high 34 laps and winning Stage 2. This team continues to trend in the right direction heading into the playoffs, even if this finish doesn’t show it.
10. Bubba Wallace
Last week: 9
Another unexpected winner puts Wallace in a precarious spot. He finished sixth on Saturday and sits 13th in the overall standings. But without a win, he’s 21 points behind Chris Buescher for the final playoff spot. Wallace, despite his 10.1 average finish over the last seven races, looks increasingly likely to miss the postseason.
First four out: Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman
