Inclement climate once more marred the Grant Park 165 on the Chicago Avenue Course and but the rivals nonetheless placed on an entertaining present, with Alex Bowman incomes the shock win.
Bowman, who was outdoors our most up-to-date energy rankings, re-enters the image after punching his playoff ticket and breaking an 80-race winless streak. In the meantime, a brand new identify takes over the No. 1 spot.
This is how the facility rankings shake out main into Sunday’s The Nice American Getaway 400 Introduced By VisitPA.com at Pocono Raceway.
1. Christopher Bell (Final week: 2)
Lastly, Bell takes over the facility rankings lead. Though he completed thirty seventh Sunday after struggling injury in a late incident on the monitor, he was on tempo to probably chase down Bowman for the win earlier than the contact, which was not his fault. With Kyle Larson crashing out as a consequence of an unforced error, Bell did sufficient for us to make a change on the prime of the rankings.
2. Kyle Larson (Final week: 1)
Regardless of having contending velocity once more, Larson ended up thirty ninth, his second end within the 30s previously 4 races. He solely has himself responsible for lacking a flip Sunday whereas battling for second within the rain. On the intense aspect, he maintains management of the factors lead and shall be one of many favorites at Pocono, the place he led late a yr in the past earlier than contact with Denny Hamlin ruined his race.
3. Tyler Reddick (Final week: 3)
Reddick was chasing down Bowman within the closing circuits with an enormous benefit on dry tires, however got here up simply quick after hitting the wall on the final lap by pushing too exhausting. He nonetheless completed runner-up, incomes his second straight podium consequence whereas additionally quietly climbing into the battle for the factors lead as a consequence of all the opposite contenders not ending effectively. He is solely 23 again of Larson within the standings.
4. Ryan Blaney (Final week: 5)
Blaney did not make a complete lot of noise in Chicago and but emerged with a strong Tenth-place end. He is overdue for a few of these finishes to stability out his in any other case dangerous luck. Driving back-to-back top-10 finishes, Blaney will look to maintain the momentum moving into Pocono.
5. Chase Elliott (Final week: 6)
Elliott had a top-10 run going for many of the afternoon however pale late after which obtained spun on the final lap to drop again to twenty first. That lastly ended his streak of ending no worse than twentieth all season, however maybe that is a blessing in disguise, as a driver as proficient as Elliott must be extra centered on contending for wins versus churning out solid-yet-unspectacular outcomes.
6. Martin Truex Jr. (Final week: 7)
Truex’s tough luck continues. He suffered injury within the late incident involving Bell and dropped deep within the discipline to thirty third. He stays fifth in factors, however the extra drivers who punch their playoff tickets with victories whereas he stays with out one, the extra concern could begin to develop of the potential of Truex being knocked out. It is extremely unlikely, however the identical situation performed out in 2022, when he discovered himself on the flawed aspect of the bubble.
7. Denny Hamlin (Final week: 4)
One other street course, one other disastrous exhibiting from Hamlin, who was concerned in a number of incidents and completed thirtieth. He must be glad to place this race behind him, however it price him dearly in his quest for the regular-season factors title. (He is fourth, 42 markers again of Larson.) Hamlin must be one of many favorites in Pocono, the place he has gained seven occasions, together with final yr.
8. Ross Chastain (Final week: 8)
Chastain had velocity at occasions Sunday however completed twenty second after the late-race chaos, his second consecutive consequence outdoors the highest 20. It is not fairly sufficient to drop him behind any of the drivers who entered the week decrease than him, however he’ll should hope for higher luck quickly as he stays winless in 2024. One or two extra dangerous finishes may make issues a bit uncomfortable for the driving force who’s 53 factors above the bubble.
9. Ty Gibbs (Final week: 14)
Though he did not win, third-place finisher Gibbs — who had one of many quickest vehicles Sunday — helped himself an terrible lot in factors. He led a race-high 17 laps and jumped to ninth within the standings, though Bowman’s win offers him a bit much less respiratory room if there are extra winners from behind him. Like his teammate Truex, Gibbs may actually use a checkered flag to ease the stress.
10. William Byron (Final week: 12)
Very similar to Blaney, Byron was nowhere to be discovered for many of the race in Chicago till magically showing within the prime 10 within the last laps, ending eighth. It was the kind of consequence he wanted after a miniature hunch, and now he’ll look to return to his lightning-quick type at Pocono, the place he led 60 laps final yr. He hasn’t led a race in 2024 because the Coca-Cola 600.
11. Chris Buescher (Final week: 9)
Coming into Sunday, Buescher had completed no worse than eleventh previously 13(!) road-course races. That led to Chicago on a day when he simply by no means appeared to have a lot tempo. To make issues worse, Bowman — who was behind him in factors — gained. That leaves Buescher as the ultimate driver within the playoffs, 45 factors forward of Bubba Wallace.
12. Alex Bowman (Final week: not ranked)
Bowman in all probability wasn’t on anybody’s quick record of favorites at Chicago, however regardless of the unconventional nature of his win, he ran close to the entrance all race with a median working place of sixth. A lot of the credit score goes to crew chief Blake Harris for leaving him on the monitor on moist tires, however Bowman obtained the job carried out and gained for the primary time since Las Vegas in early 2022. He shall be within the playoffs.
13. Brad Keselowski (Final week: 11)
Keselowski, maligned for his lack of road-course success, appeared poised to steal a top-five end on technique late within the going earlier than dropping to 18th when the dry tires grew to become way more advantageous. Nonetheless, that is a strong consequence for him at his worst monitor kind, and he’ll be glad to know there aren’t any extra such tracks all through the rest of the common season.
14. Joey Logano (Final week: 10)
Was Logano even within the discipline Sunday? He stayed out of hassle, so there was that at the very least, however he completed a library-quiet twenty third in a race by which he could not have been talked about on the published even as soon as. Not precisely one of the best ways to construct momentum off of his Nashville Superspeedway win, however fortunately for him, that will not matter till the playoffs start.
15. Todd Gilliland (Final week: NR)
Gilliland is formally having a breakout yr. He ran within the prime 10 and even the highest 5 for a lot of the going Sunday, completed seventh and moved to nineteenth in factors. He will not make the playoffs with no win, however he stays one of many constructive surprises of the season. With Entrance Row Motorsports teammate Michael McDowell departing the group on the finish of the yr, he has proved himself as a worthy driver for the crew to construct round.
16. Kyle Busch (Final week: NR)
Busch, who had a disastrous June, stayed out of hassle and his crew did its job, permitting him to come back house in ninth for his first top-10 end since Kansas eight races in the past. He’ll want much more than that to make the playoffs, however it goes to indicate Busch can nonetheless run close to the entrance when nothing goes flawed for him.
Dropped out: Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry, Bubba Wallace
