2025 NASCAR Power Rankings: Week 23, Iowa

When Bubba Wallace crossed the yard of bricks to claim a seminal victory in the Brickyard 400, the win set in motion a lot of movement on our weekly power rankings.

A driver that traditionally fights for his life on the cutline all season long found his way into the postseason a month prior to Daytona, and it vaulted him back into the top-10 after spending a month off the list.

Others didn’t leave The Speedway with as many positive takeaways, and we’re starting to see some winners from earlier in the season slide (or skid) off our list as the summer rages.

Heading into Iowa for just the second time in Cup Series history and running the race during the day, it’s anyone’s guess which driver will take the corn crown, so without any further ado, let’s dive into this week’s rankings.

1. Denny Hamlin (Previous Peak: 1)

Last Five Races: 31st, 4th, 20th, 1st, 3rd

Tanner: Coming off of a hard-fought victory over teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, Hamlin entered Indianapolis as a favorite to get that long-awaited Crown Jewel victory, but a bobble and crash in qualifying put the 11 in the back of the field for the start of Sunday’s race.

This setback failed to slow a surging Hamlin as he wheeled his backup car to a third-place finish in the Brickyard 400, further cementing his status at the top of our list. Hamlin looks to translate the same attributes that make him dominant at Richmond and translate them to its sister track in Iowa.

2. Kyle Larson (Previous Peak: 1)

Last Five Races: 17th, 13th, 35th, 4th, 2nd

Tanner: Since his most recent trip to the Brickyard, Kyle Larson has found himself in a sort of slump that’s seen him go winless since Kansas on May 11. With back-to-back top-5s, the 5 team seem to be mounting a modest charge at the regular season title after a stout run at Indy.

The 2021 champion rolls into the Iowa corn fields to avenge his early exit from last year’s inaugural race, an event where he looked to have the dominant car in the first 200 laps. A fourth win on the season requires Larson and his crew to enter the weekend with speed and execute perfectly until the checkered flag flies.

3. Christopher Bell (Previous Peak: 1)

Last Five Races: 30th, 24th, 5th, 18th, 8th

Tanner: Bell’s second top-10 since June 15 came at Indianapolis last weekend, but his solid result got immediately overshadowed by his ill-advised move to duck beneath Zane Smith on the first overtime restart that saw Smith’s No. 38 Ford turn into a crumpled heap.

The Oklahoma driver made sure to apologize to everyone on the 38 team after the race, stressing there was no ill intent behind the move and claiming it was a misjudgment. Bell looks to pick up and move on to Iowa where he came home with a top-5 in the first race at the track he dominated in Xfinity.

4. Ryan Blaney (Previous Peak: 4)

Last Five Races: 40th, 12th, 36th, 8th, 7th

Tanner: When looking at the final results for the Brickyard 400, one name in the top-10 caught my eye: Ryan Blaney. With 18 laps to go, the 2023 champion abdicated the top spot to duck onto pit road for fuel, ending his bid at an Indianapolis victory and submerging his fast Ford into the midpack.

Rains swept through while the 12 rode in 22nd. On the first overtime restart, Blaney restarted 17th. He began the final restart in 13th, and after a lot of fuel mileage hijinks and deft driving, he wound up 7th. The late push should power the Penske crew to a repeat of last year’s assertive showing in Iowa, if they can qualify well.

5. Chase Elliott (Previous Peak: 5)

Last Five Races: 1st, 16th, 3rd, 6th, 13th

Tanner: Despite a strong showing in Dover where a strategy blunder took them out of a chance at victory, the 9 team rolled into the Brickyard and disappointed many that pointed to him as a favorite coming into the weekend by qualifying 30th and ending a milquetoast day in 13th.

The 2020 champions make their way to the Hawkeye State with confidence as they left the intermediate short track with a third-place finish last season, and they’ll look to build on that in the Cup Series’ second trip to Iowa Speedway.

6. Bubba Wallace (Previous Peak: 7)

Last Five Races: 22nd, 28th, 26th, 7th, 1st

Jey: Bubba Wallace became the first Black man to win at the Indianapolis oval this past weekend, an achievement that will live in the history books as an incredible milestone forever. More so, the 23 team just had their first complete race of the season since Homestead. That should put the entire playoff grid on watch.

Not to mention that for the first time in years (if not ever), Wallace doesn’t have to worry about the cutline or points as the playoffs edge closer. This team shed the proverbial monkey off their back and will be looking to add to their Indy success in the fields of Iowa this weekend.

7. Chris Buescher (Previous Peak: 8)

Last Five Races: 9th, 18th, 16th, 9th, 14th

Jey: Chris Buescher had a solid day in Indy, getting stage points in both stages and finishing a respectable 14th; despite this, Buescher now sits on the cutline after Wallace’s win. The pressure will only continue to build as the playoffs grow near.

Buescher looks to increase his gap to the cutline this week in Iowa, a track he was able to win at in Xfinity back in 2015. If he can find that same speed again, the 17 team could lock themselves into the postseason and remove the pressure they felt through August last season.

8. Chase Briscoe (Previous Peak: 7)

Last Five Races: 35th, 23rd, 2nd, 2nd, 18th

Jey: Chase Briscoe qualified on pole for yet another Crown Jewel this past weekend, something he’s done five times total this year. The Saturday pace did not translate to results on Sunday as Briscoe finished 18th and brought home a stage win.

Briscoe heads to Iowa looking for a rebound at a track he won at in 2019 when racing with Stewart-Haas Racing in the Xfinity Series. If Briscoe can have another fast Saturday as he’s had quite a few times this year, he could very well be poised for another great run.

9. Alex Bowman (Previous Peak: 7)

Last Five Races: 3rd, 8th, 19th, 3rd, 9th

Jey: Alex Bowman wheeled his No. 48 Camaro home for another top-10 finish last weekend in Indy. Despite qualifying a meager 21st, Bowman snagged five stage points, and crew chief Blake Harris played the strategies right to bring the Ally automobile home in a solid ninth.

The cutline got a bit closer as Bowman now sits just 63 points above it. Bowman finished eighth at Iowa last year. If he can replicate that success, the 48 team should hold serve, but they will absolutely be striving for more as we barrel towards the doorstep of the playoffs.

10. William Byron (Previous Peak: 3)

Last Five Races: 37th, 40th, 8th, 31st, 16th

Jey: William Byron just cannot finish a race where he runs. Whether it’s a late crash like Dover or a fuel gamble by crew chief Rudy Fugle, this team feels snake bitten as of late and lost control of the points standings with teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson circling and rival Denny Hamlin in hot pursuit.

Byron has a chance to bounce back in a big way this weekend at Iowa, a track where he ran runner-up to Ryan Blaney a year ago. Byron also owns trophies from Truck and Xfinity wins at Iowa, though those wins came nearly a decade ago. The 24 team aim to stop this skid and re-establish themselves as contenders this week.

Honorable Mentions: Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, Shane van Gisbergen

(Top Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography)