NASCAR Power Rankings: Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott move up after strong Mexico runs
The drivers who finished second and third at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez moved up in these power rankings.
The winner? Well, that was Shane van Gisbergen but he will need to put a few solid finishes together before he cracks this list.
Christopher Bell (second) and Chase Elliott (third) should feel good about their performances heading into this weekend at Pocono.
Here are the power rankings following the Cup debut in Mexico City:
Dropped out: Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 9)
On the verge: Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick
10. Chase Briscoe (LW: Not Ranked)
Briscoe didn't win a fourth consecutive pole. But he'll take the finish from Sunday, as he placed seventh in Mexico City. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was involved in an early incident and rallying for that result was a good sign that his team remains resilient.
9. Ross Chastain (LW: 6)
Chastain took the stage points in the first stage by finishing third. However, he ended up with a 16th-place finish on a day when his Trackhouse Racing teammate van Gisbergen won.
8. Bubba Wallace (LW: 8)
Wallace has consistently improved on road courses. The 23XI Racing driver didn't qualify well (25th) but he brought home a respectable 12th-place finish.
7. Chris Buescher (LW: 7)
Buescher is one of the more underrated road-course drivers in the series. He finished seventh in the second stage and after losing the track position to pit, drove his RFK Racing car to 12th at the finish.
6. Chase Elliott (LW: 10)
Quite a solid day for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, as he finished third in Mexico City. He started 12th, got the car better during the weekend and survived some of the beating and banging on the restarts.
5. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2)
Hamlin didn't race at Mexico City after the birth of his son earlier in the week. He is expected to return at Pocono.
4. Ryan Blaney (LW: 4)
Blaney didn't have a winning car so he took the stage points. He finished second in the opening stage and fourth in the second stage. That — combined with a 14th-place finish — gave the Penske driver the fifth-highest point total on the day.
3. Kyle Larson (LW: 3)
Larson was an innocent bystander in getting collected in a wreck on Lap 7. He ended up 36th, making the trip to Mexico a frustrating one for the championship contender.
2. Christopher Bell (LW: 5)
Bell finished second in the second stage behind van Gisbergen, and that's also where they ended up at the finish of the race. The JGR driver will carry momentum into Pocono.
1. William Byron (LW: 1)
Byron's ninth-place finish wasn't great, but it was better than many of the other top drivers on this list. The Hendrick driver should be a threat for the win at Pocono.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR 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.
recommended
Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Oilers Must Address Their Goaltending, Regardless Of What Happens In The Final
There was a time during the playoffs this year where Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers had not posted a single-game save percentage between .835 and .999, which means he was either lights-out or out to lunch in every game. That is not a sustainable winning formula. And the Oilers know it. Advertisement The Oilers don't need great goaltending to win a Cup because nobody does anymore. What they need is good goaltending and, far more importantly, goaltending that is consistently good. Despite two runs to the Stanley Cup final, they haven't received that. And there will be people who will say, "Yeah, but Stuart Skinner backstopped the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final last year." No, he didn't. He happened to be the guy standing between the goal posts when Edmonton went to Game 7. Big difference. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) That's why, regardless of what happens in the next two games, the Oilers have to once and for all address their goaltending situation this off-season. Advertisement Watch today's video column for more, and share your thoughts. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
NASCAR Power Rankings: Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott move up after strong Mexico runs
Print Close Published June 17, 2025 The drivers who finished second and third at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez moved up in these power rankings. The winner? Well, that was Shane van Gisbergen but he will need to put a few solid finishes together before he cracks this list. Christopher Bell (second) and Chase Elliott (third) should feel good about their performances heading into this weekend at Pocono. Here are the power rankings following the Cup debut in Mexico City: Dropped out: Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 9) On the verge: Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick 10. Chase Briscoe (LW: Not Ranked) Briscoe didn't win a fourth consecutive pole. But he'll take the finish from Sunday, as he placed seventh in Mexico City. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was involved in an early incident and rallying for that result was a good sign that his team remains resilient. 9. Ross Chastain (LW: 6) Chastain took the stage points in the first stage by finishing third. However, he ended up with a 16th-place finish on a day when his Trackhouse Racing teammate van Gisbergen won. 8. Bubba Wallace (LW: 8) Wallace has consistently improved on road courses. The 23XI Racing driver didn't qualify well (25th) but he brought home a respectable 12th-place finish. 7. Chris Buescher (LW: 7) Buescher is one of the more underrated road-course drivers in the series. He finished seventh in the second stage and after losing the track position to pit, drove his RFK Racing car to 12th at the finish. 6. Chase Elliott (LW: 10) Quite a solid day for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, as he finished third in Mexico City. He started 12th, got the car better during the weekend and survived some of the beating and banging on the restarts. 5. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2) Hamlin didn't race at Mexico City after the birth of his son earlier in the week. He is expected to return at Pocono. 4. Ryan Blaney (LW: 4) Blaney didn't have a winning car so he took the stage points. He finished second in the opening stage and fourth in the second stage. That — combined with a 14th-place finish — gave the Penske driver the fifth-highest point total on the day. 3. Kyle Larson (LW: 3) Larson was an innocent bystander in getting collected in a wreck on Lap 7. He ended up 36th, making the trip to Mexico a frustrating one for the championship contender. 2. Christopher Bell (LW: 5) Bell finished second in the second stage behind van Gisbergen, and that's also where they ended up at the finish of the race. The JGR driver will carry momentum into Pocono. 1. William Byron (LW: 1) Byron's ninth-place finish wasn't great, but it was better than many of the other top drivers on this list. The Hendrick driver should be a threat for the win at Pocono. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR 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. Print Close URL
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6 odds, picks: NHL Stanley Cup Final predictions, best bets
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The Florida Panthers are good at just about everything, but their biggest superpower may be their ability to remain calm when they're under pressure. One year ago, the Panthers blew a 3-0 series lead to these Edmonton Oilers, but responded with a defensive masterclass in Game 7 to win their first Stanley Cup. This spring, they were down by two goals in Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, facing the prospect of falling behind, 3-0, in their best-of-seven series. Florida won Game 3 in overtime and claimed the series in seven games. The Cats showed their poise once again in Game 2 of the Final, winning in double overtime to avoid falling behind in the series, 2-0. Florida's resolve was on display again in Game 5, when the Panthers put together a comprehensive 5-2 victory after blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 4. Every time the pressure ramps up, the Panthers respond with their best effort. There will be plenty of pressure on the Cats on Tuesday night, as the Stanley Cup will be in the building for the first time this year. Florida is a -146 favorite to win Game 6 – and the Cup. Sergei Bobrovsky and Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers celebrate after Game 5. Getty Images Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6 betting preview One of the most frustrating parts about playing the Panthers in the playoffs is that they seem to get better as the best-of-seven series goes deeper. Florida plays a relentless, physical brand of hockey, and the punishment that the Cats inflict tends to pay off in the championship rounds. The Oilers have done an admirable job of staying in the fight, but their tanks could be getting dangerously close to empty as we hit our first elimination game of the series. Betting on the NHL? Edmonton's goaltending is under the most scrutiny ahead of Game 6, but the Oilers also struggled mightily to unlock Florida's defensive structure Saturday night. Edmonton created just three high-danger scoring chances and 0.94 expected goals at 5-on-5 against the Panthers in Game 5. Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6 pick It's never a good time to have your goaltending situation in flux, but there could hardly be a worse one than before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers have a tough choice to make between Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, and the biggest red flag is that neither netminder inspires much confidence. No matter who the Oilers roll with, they will be the second-best goaltender on the ice behind Sergei Bobrovsky, who is coming off a solid performance in Game 5 and has been superb in high-pressure situations for the Panthers for a number of years. Betting on the NHL? With a murky goaltending situation, the Oilers have no real margin for error, which is bad news against the Panthers, who are masters at forcing teams into mistakes. The Panthers look a bit short, even at -150 odds, for Game 6, but I like the idea of tying them to the Under 6.5 to give your ticket a little bit more oomph. Same-Game Parlay: Panthers -150/Under 6.5 (+190, FanDuel) Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
