2014 NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 10 Championship Contenders thru 4-19-14: It has been a wild start to the 2014 Sprint Cup season with seven different drivers going to victory lane in the first eight races. With the series taking a week off for the first time this season, it is time to take a step back and take a closer look at the drivers that are establishing themselves as the top title contenders in the early weeks of the season. Of course, a big part of the equation this year is whether or not a driver has been to victory lane given the new playoff format that basically guarantees any driver with a win earning a spot on the Chase. With that in mind, here is a look at the top 10 title contenders in the Sprint Cup Series after eight races.
1. Kevin Harvick: Sure, he has four finishes of 36th or worse in eight starts, but as the only driver to win multiple races in 2014, Harvick essentially already secured a spot in the Chase. Both his victory at Phoenix and at Darlington came in dominant fashion, and he has been fast in just about every race this season. If Harvick’s team can fix the mechanical issues that have been plaguing them, a championship looks like a real possibility.
2. Jeff Gordon: He is still winless in 2014 despite having the car to beat in multiple races, but no driver has been more consistent. Gordon’s six top-10s through eight races are tired for the most in the series, and he hasn’t finished worse than 13th all year. He heads into the first off weekend as the point leader, and his week-to-week consistency bodes well for his chances in NASCAR’s new elimination playoff format.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has all but locked up a spot in the playoffs after winning the Daytona 500 to open the year, but it is what he has done since the opener that makes him a legit title contender. He currently leads the series with five top-five finishes, and in addition to his victory, he has three second-place finishes.
4. Jimmie Johnson: The defending champ is currently winless, but he is fifth in points and has been running well despite some terrible luck. After all, he came within a few laps of winning at Martinsville, he would have won at Auto Club Speedway if not for a cut tire with seven laps to go, and he would have won at Darlington if not for a caution with two laps to go. It’s only a matter of time before he starts piling up wins.
5. Joey Logano: He finally seems to be living up to the hype that he entered the Cup Series with back in 2009, and he basically has a spot in the Chase sealed up after winning at Texas. More importantly, Logano has been consistently strong in 2014, and his four top-five finishes are the second most in the series.
6. Matt Kenseth: Although he isn’t quite at the same level he was last year, Kenseth is more than holding his own while he works out the kinks. He is just a single point out of the top spot, and he hasn’t finished worse than 13th all year. Meanwhile, his six top-10s are tied for the most in the series through eight races, and he has finished seventh or better in his last four starts. Kenseth should only get stronger as the year goes on, and his consistency should play huge dividends in the long run.
7. Kyle Busch: Busch got off to a sloppy start in 2014, but he has turned up the heat recently. He has a 6.0 average finish over the last four races. During the stretch, he has three finishes of sixth or better, including an all-important victory at Auto Club Speedway. Busch has the talent to win a title, the question is whether or not this will be the year he puts it all together.
8. Brad Keselowski: After opening the year with three straight finishes of third or better, including a win at Las Vegas, Keselowski has been slipping a bit lately. He has finished outside the top 10 in five straight races despite starting on the front row three times during the stretch. Thanks to his win, the 2012 champ should have no problem making the playoffs, but he has some work to do before then to win a title.
9. Carl Edwards: He snuck into victory lane at Bristol to basically punch it his ticket to the playoffs, and Edwards has spent the rest of the year piling up steady top-15 finishes. In fact, he has seven top-15s in eight races this year. Consistency is a good thing with the new playoff format, but being a regular in the top 15 might not be enough. Edwards needs to become a staple of the top 10 if he really wants to contend.
10. Kyle Larson: The rookie doesn’t have a win yet, but his potential is off the charts. Despite almost no Cup experience, Larson is already tearing up the track. He has four top-10s in the last five races and has a pair of top-five finishes during the stretch. He should only continue to get better as he gains seat time, and he could be a force to be reckoned with by the end of the year.
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