NASCAR Power Rankings After Tyler Reddick’s Win In Atlanta

The hubbub of the Daytona 500 is firmly in the rearview, and we entered the meat and bones of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

And yet, when it was all said and done and the cars took the checkered flag, it was, for the second week in a row, 23XI star Tyler Reddick who crossed the line first, cementing his spot atop our NASCAR Power Rankings.

But the second race of the season also presented us with several new names to watch and a ton of movement in the rankings compared to a week ago.

Yes, the sample size remains small. But given the new points format in 2026, getting off to a slow start could prove a significant hindrance to your championship hopes. Conversely, a hot start, like the one Reddick has had, could point you toward a championship run

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings: Week 2

Week one of the rankings gave a bit of credence to the 2025 standings and drivers who we expect to compete for a championship yet again this season.

This week, a little less credit is given to last season’s results, and with each passing week, that will become more and more prevalent.

That’s why superstars such as Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and William Byron all find themselves among the honorable mentions this week. In theory, you can expect all four drivers to work their way into the power rankings as the season progresses. But there’s certainly no guarantee.

Joining them in this week’s honor mentions are Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, who came home in third place on Sunday, moving from 23rd to 11th in the early-season standings, and Roush Fenway Keselowski’s Chris Buescher, who fell from seventh to 10th in the standings after a solid, if underwhelming, 15th-place finish.

Now, let’s dig into the top 10.

10) Chase Briscoe

In his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing a year ago, Chase Briscoe established himself as a genuine championship contender and one of the best drivers in the series.

Unfortunately, the Daytona 500 didn’t go according to plan after an early wreck ruined a great qualifying run that saw him start the race in second place.

He flipped the script on Sunday, starting 34th and finishing second, all the while helping manufacturer partner Tyler Reddick to the win. If Briscoe avoids bad luck, you can expect him to contend at just about any type of track the series goes to this season.

Last Week: UR NASCAR Point Standings: 15th (-80)

9) Daniel Suarez

After losing his ride with Trackhouse Racing to superstar rookie Connor Zilisch, Daniel Suarez landed with Spire Motorsports on a one-year deal that many believe could be his last chance to prove he belongs in the Cup Series.

Well, so far, so good.

Suarez was solid in Daytona, bringing home a respectable 13th-place finish. He was even better Sunday at Atlanta, staying out of trouble and finishing fifth.

Yes, it’s extremely early, and more traditional-style tracks than Daytona and Atlanta will ultimately tell the story. But it’s hard to imagine Spire Motorsports could be much happier than they are with the start of Suarez’s season.

Last Week: UR NASCAR Point Standings: 7th (-58)

8) Zane Smith

There’s a good chance if you’re reading this story and got this far, you know the name Zane Smith. Which also means that if you’re reading this and got this far, you saw the name Zane Smith and said, “Zane Smith?!”

To which I will reply: Zane Smith!

The 26-year-old Front Row Motorsports driver brought home a sixth-place finish a week ago in Daytona and backed it up by finishing seventh on Sunday in Atlanta, which actually dropped him a spot in the points standings (such are the effects of small samples).

Will Smith stay in or around our rankings all year? It would be quite the herculean task. But for now, we have to give credit where credit is due.

Last Week: UR NASCAR Point Standings: 5th (-54)

7) Brad Keselowski

After a fifth-place finish in the Daytona 500 despite racing with a recently repaired broken leg, Brad Keselowski looked to build on his momentum at Atlanta, another track where he’s had plenty of success.

And he looked in position to do so late in the race. However, he made a curious choice to leave Ford stablemates Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney hanging on a late-race restart and it ultimately proved troublesome for all three, as Keselowski dropped from the top five all the way down to 17th.

His spot in the rankings is still relatively solid thanks to last week’s performance, but with talks that he could miss next week’s race at Circuit of the Americas due to the demands the road course asks of his surgically-repaired led, he may not stay in the top 10 for long.

Last Week: 6th NASCAR Point Standings: 9th (-64)

6) Ryan Blaney

Blaney hangs in the power rankings despite a frustrating day at Atlanta, but one that was relatively productive all things considered.

The 2023 series champion started back in 22nd after a late crash in the Daytona 500, and qualifying was rained out in Atlanta. But he worked his way into the top 10 for points (albeit minimal in value) at the end of both stages one and two.

Blaney actually cycled to the lead late Sunday at Atlanta, but on a restart, he lost his drafting help from Ford stablemate Brad Keselowski and dropped back through the pack. He eventually fought back for a solid 10th-place finish. But odds are he was hoping for far more with 25 laps left in the race.

Last Week: 4th NASCAR Point Standings: 8th (-58)

5) Joey Logano

For parts of Sunday’s race at Atlanta, it appeared as if Joey Logano could be, at least, a top-five contender, if not the driver to beat after starting in third and leading 26 laps.

However, Logano finished the opening stage in a solid, yet unspectacular, eighth place to grab three points before failing to get any points in stage two.

He then found himself on the wrong end of a tangle with Carson Hocevar, which may well have been Logano’s fault, and ultimately finished 18th. Thankfully, for the three-time series champion, he had an extremely strong week at Daytona that gave him solid footing in the point standings.

But he does drop a bit in this week’s power rankings.

Last Week: 2nd NASCAR Point Standings: 6th (-57)

4) Carson Hocevar

Love him or hate him, it seems as everybody in the NASCAR world has some sort of take on Carson Hocevar.

One thing is certain, the 23-year-old, who just signed a long-term contract to be the face of Spire Motorsports into the 2030s, is wildly fast behind the wheel of a racecar and he showed it again on Sunday.

Hocevar fell a lap down early in the race after brushing the wall and needing to pit under green. He then fought his way all the way back to finish sixth in the second stage and then fourth overall.

For the second week running, Hocevar began the final lap of the race with a chance to win it. He’s knocking down the door, and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through for his first career victory.

Last Week: 10th NASCAR Point Standings: 4th (-51)

3) Chase Elliott

The last time the NASCAR Cup Series raced in Atlanta, fan favorite and Georgia native Chase Elliott found himself in victory lane as the race winner.

Elliott didn’t quite have as much luck on Sunday, but it’s hard to consider his day anything but a success.

The Hendrick Motorsports star, fresh off a fourth-place finish at Daytona, racked up a pair of fifth-place finishes in the opening two stages and then ultimately brought his NAPA car home in 11th.

Through two races, Elliott’s consistency is already proving to be a major plus in the new points format, as he finds himself right toward the top of the heap.

Last Week: 3rd NASCAR Point Standings: 3rd (-44)

2) Bubba Wallace

Under the previous “win-and-in” playoff system, Bubba Wallace may well have rued the fact that he didn’t win Sunday at Atlanta despite leading 46 laps, including on the final restart with two laps to go.

However, under the new system, which benefits consistency and racking up points, Wallace’s day at Atlanta is an unqualified success.

He earned 19 out of 20 possible stage points and finished in eighth place, giving him 48 total points on the day, second-most in the field. Wallace ended 2o25 with one of the most impressive stretches of races in his career, and it appears he’s backing that up early in 2026.

Last Week: 7th NASCAR Point Standings: 2nd (-40)

1) Tyler Reddick

When the goal is to win races, and you’ve won twice in two weeks, it’s safe to say things are pretty good.

That’s the case for 23XI Racing star Tyler Reddick.

Reddick had an uncharacteristically rough 2025 season, failing to win a raise after leading the regular-season point standings the year prior and dealing with some family health issues.

However, his 2026 season could not have possibly started better. The 30-year-old from California became a Daytona 500 champion a week ago, and then backed it up with a second victory in Atlanta despite getting caught up in a mid-race crash.

Reddick and Wallace, teammates at 23XI, not only sit 1-2 in the point standings through two weeks, but also 1-2 in our power rankings.

Last Week: 1st NASCAR Point Standings: 1st