NASCAR Power Index – Talladega
1. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1) – His runner-up performance brings Harvick to seven top-two finishes in just nine races this season. Only two other drivers have that many (or more) top-10 finishes in 2015.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 3) – Qualifying a pedestrian 36th, the No. 48 Chevy had to find its way through traffic. Johnson did just that, rallying to a third-place finish.
3. Joey Logano (LW: 2) – Logano led the first 94 laps, finishing fifth. Not a bad way to put the disappointment at Bristol behind him.
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4. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 7) – Truex may not be leading many laps. But his long run speed is keeping him near the front of the pack every race. Chalk up another top-10 for the Mayetta, NJ native.
5. Jeff Gordon (LW: 5) – Another top-10 for Gordon. After a rocky first three races, he’s up to tenth in the points standings.
6. Matt Kenseth (LW: 6) – After winning last weekend’s race at Bristol, Kenseth posted a solid seventh-place effort.
7. Brad Keselowski (LW: 4) – Keselowski could only survive a broken cyllinder for so long, as it proved to hinder the car on late restarts. He ended up 17th.
8. Kurt Busch (LW: 12) – After his win at Richmond on Sunday, Kurt Busch has led the second-most laps in 2015 (520); and he missed the first three races of the season.
9. Kasey Kahne (LW: 10) – Much like his teammate, Kahne was forced to make numerous green flag passes to get to the front, coming home sixth.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 8) – Dale Jr. didn’t have a great day, getting clipped by Tony Stewart on Lap 360. He still came home 14th, but just two top-tens in six races leaves something to be desired.
11. Ryan Newman (LW: 11) – Crossing the finish line 11th must feel good after overcoming a loose wheel and having to make an unscheduled pit stop.
12. Denny Hamlin (LW: 9) – Despite feeling “close to 100 percent” after neck spasms sidelined him last weekend, Hamlin just slid backwards after qualifying on the front row. He finished 22nd, two laps down.
13. Jamie McMurray (LW: 15) – McMurray was also forced to battle back from loose wheel issues, and battle back he did, all the way to fourth place.
14. Clint Bowyer (LW: NR) – A very shaky month of March has given way to a little better April for Bowyer, who recorded a ninth-place result.
15. Carl Edwards (LW: 13) – Just another tough day for Cousin Carl, who struggled to stay on the lead lap, finishing 19th.
Dropped from Power Index – David Ragan (14)
