NASCAR Power Rankings: Bell Breaks Through at Darlington

After spending weeks on the cusp of a breakthrough, Christopher Bell finally delivered Sunday night at Darlington Raceway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver played his cards right to get four fresh tires for the final run to the checkered flag, giving him the grip he needed to overtake Kyle Larson for the lead with 12 laps remaining. From there, Bell held on to lead a Toyota sweep of the podium positions, starting his championship fight in ideal fashion.

With optimism high after finally reaching Victory Lane, Bell will have the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship in his sights. Winning NASCAR's Chase format means hitting peak form at the right time, and the No. 20 team has been building toward this moment. Though teammate Denny Hamlin heads to Gateway next week with the championship lead still in hand, his 18th-place finish at Darlington has his momentum moving in the opposite direction. Up next is a visit to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, where Hamlin won last season. The championship leader's ability to put Darlington behind him will shape the landscape as The Chase marches toward its pinnacle with just nine races remaining to decide this season's champion.

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NASCAR Power Rankings After Darlington

1. Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20

Last Week: 5

Christopher Bell rocketed to second in The Chase standings with a long-awaited breakthrough at Darlington Raceway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been frustrated for much of the season, finish second several times and unable to force his way into Victory Lane. All it takes to win the championship now is getting into good form at the perfect moment, and that is what Bell did with his win Sunday night at Darlington. He started the race from 11th position, won the second stage, and led a total of 46 laps to head a Toyota sweep of the top three finishing spots. Bell now heads to the second race of this championship battle second in points and poised to reach his best form of the season yet.

2. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11

Last Week: 1

The Chase did not get started the way Hamlin had hoped. After a strong start to the race, contact in the final stage caused the No. 11 to fall behind the pace. Nursing the car, Hamlin fell off the lead lap until repairs could be made. Eventually he got that lap back and finished the night in 18th position, but third-place stage points in both stages were what saved him from greater disaster. The finish was Hamlin's first outside of the top 15 since June, but in these final 10 races, the margin for slip ups is narrower than before. After starting The Chase with a 25-point advantage, Hamlin leaves Darlington with just half of that remaining. However, he is the defending winner at Gateway and the whole point of earning the top seed for The Chase is to have room for the unexpected.

3. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske No. 12

Last Week: 2

After swapping his entire pit crew with teammate Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney continued to deliver, finishing fourth Sunday night at Darlington and collecting stage points in both segments. The points haul got his championship quest started on the right foot, despite dropping one spot in the standings to third. Sunday night marked Blaney's seventh top-five finish of the season and third in the last five races. Though the No. 12 Ford did not have the pace to match Toyota, Blaney and his team maximized their opportunities, stayed in contention, and remain poised to take advantage of any slips from the competition. At Gateway, Blaney has three top-10 finishes in four starts, including 120 laps led, which suggests he has more upside yet to come.

4. Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54

Last Week: 3

Despite starting Sunday night's Southern 500 in 28th position after qualifying was canceled, Gibbs was able to kick off his championship effort in enviable fashion. Gibbs drove his Toyota into the top 10 for the finish of the first stage and then pieced together a charge to the finish that led him to a runner-up finish. Sunday night's result was his third top-10 from the last 10 races and demonstrated that he would be one the competition would have to contend with in order to win this season's title. While Gibbs leaves Darlington two spots further back in the standings than where he entered, his confidence is high. Without external setbacks, like an artifically low grid position, Gibbs has even greater successes within reach.

5. Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing No. 45

Last Week: 4

With one race of The Chase complete, Tyler Reddick should feel optimistic about his chances. After starting the season in dominating fashion, Reddick suffered a heavy mid-season slump, but the No. 45 began returning to form just as The Chase approached. That form continued taking root at Darlington, where Reddick finished third, led 74 laps, and won the first stage. Despite that production, Reddick slipped one spot in the standings but remains positioned to climb. The coming race at Gateway could also be pivotal in his ability to carry that momentum forward. Despite an average start of 6.3 across four tries, Reddick's average finish at the track is just 17.8. Converting that single-lap speed into a full-race performance next week could be a difference maker.

6. Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19

Last Week: 7

Like the other heavy-hitting Toyotas, Chase Briscoe had a productive night at Darlington. The unique track has been one of Briscoe's best, and Sunday's visit set him off on the right fot the final run to the end of the season. He hangs on to fifth position in the standings with his sixth-place finish Sunday night, but will be hoping to kick things up a notch in the coming weeks. At Gateway, Briscoe's best finish came just last season in a second-place run behind teammate Denny Hamlin. He started on pole there in 2022 and led laps both times he was able to start in the top five. Briscoe may need a little more speed to move further up the standings, but getting The Chase started like Sunday night gives the No. 19 a sturdy platform to work from.

7. Joey Logano, Team Penske No. 22

Last Week: 7

Sunday night's ninth-place finish ended a run of three straight results outside the top 10 at Darlington for Logano. It was also his 10th top-10 finish of the season, but it came on a night when Toyota again had the upper hand. After a stretch of strong tracks for the Team Penske Fords, the upcoming 1.5-mile ovals could favor Toyota. Logano also failed to score stage points Sunday, which could hurt his championship hopes if that trend continues. Gateway offers a chance to reset, though. Logano has finished in the top five there in all four starts and won in 2022. To contend for this season's title, the No. 22 team will need to maximize its opportunities and get more out of races that do not quite go its way.

8. Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports No. 5

Last Week: 9

Sunday night showed another glimmer of hope for Larson and the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet teammates. Larson started just 25th but finished second in the second stage and led 99 laps on his way to a fifth-place finish. That was his third finish of sixth or better from from the last four races, too. After struggling to get the most out of the car throughout the season, Larson and team have reached the final 10-race stretch of the season with some of their best performances so far. While a gamble on track position in the final run to the finish Sunday didn't pay off, being in position to take those chances is an improvement for the No. 5. There is still time for further improvement and Larson showed Sunday night that he is not going to go down without a fight.

9. Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing No. 23

Last Week: 10

Sunday night started well for Wallace. Despite starting 17th, the 23XI Racing driver worked his way forward, led 38 laps, and scored points in both stages. That promise faded in the final stage, but Wallace still finished eighth for his 12th top-10 of the season. His impressive night also moved him up four spots in the championship standings. In all, it was a strong night for the No. 23 team as it tries to establish itself as a legitimate championship contender. Consistency remains a weakness, though. Since Nashville, Wallace has finished 20th or worse every other race, a trend he will look to break at Gateway. Wallace finished eighth there last season but was 21st or worse in his three prior tries.

10. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports No. 9

Last Week: 8

Results like Sunday's will not help Elliott earn another series championship. The No. 9 Chevrolet started 18th but never made an impact near the front, missed out on stage points, and finished 14th. The race was not a disaster for the team, but it also was not what the perennial championship contenders have come to expect. Like the rest of the Hendrick teammates, the No. 9 camp needs to find extra pace to move into the championship fight, but time is running out. For now, Elliott holds eighth in the championship standings, but he needs improvement to climb higher. He finished third at Gateway last season. Another finish like that could help to turn things around for the team.

Knocking on the Door

Chris Buescher, RFK Racing No. 17

Last Week: N/A

Darlington should have been a productive track for Buescher to begin his championship effort. The RFK Racing driver has a history of top finishes at the daunting oval, but Sunday's race came with problems. After starting 35th, Buescher worked his way forward, as expected. However, contact with the wall caused damage that stalled his progress. The team made repairs, but Buescher could only recover to finish 20th. It was a missed opportunity for a team that does not have as much wiggle room in the championship fight as other top contenders. Buescher will need to replicate his average Gateway finish of 11.7 to have a chance of moving back inside the top 10 in The Chase standings.

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports No. 77

Last Week: N/A

Carson Hocevar remained a lightning rod for controversy Sunday night at Darlington. After starting 34th, the Spire Motorsports driver charged through the field, but that progress came at Brad Keselowski's expense. The pair made contact, sending Keselowski into the wall and bringing the first stage to a premature end. Afterward, Keselowski added his name to the long line of drivers waiting to exact revenge on the No. 77. That list of enemies will be tough to overcome in any given race, let alone across the nine remaining contests in the championship. To make the most of the remaining schedule, Hocevar will need to tread lightly, which is not something that has come naturally to him thus far in his career.

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports No. 24

Last Week: N/A

William Byron earned the dubious distinction of getting the worst start to The Chase off all 16 contenders. The Hendrick Motorsports driver's night didn't start poorly. In fact, Byron raced among the top 10 cars right up until an unexpected spin sent his race spiraling. Following that incident, Byron felt all was not right with his car before the engine gave way and led Byron to an early retirement in 37th position with just six points from the night. As a result, Byron tumbled to last among the championship contenders and sits more than 100 points behind the leaders after just one Chase race. Byron is still winless in 2026, but to recover from the hole he finds himself in, wins will quickly become a necessity.