Power Rankings: Phoenix

Power

Rankings

Phoenix:

1. Jimmie Johnson (No Change, from last week)

Who said Jimmie Johnson wouldn't regain his championship form after not winning the title last year? He's back to his lights-out ways after winning the pole and the race in back-to-back weeks. Phoenix is exactly the place where Johnson could continue this win streak to three.

2. Brad Keselowski (No Change)

The cocky, midwestern kid known as "Bad Brad" is trying everything in his power to derail Johnson's title hopes but even after contact with Johnson's car on the penultimate lap at Texas, he still couldn't prevent Johnson's win. He's going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat and somehow beat Johnson at Phoenix.

3. Clint Bowyer (No Change)

Normally, Bowyer would love a 6th place finish at a mile and half track such as Texas. But alas, Bowyer finished behind the two guys he needed to beat to have a shot at the championship. It's now essentially down to Johnson and Keselowski, but Bowyer has to love the season he's had in his first year at Michael Waltrip Racing.

4. Jeff Gordon (+1)

He only finished 14th, but that was mostly due to the bad luck bug that bit him early in the year came back for one final bite. Gordon appeared to have the fastest car on track and was tailing Keselowski for the lead just before the last pit stop when he punctured a tire. He has a shot for a win before the year is up and for a top-5 points finish.

5. Tony Stewart (+2) 

A rare top-5 for Stewart since the Chase has gone on, but he's trying to leave the 2012 season on a high note at least. It still makes you wonder if Stewart made the right decision by letting Darian Grubb leave after last season's championship though.

6. Kasey Kahne (-2)

An unfortunate run at Texas for Kahne eliminates his chances to win the championship. He may be able to repeat his Phoenix win from a year ago however and score his best ever points finish by ending the season in the top-5.

7. Denny Hamlin (-1)

What happened to Hamlin? He was supposed to be the other guy that would somewhat collude with Brad Keselowski and take down Johnson again. However, it just seems that Hamlin is headed once again for a disappointing Chase. Hopefully this time it doesn't take him a year to recover from it.

8. Matt Kenseth (+1)

Kenseth is salvaging something out of this Chase as surprising as that may seem. I'm not sure that he can give Roush Fenway Racing one more win for the road, but at least he's now back in the top-10 in points and will be headed to Vegas one final time with Roush.

9. Greg Biffle (-1)

Not what we were expecting from Biffle at Texas after he dominated the spring race there, but a 10th place finish isn't all bad.

10. Kevin Harvick (+1)

In perhaps the strangest story of the year, Harvick's car was his by a weight from a parachuter in a stunt before the race and had to get it fixed just before the race started. He ended up turning that into a top-10 run, a rarity for him during this Chase.

11. Martin Truex Jr. (-1)

He just hasn't been able to follow in the successful steps of his teammate Bowyer this year, but at least he made the Chase. He just absolutely has to score a win before he can become an elite driver though.

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No Change)

A good top-10 for Junior and it would be good momentum for him if he can pickup a couple more top-10's in the final two races. A win would be even better, but that would be fairly surprising at this point.

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