Time for our latest round of power rankings. Each week throughout the season, we'll size up who's rising and who's falling, based on current standings, behind-the-scenes changes, expected staying power, recent history and general gut feelings. We've got a new leader, but it's a familiar and expected face.
1. Kyle Busch. Everyone expected Kyle Busch to win at Richmond. Kyle Busch won at Richmond. That's a pretty dominating statement right there. We're a quarter of the way through the season, and so far Kyle has done exactly nothing to make us think he won't be around at the end of it. Last week's ranking: 3.
2. Carl Edwards. Edwards continues his run of if-he-can't-win-get-close races with a fifth-place finish at Richmond. This is the way that you hold onto first place in the Sprint Cup standings, and this is the way you stave off the kind of sudden malaise that hit Edwards in recent years.� Last week's ranking: 1.
3. Jimmie Johnson. The way that Johnson piloted one of the worst cars he's run in recent years to a top-10 finish was impressive indeed, a combination of driving skill and canny pit strategy. It's a reminder that even though almost nobody wants to see a sixth straight 48 Cup, Johnson et al. have no intention of sitting this Chase out. Last week's ranking: 4.
4. Kevin Harvick. Fairly quiet run for Happy, who ended up getting put a lap down toward the end of the Richmond race. That put an end to any thought that he might snag yet another last-second win. But still, he's tied with Busch for the most wins this season, and is one more from cementing himself a Chase spot. Last week's ranking: 2.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. A late fuel strategy gamble that failed sent Junior plummeting from a potential top-5 finish to 19th, his worst since the Daytona 500. This was a critical week for Junior, and he fell short of a strong finish, widening the gap between himself and the top 4 on this list. Last week's ranking: 5.
6. Matt Kenseth. Another in-race collision for Kenseth kept him out of any kind of high finish; he ended up finishing 21st. Still, when the guy completes a whole race, he's a threat. He needs some more strong finishes to start challenging the Big Four, but he's close. Last week's ranking: 6.
7. Clint Bowyer. It's been quite the resurgence for Bowyer, who started slow but has come on strong in recent weeks. He was expected to have a solid run�at Richmond, but nobody was outrunning Kyle Busch. Still, Bowyer got himself another top 10, finishing sixth, and stayed in the Chase conversation. Last week's ranking: 8.
8. Ryan Newman. If he'd gone and leaped onto Juan Pablo Montoya's golf cart and incited a fight rather than going straight to the NASCAR hauler, he'd move right to the top of this list. Alas, he's starting to slip a bit, aided in this week's race by the 42 car. Still running better than his boss, though.�Last week's ranking: 7.
9. Tony Stewart. Lost in the 48's run from nowhere into the top 10 was Stewart's own similar sprint, finishing at No. 9. The weather is beginning to warm up, and Stewart had better do the same, or the clich�
along those lines that we've been hanging onto for the last few weeks is going to make us look really stupid. Last week's ranking: 11.
10. AJ Allmendinger. Dinger's back! Another strong run over this last weekend for his second top 10 of the season, Allmendinger now sits within sight of the top 10. It's a long way to go till the Chase, so he needs to start piling up a few more of these. But this is the kind of solid beginning that a RPM team could use. Last week's ranking: NR.
11. Kurt Busch. It was another strange little [profane] run at Richmond for Busch, who continues his [profane] slide backward after such a strong [profane] preseason. Still, his [profane] radio is the most entertaining [profane] listen of any in the field, but just make sure the [profane] kids aren't around.� Last week's ranking: 9.
12. Nobody. You know what? Nobody deserves this spot. Mark Martin ran OK, Juan Pablo Montoya stumbled out of the top 10, Greg Biffle was decent enough, but nobody gets the nod. Someone needs to step up. Last week's ranking: N/A.
Lucky Dog: Denny Hamlin. He had to have a great weekend, and Hamlin did, dominating 41 other drivers in Richmond. Alas, there were 42 others. Still, Hamlin and his team needed something to build on, and they got that. Now, how will they follow it up?
DNF: Jeff Gordon. Richmond could have been another step upward for Rainbow, but no such luck. Yes, he got wrecked out of the race and so we can't entirely blame him, but still, Gordon's one win seems a long way away right now. He needs something positive�to happen, pronto.
Dropping out of the rankings: Montoya, Paul Menard
Charging upward: Martin, Biffle.
Next up: Darlington! Send comments to us Twitter at @jaybusbee, email by clicking here, and via Facebook at The Marbles page.
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