Chase Elliott’s victory final weekend on the Charlotte Roval vaulted him to the highest of the NBC Sports activities Energy Rankings. He knocked Denny Hamlin off the highest spot.

Elliott’s ascension was a part of a shift within the rankings, together with three new drivers. Kurt Busch, AJ Allmendinger and William Byron every climbed into the highest 10 this week.

4 races stay within the season. The Spherical of Eight begins Sunday at Kansas Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC).

Right here is that this week’s NBC Sports activities Energy Rankings

1. Chase Elliott (Final week No. 4): Has received the previous 4 street course races. The final driver to perform one thing like that was Jeff Gordon, who received six street course races in a row. Elliott has six top-five finishes, together with two wins, within the final 10 races. He strikes into the Spherical of Eight for the fourth consecutive time, however he’s by no means superior to the Cup championship race.

2. Erik Jones (Final week No. 3): His third-place end on the Roval was his fourth top-five end within the final six races. He stays with no journey for 2021, however that would change quickly. After Sunday’s race, Jones stated about his future: “I actually suppose we’ll have one thing finished this week. Not saying that which means we’re going to announce something. We’re undoubtedly actually shut I consider working one thing out.”

3. Alex Bowman (Final week No. 5): Strikes into the Spherical of Eight for the primary time in his profession. He stated after Sunday’s race: “I really feel like generally my group at the least doesn’t get the respect they deserve.” Bowman’s eighth-place end on the Roval was his sixth top-10 outcome within the final eight races.

4. Kevin Harvick (Final week No. 2): Enters Spherical of Eight because the factors chief. He has a 45-point lead on Joey Logano, the primary driver outdoors the ultimate switch spot to the championship race. Harvick has back-to-back finishes outdoors the highest 10. Earlier than that, he had 15 prime 10s in a 17-race stretch.

5. Denny Hamlin (Final week. No. 1): Completed 15th per week after his Talladega win. He enters the Spherical of Eight second within the factors. He’s 32 factors forward of Joey Logano, the primary driver outdoors the ultimate switch spot to the title race.

6. Kurt Busch (Final week unranked): His fourth-place end offers him two top-five outcomes, together with a win, within the final three races.

7. Martin Truex Jr. (Final week No. 8): Topsy-turvy stretch continues. Has alternated between top-10 finishes and finishes outdoors the highest 20 within the final seven races. Positioned seventh on the Roval.

8. AJ Allmendinger (Final week unranked): Gained the Xfinity Collection race on the Roval. He has two wins, six prime fives and eight prime 10s in 10 begins this season for Kaulig Racing.

9. William Byron (Final week unranked): Sixth-place end on the Roval offers him back-to-back prime 10s. He has 12 prime 10s this season, one off his profession excessive.

10. Joey Logano (Final week No. 9): Runner-up end on the Roval ended a stretch of three races outdoors the highest 10.

Dropped out: Justin Haley, Tyler Reddick, Raphael Lessard

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