NASCAR 2025 Power Rankings: Breakout contenders to watch out for at Iowa this week

Bubba Wallace snapped a nearly three-year winless drought on Sunday, July 27, with a thrilling win in the Brickyard 400. It was the #23 driver's third career NASCAR Cup Series victory and first since September of 2022.

Like most weeks, Sunday's race at Indianapolis made for a change in the NASCAR Power Rankings. Who's headed into Iowa this weekend strong? Let's take a look.

#5 Alex Bowman

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

Alex Bowman put together a strong performance on Sunday at Indianapolis. The driver of the #48 registered a ninth-place finish for his fourth top-10 effort in the last five races. Bowman leaps to the top five in this week's Power Rankings with a string of strong runs.

The Arizona native is still seeking his first NASCAR Cup win of the 2025 season. After 22 races, Bowman has posted five top-fives and an average finish of 16.41. With four regular-season races left, Bowman holds a 63-point gap above the playoff cut line.

#4 Chase Briscoe

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

While he didn't get the result he was probably expecting, Chase Briscoe had speed on Sunday at Indianapolis. The driver of the #19 started on the pole and won the first stage. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver got mired back in traffic and came home 18th.

Despite that, Briscoe continues to hit his midseason stride. He has one victory this season, which came last month at Pocono. Before Indy, Briscoe recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at Sonoma and Dover. Currently eighth in the NASCAR Cup points, Briscoe has eight top-five finishes in 2025.

#3 Ryan Blaney

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

Much like Dover, Ryan Blaney had to battle back from a midpack starting position to notch a top-10 finish. The driver of the #12 started Sunday's race 24th, but ended the day with a seventh-place finish. The week prior at Dover, the Team Penske star started 31st and wound up eighth by the checkered flag.

With a pair of impressive top-10 finishes, Blaney jumps back up in this week's NASCAR Power Rankings. The 2023 Cup champion has one victory in 2025, which came at Nashville. He has an average finish of 17.5 with seven top-five finishes. Blaney is also the defending winner at Iowa Speedway and will aim for another checkered flag this Sunday.

#2 Chase Elliott

NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG - Source: Getty

Chase Elliott wasn't able to keep his hot streak going on Sunday at Indy. The driver of the #9 had an uneventful day after starting 30th and finishing 13th. However, the recent run the 2020 Cup champion has been on keeps him high in the NASCAR Power Rankings.

Elliott is the current Cup Series points leader with four races left in the regular season. After 22 races, he has one victory (EchoPark Speedway), seven top-fives, and an average finish of 10.1. Four of those top-five efforts have come in the last seven races. Perhaps most impressively, Elliott has not finished outside the top 20 this season.

#1 Denny Hamlin

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin kept the momentum rolling following his recent win at Dover. On Sunday at Indianapolis, the driver of the #11 was in contention to win late and ultimately came home in third. With the effort, Hamlin tops this week's NASCAR Power Rankings.

Hamlin has finished in the top five in three of his last four starts, including a win at Dover. He has a series-leading four wins in 2025 and has posted 11 top-five finishes. With four races until the playoffs, Hamlin holds claim to the most playoff points with 24.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar