An early penalty for speeding on pit road put Denny Hamlin behind the ball in Sunday's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After fighting back through the field in the second stage, Hamlin found himself on stable ground to contend for the win, though. He took the lead for the final time with just under 50 laps remaining and maintained his advantage to the finish, claiming his first victory of the 2026 season and earning an eight-place boost in the championship standings. It was a statement weekend from the Toyota camp, which dominated qualifying and placed three of its drivers in the top five finishing positions. That strength signals a warning to the garage for the upcoming trip to Darlington Raceway. Hamlin's win there last spring came at the expense of William Byron, whose Chevrolet led much of the race. However, Chase Briscoe returned to dominate the fall event, leading 309 of 367 laps and sweeping the stage victories.
Next week's journey back east to Darlington will be one of just two more races before competitors take a quick one-week break. They'll have to navigate Darlington's treacherous turns before going short-track racing at Martinsville a week later. After a chance to catch their breath and regroup, the series continues with another short-track stop at Bristol, setting up a run of consecutive points races that leads right up to All-Star Race weekend.
To keep up with all your favorite drivers and get updates throughout the season, head to RotoWire's
An early penalty for speeding on pit road put Denny Hamlin behind the ball in Sunday's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After fighting back through the field in the second stage, Hamlin found himself on stable ground to contend for the win, though. He took the lead for the final time with just under 50 laps remaining and maintained his advantage to the finish, claiming his first victory of the 2026 season and earning an eight-place boost in the championship standings. It was a statement weekend from the Toyota camp, which dominated qualifying and placed three of its drivers in the top five finishing positions. That strength signals a warning to the garage for the upcoming trip to Darlington Raceway. Hamlin's win there last spring came at the expense of William Byron, whose Chevrolet led much of the race. However, Chase Briscoe returned to dominate the fall event, leading 309 of 367 laps and sweeping the stage victories.
Next week's journey back east to Darlington will be one of just two more races before competitors take a quick one-week break. They'll have to navigate Darlington's treacherous turns before going short-track racing at Martinsville a week later. After a chance to catch their breath and regroup, the series continues with another short-track stop at Bristol, setting up a run of consecutive points races that leads right up to All-Star Race weekend.
To keep up with all your favorite drivers and get updates throughout the season, head to RotoWire's latest NASCAR news or follow @RotoWireNASCAR on X.
NASCAR Power Rankings After Las Vegas
1. Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing No. 45
Last Week: 1
Reddick's streak of top-10 finishes ended Sunday at Las Vegas, but he only narrowly missed the mark and still maintains a solid lead in the championship standings. Starting seventh, Reddick raced among the top 10 throughout the afternoon but slipped back in the final laps to finish 13th. Although it wasn't the best race of the year for the No. 45, it was still a valuable points day, which is even more important this season with changes to the championship format. Reddick remains atop the standings with a 61-point cushion and should be positioned to extend that lead next week at Darlington. He has seven top-10 finishes in 13 starts there, including two top-fives last season.
2. Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing No. 23
Last Week: 3
A ninth-place finish on Sunday in Las Vegas kept Wallace's early-season momentum moving in the right direction. It marked his fourth top-10 result in the first five races, which is a feat matched only by teammate Tyler Reddick. Earning stage points in both segments was an added bonus, and Wallace now sits second in the championship standings with Darlington on the horizon. It has been a remarkable start to the year for the No. 23 team, and 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the best seasons of Wallace's career. Up next is a trip to Darlington, where Wallace should remain confident about contending at the front. He finished sixth at the track last fall, led 10 laps, and has five top-10 finishes in his last seven visits.
3. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske No. 12
Last Week: 2
Despite being one of the fastest Fords throughout the weekend, Blaney still wasn't quite on the same level as the Toyota and Chevrolet competition. The Team Penske Racing driver started sixth and picked up stage points in the first segment, but ultimately finished outside the top 15, dropping to second in the standings behind Bubba Wallace. While the race wasn't a disaster for Blaney, it did highlight areas where the team needs to improve in order to contend for the championship this season. That track has never been one of Blaney's strongest, and the same could be said for Darlington. In 18 career starts, Blaney has earned only four top-10 finishes there, though one of those came last spring, when he finished fifth and led 10 laps.
4. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11
Last Week: 9
Hamlin turned a front-row start into 134 laps led, stage points in both segments, and a race win Sunday in Las Vegas. The victory marked his third consecutive top-10 finish and vaulted him eight spots up the standings to fourth. All this success came despite overcoming a speeding penalty during the first stage break pit stop. It was a confident afternoon that sets the tone for the rest of the early season for the No. 11 team. The rest of the garage may have a tough time disrupting his momentum, too. Hamlin won at Darlington last spring for the fifth time in his career and followed it up with a seventh-place finish in the fall. He's improved each week so far this season and continues to climb the championship standings.
5. Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports No. 5
Last Week: 4
Larson entered the Las Vegas race weekend as one of the favorites to win, and he lived up to expectations despite finishing seventh. The No. 5 car was fast right from the start, placing second in both race stages and leading 62 laps. However, Larson gave up the lead for the final time with fewer than 100 laps to go and ultimately finished seventh, marking his third top-10 result of the season. Consistency has been an area of focus for this team, and they're showing improvement during these early races, hoping to continue that momentum at Darlington. That race will be another test of their progress, though. Darlington has been both rewarding and challenging for Larson, with a win in 2023, seven top-five finishes, and three DNFs in 16 starts.
6. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports No. 9
Last Week: 5
Elliott had one of his best Las Vegas races since the introduction of the current car. He still hasn't led a lap at the circuit in the current generation but he came close to a victory Sunday. The former series champion started the day 15th but was a future inside the top 10 from the early miles, adding stage points in both segments before finishing runner up to Denny Hamlin. It was a productive day for the No. 9 team that keeps them inside the top five of the championship standings, despite losing one spot to Hamlin. Elliott has been slow to get the most out of the current car but he continues to build on his progress and more race wins could be within reach if that trend continues.
7. Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20
Last Week: 7
Three consecutive top-five finishes have Bell knocking on the door of his first 2026 victory early in the season. He started from the pole Sunday at Las Vegas, won a caution-free first stage, and finished third in the second segment. Bell remained in the top five throughout the afternoon and led 31 laps, maintaining his strong position in the standings. After coming close to winning in recent weeks, Bell might feel disappointed not to have broken through yet. However, a win doesn't seem far off, and continuing to rack up solid points days will serve him well later in the year as the Chase approaches. Bell has been one of the most consistent top-five contenders in the series in recent years, and that trend appears to be continuing in 2026.
8. William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports No. 24
Last Week: 8
The Las Vegas race was another productive one for Byron, who scored his first top-five of the season and his second top-10 finish in as many races. The recent step forward moves Byron up three positions in the points and sets the stage for the consistent top finishes fantasy players have come to expect from the No. 24 squad. That momentum could prove especially valuable with Darlington next on the calendar, too. Byron is a former winner at the track and he led 243 laps from pole last spring, sweeping stage wins before losing out to Denny Hamlin late for the victory. It was a missed opportunity for the team who will be hoping to right that wrong this time around.
9. Joey Logano, Team Penske No. 22
Last Week: 6
The Las Vegas race weekend was a quiet one for Logano. Although he has multiple wins at the track, he was mostly a non-factor, qualifying outside the top 20 and struggling with a loose car throughout the race. He finished 15th without earning any stage points, dropping four spots in the standings. Despite leading over 100 laps so far this season, Logano's only top-10 result remains his third-place finish in the Daytona 500. The team needs to turn their speed into better results to consolidate a top-10 spot in the championship standings, and the upcoming trip to Darlington, where Logano finished 13th and 20th last year, presents another challenge. Logano won there in 2022 but only finished in the top 10 once in the last three seasons.
10. Chris Buescher, RFK Racing No. 17
Last Week: 10
Sunday's sixth-place finish marked another strong showing from Buescher as he continues his impressive start to the season. It was his second top-10 finish so far, and the result better reflects his car's potential, unlike the previous week at Phoenix, where a promising run ended with a 14th-place finish. Sunday's performance kept him steady in the standings and continues to build optimism for what could be a productive season with the aim of claiming a spot in the Chase for the championship. Fantasy players should expect this streak to continue next week at Darlington, too. Buescher has consistently finished in the top 10 at the track in recent years, scoring five top-10s in the last six races and seven total in 17 career attempts.
Knocking on the Door
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19
Last Week: N/A
If not for several mistakes, Chase Briscoe might have been in line for an even better result Sunday at Las Vegas. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was coming off a series of problems the week prior at Phoenix, but stumbled out of the gate again by speeding on pit road and falling behind the leaders early in Sunday's race. He and the team didn't give up, though, and they worked their way back into the top 10 for an eighth-place finish. However, the day was much more challenging than it needed to be, and their ability to fight for the win was impacted. Briscoe has shown impressive speed early in 2026, and at Darlington, he can be hopeful of capitalizing on it, too. He won at the track last fall for the second time in three races.
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54
Last Week: N/A
Sunday's fifth-place finish at Las Vegas marked the third consecutive top-five for Gibbs as he continues his climb up the championship standings. The points earned on Sunday alone moved him up five spots to 10th. While it may not be the lofty position many expect from the young driver, it demonstrates a growing maturity and consistency that will pay dividends over time. Gibbs already looks like a contender for the Chase this season, and just a few small adjustments could be all it takes to turn consistent top-fives into race wins. With the support of the JGR organization behind him, it's easy to believe that success will come. The upcoming race at Darlington offers another opportunity for them to prove it; Gibbs has two top-10 finishes there in the last three races.
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing No. 6
Last Week: N/A
All three of the RFK Racing drivers enjoyed a productive day at Las Vegas, and owner/driver Brad Keselowsi should be doubly happy. Not only did all three cars finish inside the top 12, but Keselowski landed his second top-10 of the season despite starting the race 28th. The result should be especially gratifying considering how far back he came from to get it compared to his teammates. The year started gingerly for the veteran after a broken leg threatened his ability to drive, but as time goes on, that is proving to be less of a factor than anticipated. Keselowski climbed four places higher in the standings with Sunday's finish, and he'll be hungry to get to Darlington where he is a two-time winner.
