NASCAR Power Rankings: Joey Logano ends the season at No. 1 after third title

Every other year, Joey Logano is inevitable.

The Team Penske star is now a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion after winning Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, continuing his run of success in even-numbered years.

Ryan Blaney finished second behind his teammate, coming up one spot short in his quest for back-to-back titles. William Byron (third) and Tyler Reddick (sixth) rounded out a dominant day for the Championship 4 contenders.

Next up, drivers and teams get a well-earned offseason before action picks back up in February. How does the field stack up after the season finale? Here’s our final NASCAR power rankings of 2024:

1. Joey Logano

Last week: 8

It wasn’t his best year – in fact, it was one of his worst statistically. But Logano did as Logano does, stepping up in the clutch to navigate through the playoffs and win the title again. The 34-year-old Connecticut native is just the 10th driver in history to win three titles, and he’s still in the midst of his prime years for an elite team.

2. Ryan Blaney

Last week: 1

Blaney was just 0.33 seconds shy of defending his title, but his veteran teammate just got the best of him. Still, it’s looking like Blaney has developed the clutch gene that Logano has perfected over the years. Team Penske has won three straight titles between these two drivers, and there’s no signs of them slowing down.

3. William Byron

Last week: 2

For the second straight year, Byron made the Championship 4 and was not a factor for the win at the end of the race. He was good but not great throughout the afternoon – a strategy call gave him a chance, but the Penske duo was just better. Byron, who turns 27 this month, is entering what should be the best years of his career.

4. Christopher Bell

Last week: 4

Bell led a race-high 143 laps but faded in the final run to finish fifth. He’ll leave this season disappointed at what could have been after the Martinsville controversy. The Joe Gibbs Racing star had a career-best season in terms of top-fives, top-10s, laps led and average finish.

5. Kyle Larson

Last week: 3

Larson was the best driver for much of the year, but the playoffs didn’t go his way. He salvaged a fourth-place finish Sunday after missing out on the Championship 4, as the Hendrick Chevys were clearly a step behind the Penske Fords.

6. Tyler Reddick

Last week: 6

With Michael Jordan in attendance, Reddick couldn’t deliver a title in his Championship 4 debut. He was the slowest of the contenders all weekend, and a sixth-place finish was all the team could muster. It was a learning experience for a young driver and team that should be in the mix for years to come.

7. Chase Elliott

Last week: 5

A quiet eighth-place finish in the finale was emblematic of Elliott’s season. He was good but not great for much of the year – posting the best average finish of all drivers but winning just once. Elliott’s consistency is always impressive, but the No. 9 team needs to win more races and lead more laps to get back into title contention.

8. Denny Hamlin

Last week: 7

Hamlin ended the year with an 11th-place finish, which extended his winless streak to 25 races. After winning three of the first 11 weeks, Hamlin couldn’t seem to finish races – whether it was his own execution or bad luck. Now entering his age-44 season, Hamlin is still seeking that elusive first title to cap off his Hall of Fame career.

9. Alex Bowman

Last week: 9

This season was productive for Bowman, who had career-bests in top-fives (tied with 2021) and top-10s. He’s often criticized as the fourth driver for Hendrick behind Byron, Larson and Elliott, but he’s proven to be a steady wheelman in his seven seasons for the team.

10. Martin Truex Jr.

Last week: First four out

Truex’s full-time career came to a close Sunday, so he gets the honorary No. 10 spot. He finished 17th, which wasn’t how he wanted to close it out with a winless year. But his impact over 19 Cup seasons was felt – 34 career wins, 2017 champion, five Championship 4 berths. Truex will be missed.

First four out: Bubba Wallace, Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher