Busch and Reddick are the biggest movers in this week’s Power Rankings after thrilling finish on dirt
• 8 min read
Throughout its history, NASCAR’s general tendency had been to respect the sanctity of Easter Sunday. While it had held some Cup races on Easter when circumstances forced their hand, the expectation when the Cup Series schedule was released each year was that Easter would be blotted out as the first designated off weekend of the year.
That changed this year, as NASCAR sought to capitalize on a unique event by presenting the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway to a primetime Easter evening audience. While NASCAR felt their potential television audience was a fair tradeoff — and were proven right when the race’s television numbers were revealed Tuesday — I was not so inclined as to also forego an Easter break.
After focusing on my Easter devotions and finishing Lent, I sought to deepen my understanding of my own Catholic understanding which this year entailed my sitting down and reading the Four Gospels. I took a step back and watched Bristol just as a fan while spending time with my family back home. And so, this week’s Power Rankings had to wait a little bit.
Now with Easter past us, the Power Rankings are back and very much reflective of what occurred on the final lap at Bristol. After being two of the three central characters in a finish that will be talked about for years to come, both race winner Kyle Busch and runner-up Tyler Reddick headlined the biggest movers in the Power Rankings as they gained five spots apiece. Joey Logano enjoyed a big boost from his third-place finish, as he also gained five spots this week.
Unfortunately, upward mobility throughout the top 15 for several drivers meant that two veterans were punished rather harshly for poor results: Martin Truex Jr. was the biggest loser by plummeting eight spots, and Kevin Harvick was just behind him with seven spots lost.
Here’s a look at our updated rankings in their entirety:
