It’s lastly freaking NASCAR season. I do know I shouldn’t complain as a result of we’ve got one of many shorter offseasons in sports activities however dang. Anyway, sufficient of the doom and gloom let’s discuss racing. I figured since I’m going to be dropping a weekly piece following each race. Why not begin with a pre-Daytona 500 rankings piece? This fashion all of us have a place to begin for our favourite drivers from week to week. Let’s drop the primary inexperienced flag on these 2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings.
2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings Backside 5
15. Bubba Wallace
That is an fascinating place on the 2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings for myself. Quantity fifteen might simply have been three to 4 different drivers in addition to Bubba. Now I’m not a Bubba hater, however I really feel like that is the yr he must activate the efficiency. Particularly contemplating how his teammate kicked butt final yr. Bubba completed out 2024 with 4 top-ten finishes within the final eight races. So long as the crew chief change works out, then it ought to solely be up from right here. Plus Bubba is a fairly good drafting racer, not saying he’s going to win the five hundred outright. Nonetheless, crazier issues have occurred.
14. Kyle Busch
If you happen to return and take a look at how final season ended you most likely are questioning how Kyle is within the prime fifteen. You’d be proper as a result of he barely scratched the highest fifteen within the final eight races of the season. Ending thirteenth twice at The Roval and Las Vegas. Nonetheless, Richard Childress has been saying they’ve put extra into the automobiles and program this low season to make up for the horrible yr final yr. I’ve no cause to not imagine that plus Rowdy seemed like his outdated self within the conflict. A pissed-off Rowdy Busch is a extra motivated one from my expertise as a fan. Plus he’s simply one of many prime fifteen drivers energetic in his profession alone, the principle query is can the tools maintain him right here?
13. Ross Chastain
2024 was not the yr I feel anybody anticipated for Ross and his workforce. With the addition of Busch as a sponsor, all of us anticipated to see them in Victory Lane greater than we did. Nonetheless, Ross did appear to get issues circled to complete out the season. After the midway level Ross solely had seven races the place he completed exterior the highest twenty. Ross additionally grabbed a win at Kansas. I touched on it a couple of weeks in the past with my solution to early 2025 Predictions piece however I like Trackhouse as a workforce, and imagine Ross needs to be the chief driver-wise.
12. Brad Keselowski
I really like how Brad has helped flip round RFK Racing as a workforce. He began off the ‘24 season trying like Brad of the previous however for some cause, the efficiency simply fell off after the midway level. Brad scored fourteen complete top-ten finishes final season. Solely 5 of these got here after the midway level. I feel the addition of one other massive sponsor equivalent to Kroger will carry extra funding in and solely assist this workforce proceed again up the ranks.
11. Chris Buescher
Chris I really feel has been the man who has benefited essentially the most out of Brad approaching board as a component proprietor. He started successful and working persistently. Whereas he didn’t get a win final season the second half of the season was much more constant for him than the primary half. I anticipate this workforce as a complete (RFK) to be actually aggressive this yr. Chris is absolutely going to have to show it up, like when he gained his Xfinity Championship although if the blokes who’re already forward of him on these 2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings step their video games up as effectively.
Center 5
10. Chase Briscoe
Do you imply Daytona 500 Pole Sitter Chase Briscoe? The man who scored Toyota there first ever producer pole in “The Nice American Race”, sure him. Hopefully, I don’t jinx Chase however I actually really feel like he’s the man who might enhance the best this yr. He made the playoffs with a workforce in SHR that had no producer help on the time. He’s obtained the ability, and I feel he’s positively obtained the workforce behind him.
9. Denny Hamlin
It’s been some time since Denny went to victory lane. The second half of final yr wasn’t horrible however it wasn’t nice both. He actually was across the prime ten, and the highest 5 simply by no means appeared to crack again into victory lane after his earlier win at Dover. Denny followers, I may very well be unsuitable however I imagine that is the yr the inevitable decline begins. I don’t know if he wins this yr until he simply pulls out a type of traditional Denny strikes on a brief observe to show me unsuitable. He’s nonetheless a prime ten driver I do imagine however I don’t know if he will get greater than the center of the 2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings.
8. Alex Bowman
Alex actually was arising the boards much more often late final season. I feel perhaps he a his crew chief are meshing effectively, and naturally, the automobiles have been beneath him being an HMS driver. I stay up for seeing Alex enhance this yr, I don’t know if he throws up 2021 Bowman numbers however I feel Alex will get one or two wins. If he will get a couple of extra although I wouldn’t be shocked.
7. Chase Elliott
He’s already off to a powerful begin with the Conflict win. I feel that is going to be season general for Chase. One thing appears totally different with simply how dominant he was in that Conflict, plus I beloved listening to how he and his crew chief have been on the radio. They appeared locked in and that’s scary contemplating Chase already was one of the vital constant ending drivers within the collection final season. If he can drive that Napa Chevy into victory lane a couple of extra occasions this season different drivers higher be careful as a result of as I stated earlier than we already know he can end the races in a fairly strong method.
6. William Byron
I debated on placing William at quantity six. Sure, I do know he didn’t have a end exterior the highest ten within the closing seven races. Plus he made a closing 4 look at Phoenix with an opportunity to win the championship. He didn’t win after April the seventh. Plus his efficiency by means of the mid-way level of the season was abysmal for a HMS automotive. I do know not all of it was his fault however nonetheless. I wish to see the consistency proceed to construct that he ended final season.. Plus rivalry for extra wins all through the season for me put him within the prime 5 proper now.
High 5
5. Tyler Reddick
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He had run within the duel final night time, even pushing his teammate Bubba Wallace to the win in duel one so he’s off to begin in 2025. He completed the season out within the championship 4. Nonetheless, the final eleven races or so of ‘24 didn’t go the way in which they’d hoped after successful the common season championship. Tyler solely grabbed 4 top-ten finishes and a type of was the win at Homestead that locked him into the championship 4. Tyler is a top-five driver in my eyes, and if they’ll sustain with the consistency as a workforce this season others higher be careful.
4. Kyle Larson
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Kyle didn’t compete within the championship 4 final yr at Phoenix. Nonetheless, he’s Kyle Freaking Larson and he did end within the prime 5 in 4 of the final six races. I don’t anticipate Kyle to fall an excessive amount of all through the season however something is feasible. Particularly if he has a couple of too many weeks of laying all of it on the road and never coming dwelling with end. Plus with the drivers behind him, he might fall particularly in the event that they flip it on early this yr.
3. Christopher Bell
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Within the final sixteen races of the ‘24 season, Christopher completed exterior the highest ten in solely 5 races. Ought to’ve arguably solely been 4 however he was DQ for “wall-riding” at Martinsville within the playoffs. Had it not been for that decision as effectively he would’ve made one other look within the championship 4 at Phoenix. I feel C Bell is among the finest within the collection proper now, and he’s about to indicate the entire doubters this season. I’ve tremendous excessive expectations for this driver and workforce.
2. Ryan Blaney
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I actually thought he was going to go back-to-back. Ryan seemed like he was going to win Homestead and he did win at Martinsville. With the collection going again to Phoenix, he seemed like he had essentially the most momentum of any of the championship 4 drivers. Nonetheless, his teammate bested him and took the championship dwelling anyway for the workforce. Ryan, and Penske as a workforce higher not try to wait till the playoffs to show it on for my part this season. Both approach although proper now I like Ryan, he’s a champion and among the finest so he deserves this spot right here.
1. Joey Logano
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I imply he’s the reigning champion. I felt like I needed to put him on the highest to start out the season. Simply the way in which he was ready to make use of the DQ of Alex Bowman to venture him into one other championship was insane. Perks to him and his workforce although they ran with the second probability. Profitable instantly Las Vegas gave the workforce all the additional time to arrange for the race at Phoenix. They positively used and put Joey within the automotive that finally gained the race and his third championship. If the season begins off like final, he’s going to fall down the 2025 NASCAR Energy Rankings quick, but when Penske can keep sizzling he shouldn’t see too far of a fall for lengthy intervals of time at the least.
Conclusion
We’ve obtained the Pre-2025 Daytona 500 NASCAR Energy Rankings completed. Each single one of many prime fifteen now has a beginning place for the race as effectively after the Duels final night time. It’s nearly time for NASCAR followers earlier than we all know it the inexperienced flag shall be waiving and this 2025 season shall be off to a quick begin. Try the Stomach Up NASCAR tremendous present this night as effectively the place we talked about slightly little bit of every part regarding the upcoming season
Featured Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures
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