With just two races remaining entering this past weekends Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway, the race to the Playoffs action picked up with more intensity.
Here’s who topped this week’s power ranking.
- Brett Moffitt – After starting 21st, Moffitt showed he had a fast truck early in the going. Although, despite not finishing in the top 10 at all during the first stage, he found himself inside the top-10 in the second stage, finishing third. His average running position was eighth, but he led early as well. Moffitt led from laps 23-26. With a late race caution coming out on Lap 80, this bunched most of the leaders back up again. Eight laps later, Moffitt started to charge to the front and caught Sauter for the lead, racing each other for the final remaining laps. When those two started racing against each other, two other drivers (John Hunter Nemechek and Noah Gragson) worked with each other to catch the leaders and to have a shot at the win. Moffitt used this to his advantage as he laid back to Nemechek’s front bumper going into Turn 3 and was able to use the bottom to get a run on Sauter. With that being said, Moffitt wound up beating Sauter to the line by .025 of a second. If Moffitt continues this hot streak and finds sponsorship for the rest of the year, he’ll be right along with Sauter for the Championship 4 in Homestead-Miami.Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked
- Johnny Sauter – Sauter was so close to earning his fifth win of the 2018 season on Saturday afternoon at Michigan. He led 16 laps and was the truck to beat. In the first stage, he finished in the eighth position and found himself outside the top-10 at the end of Stage 2 on Lap 42. However, Sauter was already back in the top-10 on Lap 54 and continued to start making his move toward the front. With 30 to go, the race leaders started to make their final pit stops for the day. GMS Racing ally, Stewart Friesen, was leading and was trying to fend off Sauter for the lead. Friesen had to pit, which saw Sauter assume the lead during that cycle until a caution came out a few laps later. After pitting, he restarted in the fifth position. He took the lead again with 12 laps to go. Sauter was in a position to win for the fifth time this year until eventual race winner Brett Moffitt, passed him at the finish line by .025 seconds. It would’ve been his first win since Texas. However, he continues to be the guy to beat for the championship this year. It’s hard to imagine the championship race without Sauter. Although, stranger things have happened in this sport.Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked
- Todd Gilliland – For not having raced at Michigan before, Gilliland looked like a pro at the two-mile track by finishing fifth. In what would set the tone for the day early in qualifying, he missed the pole by 0.01 seconds which gave him a second-place starting spot. With a track well known for track position, Gilliland showed he had a strong truck early on by finishing third in the first stage. When Stage 2 began, he restarted in the second position but slipped back to the eighth position. Gilliland remained in that position for the rest of the stage and finished there. As the final stage began, he stayed out to get track position. He pit on Lap 74, but a caution came out six laps later. With this final caution and pitting early, Gilliland saw himself in the second position for the final restart. Ultimately, the No. 4 Sherrills Ford, North Carolina driver finished fifth for his second top five of the year. Gilliland led eight times.Previous Week Ranking: Fifth
- Ben Rhodes – Rhodes had a decent outing at Michigan this past weekend by finishing sixth. It was his first top-10 since he won at Kentucky two weeks back. He was close at Pocono last weekend but finished 11th. Rhodes finished sixth in the first stage, but fell outside the second stage due to strategy late in the stage and wound up 17th for Stage 2. At the end of the day, the No. 41 Carolina Nut driver finished sixth for his eighth top-10 of the season. Rhodes is in a good position and will make the Playoffs by virtue of his Kentucky win.Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked
- Noah Gragson – After missing the Pocono race due to sickness, Gragson came back in full force finishing fourth after starting third. He led two laps early on after battling with John Hunter Nemechek and Todd Gilliland for the lead. Gragson finished fourth in both Stage 1 and 2. In the final stage, the No. 18 Safelite driver was right behind race leader Matt Crafton on Lap 64 but went in 10 laps later for a scheduled pit stop. After the caution on Lap 80, Gragson was up front for the race lead and potential race win. Five laps after the restart, Gragson fell back to fourth. In the final laps, he tried working with Nemechek in hopes of catching the leaders and a possible race win. However, Gragson finished fourth for his fourth top-10 of the year after leading 18 laps. He currently sits second, 56 points behind Sauter in the regular season point standings.Previous Week Ranking: Not RankedFell Out
1. Stewart Friesen – Friesen had a solid day at Michigan. He won the first stage and finished ninth in the second stage after pitting. Friesen couldn’t really rebound and was stuck in traffic, ultimately finishing in the eighth position after leading 12 laps and earning one stage point. He should be able to breathe easy when the Playoffs standings are set at Bristol this Thursday night.
2. Dalton Sargeant – Sargeant placed the No. 25 machine 12th after a strong outing at Pocono the week before. He was only able to finish 10th in the second stage. He’ll have to win at Bristol in order to make the Playoffs this year.
3. Grant Enfinger – Enfinger, another bubble Playoff driver, had a good day and all was not lost. He started sixth, finished fifth and won the second stage. Despite sitting on the bubble heading to Bristol, he should be okay on making the Playoffs, barring any new winners and no incidents for the No. 98 team Thursday night.
