ONMC POWER 10: Final Pre-Chase Rankings

Entering the 26th race of the season, it's all on the line for the field as the deadline for the Chase is finally here.

Kasey Kahne won the race at Atlanta to get into the Chase, but that's not what the Power 10 is all about. It's about who is strongest the week before.

So let's have fun with this, OK?

How it works is simple: we tell you who the 10 best drivers are after each race this season, and you can agree, disagree or improve on them by commenting on the article itself. Remember, this is a family ranking, so keep that in mind.

Sound good?

Let's go to the rankings, shall we?

1. Jeff Gordon: Even two laps down, Gordon was the fastest car on the track over the last half and made both of them up. Primed for a solid Chase run. Last week: 4

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Ran well early, but wasn't much of a factor as the race progressed. Still, he has three wins. LAst week: 6

3. Joey Logano: Still had a chance late until the last furball took him out with a tire rub on the left front. Three wins, one at Bristol. Last week: 1

4. Matt Kenseth: Something seems familiar here. When he won his title in 2003, he had one victory. He has none, but made the Chase on points. An omen? Last week: 3

5. Brad Keselowski: The ol' yellow Deuce was trucking until an accident put him out. Three wins as well. Last week: 2

6. Jimmie Johnson: Still not the Beast he's been, but he's been known to lie in the weeds until the bright lights of the Chase. Last week: 5

7. Kevin Harvick: Ex-teammate put him in the fence on the next-to-last restart in a race he had dominated at times. Two victories, should have more. Last week: 8

8. Carl Edwards: Swan song with Roush nets two victories. Could have had more. Last week: 7

9. Denny Hamlin: Strong at Bristol, stout at Atlanta. Rounding into form. Last week: not ranked

10. Kurt Busch: Has one victory--in MArch--but has been fast the last two weeks. Time to put it all out there, but he does that anyway. Last week: not ranked

Dropped out: Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle

Close But No Cigar:

Danica Patrick, because she finished sixth on a slick track in the heat of the night; Newman and Biffle, because they have the last two Chase spots heading to Richmond; Kyle Busch, because if Martin Truex Jr. doesn't get him at RIR, someone else will; AJ Allmendinger, because he's in the Chase; and Aric Almirola, ditto.