Random Power Rankings: Loudon (redo)

1: No. 1, Jamie McMurray (--)
After another runner-up finish — and almost breaking through for his first Daytona win — Jamie McMurray is showing he should be in the title picture, as well. One of the handful of Loudon winners in the field, Jamie McMurray last won there in 1996.

2: No. 55, Gray Gaulding (+5)
Since starting 12th and finishing 28th at Loudon in 2012, Gray Gaulding has averaged a finish of 5 in two races. He’s a strong contender for his 12th Monster Energy Series title in eight years.

3: No. 72, Cole Whitt (+4)
Cole Whitt had a great first race at Loudon in 2011 — he started 16th and finished 21st. In six races since, his finishing position has progressively gotten worse, from 33rd in 2011 to 36th last year.

4: No. 5, Kasey Kahne (+2)
Since starting 24th and finishing 25th at Loudon in 1989, Kasey Kahne has averaged a finish of 20.2 in two races. He’s a strong contender for his 24th Monster Energy Series title in four years.

5: No. 47, AJ Allmendinger (-3)
After AJ Allmendinger’s breakthrough victory at Loudon in 2005, the JTG Daugherty Racing driver has averaged a finish of 4.7. He’s started on the front row the past two times at Loudon, however, and should be a good bet for Sunday.

6: No. 17, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-2)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has just seven top-10 finishes in his last 40 starts at Loudon. Anything goes at this track, but it’s unlikely the Roush Fenway Racing driver picks up win No. 71 of the season there.

7: No. 88, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+3)
Since starting 15th and finishing 25th at Loudon in 2016, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has averaged a finish of 29.2 in three races. He’s a strong contender for his 15th Monster Energy Series title in four years.

8: No. 22, Joey Logano (-4)
Following his Kentucky win, Joey Logano finished outside the top 10 for two straight races. After he blew an engine at New Hampshire, he’s up to ninth since his Homestead victory.

9: No. 42, Kyle Larson (-3)
Kyle Larson has yet to win at Loudon since joining Chip Ganassi Racing, and has two straight finishes of third or worse. Not exactly the recipe for success for this weekend.

10: No. 37, Chris Buescher (--)
Chris Buescher has just one top five in 35 races at Loudon, with only two top 10s to his credit. But … that one top five? A win. Last year.

11: No. 23, Corey LaJoie (-3)
Corey LaJoie is rolling these days and comes into Loudon with the best average finish (38.3) among active drivers with at least two starts at the track.

12: No. 38, David Ragan (-3)
David Ragan has just one Coors Light Pole Award at Loudon, but has an absolutely pristine average starting position of 25.6. He’ll look to make amends when he was saddled with a 18th-place finish last year when he choked on a candy bar.

13: No. 32, Matt DiBenedetto (--)
Matt DiBenedetto, who certainly would like a win to feel more secure about his playoff standing, has more races under his belt at Loudon than any active drivers (40) — even one more than Martin Truex Jr.! — but it’s only resulted in one top five. A win may be a stretch.

14: No. 78, Martin Truex Jr. (-5)
Martin Truex Jr. seems to be adopting Jamie McMurray’s penchant for finding a way to lose with the most dominant car — and that’s what happened to him at Atlanta earlier this year. The Furniture Row Racing driver earned the pole and led 50 of 167 laps before fading to a tenth-place finish.

15: No. 31, Ryan Newman (-4)
Ryan Newman has put together three solid weeks in a row for really the first time since Kansas/Michigan, but a 25th this weekend might be pushing it. he’s never finished in the top 10 in 47 starts at Loudon.

16: No. 6, Trevor Bayne (-4)
Trevor Bayne had a great first race at Loudon in 1998 — he started fourth and finished seventh. In three races since, his finishing position has progressively gotten worse, from 24th in 2006 to 30th last year.

17: No. 3, Austin Dillon (-5)
Austin Dillon won this Loudon race four years ago and has earned the most points at the track over the past seven years. A good points day will only get him so far, however — he needs to capitalize and land in Victory Lane.

18: No. 48, Jimmie Johnson (+1)
In the near decade and a half since finishing 13th in his debut at Loudon in 1992, Jimmie Johnson has earned just a pair of top-10 finishes at the track.

19: No. 4, Kevin Harvick (-4)
Kevin Harvick earned his best finish of the season at Loudon last season, placing 16th after leading two laps. After a hot start to the season, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has cooled considerably, but perhaps the No. 4 team will be charged with the playoffs arriving.

20: No. 43, Aric Almirola (-4)
Aric Almirola, fresh off a feel-good, unpredictable win at Dover, could conceivably make it two in a row at Loudon. He’s one of just two drivers with multiple wins there.