Ridiculously early 2019 NASCAR power rankings: Who's the '19 favorite?

Ridiculously early 2019 NASCAR power rankings: Who’s the favorite for next season?

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, races Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2018 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

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HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford, stands in the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2018 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

7. Aric Almirola

Yep, even above Clint Bowyer. Almirola had the classic look of someone who was starting to put it all together during the second half of the 2018 season, and his best stretch of races came during the last few rounds of the playoffs. He just wasn’t quite as good as the eventual Championship 4.

Next year he very well could be nipping at their heels. Almirola had a big adjustment changing teams and getting back to full strength after a serious injury that cost him some races in 2017. He immediately showed he was an upgrade behind the wheel of the 10 over Danica Patrick, and it’s easy to forget he very nearly won the Daytona 500 right out of the gate.

Instead, he had to wait all the way to the second Talladega trip to get a well deserved win. One suspects it might come sooner in 2019, provided the Mustang and new rules don’t trip up this team. The early suspicion is that they won’t.

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