The first seven weeks of the 2026 NASCAR season have concluded, with Chase Elliott's victory at the Cook Out 400 in Martinsville, giving way to a one-week break. With the Cup Series on break, it's time to evaluate the best NASCAR drivers right now.

Tyler Reddick, despite not quite figuring out Martinsville, maintains the lead in the standings. Although his car qualified eighth, his worst result of the season was a fifteenth place. Even so, Reddick has four wins and leads the Cup Series in average finishing position (5.7) by a wide margin before the break.

Denny Hamlin came close to winning the Cook Out 400, leading 292 laps at Martinsville. Despite bad luck, he finished second and scored the most points (56) of the day. Hamlin has more laps led (444) than the drivers who hold second and third place combined. Hamlin is expected to surpass Kyle Busch's win total this year.

Ryan Blaney, with the second fastest car in Martinsville, was affected by an incident that prevented him from fighting for the win. Despite this, Blaney has the third best average finishing position (10.1) in the Cup Series and leads in overtaking. With his pit crew improving, Blaney could improve even more.

Ty Gibbs has been one of the best NASCAR drivers for over a month. In the last five races, Gibbs has accumulated 205 points with an average finishing position of 4.6. The 23-year-old is performing very well, and although the first victory in the Cup Series still seems elusive, he is doing what is necessary in the points format. Joe Gibbs Racing must be elated.

Chase Elliott won for Hendrick Motorsports in Martinsville, demonstrating his ability to compete. Elliott deserves credit for fending off Denny Hamlin and securing the first win of the season for his team. Despite an atypical result in Phoenix, Elliott has finished in the top ten four times, making him a strong championship contender.

William Byron spent the majority of the day at Martinsville in the top five and finished with the fourth-highest points, but he wasn't a factor for the win. What matters most for the No. 24 car is that this was the fourth consecutive race with a top 10. Byron has an average starting position of 8.6, an average finishing position of 7.2, and averages 36 points per race. Those are the numbers that will give him a great chance to finish in the top five at the end of the regular season in points, which is crucial to have a chance to win the title.

Christopher Bell had a solid but unspectacular day. He didn't pick up stage points, but he still snagged a seventh-place finish to give him four top 10s in the last five weeks. One thing that JGR must feel great about with Bell: he has led 225 laps (the second most) this season. That kind of speed suggests that a win should be on the horizon.

The good news for Hendrick Motorsports, besides Elliott's victory, is that Kyle Larson didn't do anything on Sunday to lose points. That's an improvement after what happened at Darlington (32nd) and Atlanta (32nd). What's a bit worrying is the fact that Larson's last Cup win goes all the way back to May 11 at Kansas. A year-long drought without a win feels unfathomable for who many believe to be the best driver in motorsports.

Things looked bleak early this season for Austin Cindric. From the Daytona 400 through Phoenix, he finished 30th or worse three times and had an average finishing position of 29.0. Cindric also combined for just 71 points in that five-race span. In the last two weeks, Cindric has earned 78 points, and he now has a top-10 finish in consecutive races. There's hope on the horizon for the No. 2 team.

It became clear from the start that RFK didn't have the setups needed to pose a real threat to the top teams at Martinsville. So the fact that Brad Keselowski turned qualifying 23rd into a 13th-place finish should be viewed as a win. Before the Cook Out 400, Keselowski had three consecutive top-15 finishes and excelled at Darlington. One thing is certain: his surgically-repaired leg will enjoy this week off from racing.