​Let’s assume you’re not glued to these rankings each week, and therefore don’t know the drill following a “plate-race” like Atlanta. Normally, we don’t make any changes to the rankings, because races at Atlanta (also Daytona and Talladega) don’t offer a proper barometer to determine who’s hot and who’s not. It’s not like we were going to uproot Denny Hamlin from the top spot, anyway, given his early-summer dominance away from the two road courses.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCheck out our new Dale Earnhardt bookHAMPTON, GEORGIA – JULY 12: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 BODYARMOR FLASH I.V. Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at EchoPark Speedway on July 12, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)But if there was a way to make Ryan Blaney a stronger No. 2 than he was last week, we’d have to take a look, even coming off a plate-race. While not wanting to put too much weight on it, when you dominate a weekend the way Blaney ruled Atlanta … my goodness.This coming weekend brings North Wilkesboro, a NASCAR museum piece dating to 1949, which will be host to its first points-paying Cup race since 1996. At slightly-banked and five-eighths of a mile, and after three weeks of road courses and plate-racing, we’ll get a much better idea of the Haves and Have Nots.Happily returns to “honest ovals” this week at North Wilkesboro.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStill second here, but has bitten off chunks of Hamlin’s official points lead.Never seems to have a bad week these days.He sure had one at Atlanta.Oh so close to winning again. Don’t bet against him this week.Still hanging around the back side of the lead pack. Not horrible, not great.Finished eighth at Atlanta, which doesn’t sound like much except when you look at his recent work.Has to turn a lot of laps at North Wilkesboro while keeping an eye open for Zane Smith.Late Atlanta wreck ruined a long night for Winless Kyle.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis own winless streak is now at 64.— Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.comThis article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR Top 10 driver rankings updated: Ryan Blaney states his case at Atlanta