Browse >
Home / Archive by category 'NASCAR Power Rankings'
Homestead
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
No moves up this week.
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
No moves down this week.
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 7 Wins, 24 Top TensThe seasons over, the right man won, and all is right with the world again. If your not a fan of Jimmie Johnson then by about 2015 his dynasty will probably be in decline. Chad Knaus plans on being the 48 crew chief for at least 5 more years. |
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 21 Top TensMark Martin isn't done yet and the never ending "Salute to you tour" will be going strong through 2011. He had a great season that far exceeded probably anyone's expectations. |
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Kurt Busch- 2 Win, 21 Top TensKurt Busch almost stopped the Hendrick 1,2,3 standing domination but the 2 team fumbled in the decision making department late at Homestead. Kurt was definitely the the rebound driver of the year. |
|
Rank: 4th
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 25 Top TensBy finishing 6th at Homestead Jeff Gordon wrapped up the top 3 spots for Hendrick Motors Sports. Gordon finished the season with the most top tens (25), but at this point that was last season. |
|
Rank: 5th
|
Denny Hamlin- 4 Wins, 20 Top TensI've seriously heard people speculate that Denny Hamlin would be the person who would stop Jimmie Johnson's dominance. Hamlin even said it himself. I know it sounds humorous considering he thinks he paid Keselowski back. |
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 23 Top TensI told people all season long that the 14 team wasn't a real championship threat. They were just the most consistent team in the series. After Watkins Glen this team's performances plummeted. |
|
Rank: 7th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 7 Top Fives, 18 Top TensI have no clue how NASCAR fans can't like Montoya. He sticks up for himself on the track and is passionate about what he does. What NASCAR needs is 1) be more consistent (2 lap penalty?) and 2) 42 more Montoya's on the track. |
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle- 10 Top Fives, 16 Top TensIt was a down year for Roush and Biffle completed the first full season of his career that he was win less. NASCAR is a cyclical sport so I wouldn't be surprised if he bounces back to multiple victories next year. |
|
Rank: 9th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 14 Top TensKahne had a nice season that never materialized in the Chase. The problem here is that no team is entering the off season with more question marks then Kahne. 2010 will be a contract year for Kahne so things will either go really good or really bad. |
|
Rank: 10th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensRyan Newman returned to the Chase in 2009 but he didn't return to victory lane. If Ryan Newman could just improve on the intermediate tracks then he would have potential to challenge for the championship. |
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 14 Top TensAfter California in the Chase this team just fell apart. In the off season when people talk about the disappointment of the year Carl Edwards should certainly be talked about in that debate. |
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensBrian Vickers should be a NASCAR spokesman for why the Chase only needs 10 drivers. Brian Vickers didn't have a single top ten, never led a lap, and had a 59.7 driver rating over the course of the Chase. |
Phoenix
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Denny Hamlin: 7th to 5th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Jeff Gordon: 3rd to 4th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 7 Wins, 23 Top TensJimmie Johnson had a statement victory at Phoenix but don't think he's immune to problems at Homestead. The last time Jimmie Johnson didn't win the championship he had a blown tire at Homestead that ruined his day and his championship hopes (2005). |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Mark Martin - 5 Wins, 21 Top TensFinishing second must almost be like a tradition for Mark Martin fans. Michael Jordon stopped many of his competitors from winning championships and Jimmie Johnson is doing the exact same thing. MJ took his sport to the next level and so will JJ. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Kurt Busch - 2 Win, 20 Top TensKurt Busch was poised to be one of Jimmie Johnson's biggest competitors at Phoenix but the 2 team lost the handle of their car mid race. I'm sure Roger Penske wishes that he could have made Pat Tryson a counter offer to stay. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 24 Top TensEarnhardt and Petty have their 7 by 7 club and soon Jeff Gordon will be able to start his own 4 by 4 club with Jimmie Johnson. Or even better yet he could do it by himself with his 4 driver championships and 4 owner championships. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Denny Hamlin - 3 Wins, 19 Top TensFor anyone who ever goes to my fantasy chats then you'll know that my default Denny Hamlin advice works. "If its flat or short pick Hamlin". If Hamlin ever wants to win the championship then he really needs to win at an intermediate track. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart - 4 Wins, 23 Top TensUnder the old system Stewart would only be 8 points back. That systems dead so this shouldn't even be news. The real news that Stewart created for the week was over his radio. Stewart called Jr a "no driving talent sob". Yikes. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya - 7 Top Fives, 18 Top TensJuan Pablo Montoya's rise is certainly one of the best stories of the season but no one possibly thought he might finish in the top 5 in points. Montoya's magic Homestead number is 5 points, that's how many points he needs to gain on Tony Stewart. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle - 10 Top Fives, 16 Top TensHistorically Homestead is a very good place for Biffle with his 3 career wins at the track. Don't buy into that hype this weekend because those wins all were with the old car. The best he's finished with the COT is 13th. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Kasey Kahne - 2 Wins, 14 Top TensKahne started his NASCAR driving career with Ford and after Homestead he'll once again be in a Ford. I don't know if I should be happy or sad for him. I guess we'll all find out next season. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Ryan Newman - 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensNewman returned to the Chase in 2009 but once he made it there really wasn't anything to brag about. He finished 7th twice but what's so great about that? |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards - 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensEdwards was good in the spring but ever since then it's all been downhill. If I were Carl I wouldn't be expecting a very good seat at the Las Vegas awards banquet this year. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers - 1 Win, 13 Top TensBelieve it or not Vickers is improving. His Chase average finish right now is 23. Last year over the same segment of races his average finish was 25.1. Next year he might be able to get it down to around 20. |
Texas
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Mark Martin: 3rd to 2nd
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Juan Pablo Montoya: 4th to 6th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 22 Top TensJimmie Johnson has been Superman in the Chase this year but Sam "Kryptonite" Hornish Jr proved to us that Johnson isn't invincible. The only effect of the Johnson crash will be seen at Homestead when he's points racing for the fourth year in a row. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Mark Martin - 5 Wins, 20 Top TensMark Martin got the job done at Texas. Martin didn't win or even lead a lap but he renewed his championships chances by finishing 4th. At Phoenix where Martin won earlier this year he needs to further reduce his points deficit to Johnson. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 23 Top TensJeff Gordon started on the pole at Texas but if I were to grade his race I would give him a D. Gordon needed a top five day at worst, and the 24 team had perhaps their worst intermediate track performance of the year. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Kurt Busch - 2 Win, 19 Top TensAfter the way the 2 car performed at Texas it's to bad Pat Tryson will be leaving this team soon. I know if I were a crew chief I wouldn't want to leave Kurt Busch for Martin Treux Jr. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Tony Stewart - 4 Wins, 23 Top TensTony Stewart is a still a full race behind Johnson in the point standings. Their main goal this season was to make the Chase, but Talladega is what officially killed this teams chances. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya - 7 Top Fives, 17 Top TensMontoya spent much of the Chase racing inside the top 5 but unfortunately it's starting to look inevitable that he won't finish there. I can't find any fault for a team that came virtually out of nowhere and was a legitimate threat. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Denny Hamlin - 3 Wins, 18 Top TensHamlin had a big day at Texas and moved up three positions up to 8th in the points. At Phoenix Hamlin should be able to lock himself inside the top 10 in points. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle - 10 Top Fives, 16 Top TensOther then Kansas and Talladega I don't remember seeing Biffle at all in the Chase. Their performances haven't really been that great, but they have managed to avoid DNF's which is a key aspect of the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Kasey Kahne - 2 Wins, 14 Top TensAfter a failing motor at Texas Kahne now is sitting tenth in the points only 41 points ahead of Carl Edwards. I don't expect much out of either of these drivers at Phoenix so Homestead will be the key as to who goes to Las Vegas. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Ryan Newman - 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensIf Ryan Newman is going to finish inside the top ten this season then he must avoid his 22.9 average finish at Phoenix. Newman's only had 1 top ten at Phoenix since 2005. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards - 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensCarl Edwards may have been the biggest loser at Texas. Now Carl sits 11th in the points after his Texas wreck. If Carl doesn't finish in the top ten then he can forget about recognition at the 2009 awards banquet in Las Vegas. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers - 1 Win, 13 Top TensI think this team will be impacted tremendously in 2010 by their Chase disaster. Even at their very best they barely made the Chase. With Kenseth, Earnhardt Jr (yes him), and RCR teams improving forget Vickers chances of making the Chase next year. |
Talladega
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Kasey Kahne: 9th to 7th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Ryan Newman: 8th to 10th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 22 Top TensJimmie Johnson has absolutely dominated the 2009 Chase. At Talladega he most likely sealed the deal with many of his main Chase competitors getting collected up in the "Big One". |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 23 Top TensJeff Gordon may not win the championship this year but he does have the most top fives and top tens in the series. In the end of the day people will only remember who won the championship. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Mark Martin - 5 Wins, 19 Top TensMark Martin was confident that he wouldn't wreck at Talladega but unfortunately his wishful thinking didn't do the trick. Martin sometimes uses reverse psychology in interviews, I remember his bad 2006 Lowes wreck and he said he was having fun. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya - 7 Top Fives, 17 Top TensJuan Pablo Montoya is 2009's version of Clint Bowyer's Cindrella Chase season. He is the little guy who no one ever gave a chance. Let's hope that his Chase momentum continues into next season. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Kurt Busch - 1 Win, 18 Top TensKurt Busch had a rough day at Talladega. He had a flat tire early and went down two laps. The new NASCAR wave around rule is what really saved his day. Now the big question surrounding him is when will he get a new crew chief? Will it be this year? |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart - 4 Wins, 22 Top TensIf NASCAR was still under the old points system I read that Jimmie Johnson would now be ahead of Tony Stewart by just 7 points. That sounds more exciting then Johnson's full race advantage he now has over his competitors. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Kasey Kahne - 2 Wins, 14 Top TensKasey Kahne's main goal this season is now to stay in the top 10 in points to ensure that he'll get an invitation to the awards banquet this year. In order for Kahne to accomplish that goal a good run at Texas is a must for the 9 team. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Denny Hamlin - 3 Wins, 17 Top TensHamlin had a good run like he usually does at Talladega but this team never finishes races there. Hamlin was probably lucky to have blown up other wise he most likely would've been a victim of Brad Kesolowski again. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Greg Biffle - 9 Top Fives, 15 Top TensOut of all the drivers who survived the "Big One" Greg Biffle is the last driver who I thought would be spared from the carnage at Talladega. Many of the historically unlucky Talladega drivers had good days. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Ryan Newman - 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensIf your a NASCAR driver who can't win the race and you want airtime then I would recommend you do what Newman did. He's now one up on Carl Edwards in the flipping column for the year. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards - 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensI really think the Chase somehow needs a mechanism to eliminate drivers. Edwards doesn't even have a top 5 and Vickers doesn't have a top 10. I personally think it would've been more beneficial for this team to miss the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers - 1 Win, 13 Top TensI wonder if this team will be able to bounce back in 2010. Before the Chase started Vickers was one of the hottest drivers in the series, now he's lucky to be locked in the top 12. |
Martinsville
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Ryan Newman: 10th to 8th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Kasey Kahne: 7th to 9th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 21 Top TensJohnson will race so conservatively at Talladega that I personally wouldn't be surprised if he settles for a 15th place finish. Last year he drove the most conservative race that I ever seen out of the 48. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 23 Top TensGordon now sits 150 points out of the lead so he needs maximum points every race just to even put himself in a position to gain on the 48. I think Gordon will beat Johnson at two of the last four races, but that won't be enough. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Juan Pablo Montoya - 7 Top Fives, 17 Top TensAnother week, another good finish. I'm amazed that they've had so many good races in the Chase and yet somehow they're 200 points back. If he didn't have problems at Lowes then he would be within 100 points . |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Mark Martin - 5 Wins, 19 Top TensAccording to Martin after Talladega is when we'll first be able to hear about how he views his Championship hopes. Mark has only raced here once since 2006, and that didn't turn out so good. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Tony Stewart - 4 Wins, 22 Top TensIt's not mathematically official yet but in my opinion it's over for the 14. Stewart may be able to make up a considerable amount of points on the 48 at Talladega, but I think he'll lose them at Texas and Phoenix. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Kurt Busch - 1 Win, 18 Top TensStatistically speaking Kurt Busch is the top driver in the series at Talladega. He's never won here, but he does have an knack for finishing races at Talladega. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Denny Hamlin - 3 Wins, 17 Top TensOn Sunday Hamlin captured his second career win at Martinsville and his third of the season. Now the question in my mind is when will Hamlin win at a track that isn't either flat or short? |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Ryan Newman - 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensRyan Newman collected his second pole of the season at Martinsville and he also tied his Chase best finish of 7th. Newman is also currently 7th in points. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Kasey Kahne - 2 Wins, 13 Top TensOne of my Talladega rules of thumb is that if your in a bad streaking heading into Talladega don't expect to get spared from the big one. In 11 races at Talladega Kahne only has 1 top ten finish. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Greg Biffle - 9 Top Fives, 14 Top TensGreg Biffle says that he doesn't like Martinsville and he went out there and proved it. I sure would love to hear thoughts on Talladega where in 13 races he only has 1 top ten and 5 DNF's. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards - 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensCarl Edwards had a little better day going for him then his final finish position shows. It wasn't to much better though. This team can't wait until the season is over. I expect them to be really good in 2010, but this year is a complete flop. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers - 1 Win, 13 Top TensWith his 11th place finish at Martinsville Vickers tied his 2008 last ten races best finish (also at Martinsville). History doesn't repeat itself though because the 83 team wasn't caught cheating this year. |
Charlotte
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Kasey Kahne: 10th to 7th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Carl Edwards: 9th to 11th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 20 Top TensAll of Jimmie Johnson's biggest competitors fell wayside at Lowes and the 48 team capitalized on the situation with a win. The only team that can beat the 48 team right now is themselves. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 22 Top TensPerformance/ Schedule wise I believe that my pre-Chase championship pick is the only team that has anything for the 48 right now. He'll need a little bit of help to catch up, but when it he does the 48 will be in trouble. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 18 Top TensIf your a Mark Martin fan then you knew the bubble would burst somehow. I'm not saying that he's out of it yet, but the remaining races in my opinion give the others drivers an edge over the 5 team. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 6 Top Fives, 16 Top TensJuan Pablo Montoya arguably had the fastest car at Lowes until his COT tank didn't hold up very well to the damage. Montoya now sits 6th in the points 195 points out of the lead. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 18 Top TensLowes was a tough track on the Chase drivers and only 4 of them finished in the top ten. Kurt luckily was one of them, but don't expect Martinsville to be an easy task for this team. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 21 Top TensMartinsville and Talledega are "do or die" races for this team. If Stewart doesn't finish in the top 5 in both of these races and gain ground on Johnson then his Chase chances are effectively zero. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 13 Top TensIf Kasey Kahne didn't have problems on the race restarts then the 9 might very well have been the car in victory lane. I expect Kahne to move up to about 7th in the points this season before his points progression stops. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 16 Top TensHamlin had another good run but now he's back to 11th in the point standings. If you take away Hamlin's rookie Chase appearance then I believe Hamlin almost has to fall into people's conversations of who's the biggest choke in the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Greg Biffle- 9 Top Fives, 14 Top TensSomehow Greg Biffle has managed to score the 8th most points in the series over the last 6 races. At Martinsville I expect this team to have a rough day. Roush cars usually always struggle at this track. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top TensIf Newman's going to win a race this year then I believe it will have to happen either here at Martinsivlle or Talledega. These are both "skill tracks" which Newman has excelled at this year. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensIt's shocking how uncompetitive Carl's been in the Chase. Last year Edwards was a challenger all the way until the end and this year they're not even close to being competitive. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensJimmie Johnson isn't the only driver who's on the verge of making history this year. Vickers is on pace to easily surpass Hamlin's 2007 Chase record of finishing 580 points behind the champion. Vickers currently is 485 points behind. |
California
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Jeff Gordon: 6th to 4th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Mark Martin: 1st to 2nd
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Jimmie Johnson- 5 Wins, 19 Top TensI know Pat Riley has the term three-peat patented, but I'm not sure if anyone owns four-peat? If you go to four-peat.com then you'll find that the site is currently under development. So do you think Jimmie Johnson might be the owner of that? |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 18 Top TensMartin's put up a valiant effort so far but in order for him to win the championship he needs to start winning some of these races again or somehow find a way to deny Johnson. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 6 Top Fives, 16 Top TensCould you imagine the gripes that would happen in NASCAR nation if Montoya won the championship winless!! Montoya's running good enough for it to happen and history could be made. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 21 Top TensThe 24 is getting back on track and there's still plenty of time for Gordon to make his move. Somehow he needs to overcome his 105 point deficit on his own because you can't count on the 48 having problems. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 17 Top TensEach week the 2 car has been losing ground on the leaders and they really haven't even had any real problems yet. In order for them to win the championship they must be competitively mistake free for the remainder of the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 21 Top TensI have no clue how this team is only 84 points out of the lead. They certainly haven't really been on par with the other leaders consistently in the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 16 Top TensHamlin did crash at California and finish very poorly but the important thing to note here is that he was leading at the time. His championship hopes are now smashed because he now sits -219 points out of the lead. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle- 9 Top Fives, 14 Top TensIn terms of Chase competitiveness Biffle and below in my Power Rankings is the dividing line of the "Have's and the have not's". Biffle and the other drivers below him are not on par performance wise with the higher ranked drivers. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 13 Top TensEdwards was about a 20th place car until late in the race when the cautions started. The 99 team was able to take advantage of the situation and raced up to 6th place with their fresh tires. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 12 Top TensKasey Kahne might not be making a splash in the Chase this year but he is leading the phantom caution discussion which is an important topic. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top TensRyan Newman's biggest friend at California was attrition and caution flags. At Lowes Motor Speedway I'm going to put my money on Megatron because I know Optimus Prime won't be competitive. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensVickers is lucky that he's locked in the top 12 otherwise he would be racing for about 20th about now. In the four Chase races this year Vickers average finish is 23.75. |
Kansas
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Carl Edwards: 12th to 10th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Ryan Newman: 9th to 11th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 17 Top TensWouldn't it be ironic if the guy who finally dethrones Jimmie Johnson is Mark Martin!! When you look at the schedule I think he may actually be able to get it done. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jimmie Johnson- 4 Wins, 18 Top TensThis team was way over cautious at Kansas with their pit strategy. The 48 had this problem in the Chase last year. At Talladega in 2008 this team was so over cautious they raced their way to a lap down all on their own. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 5 Top Fives, 15 Top TensJuan Pablo Montoya is the only non-Hendrick team (or affiliate) that is able to race with the big boys. If he would like another first name I think David would be appropriate because he's the only driver who is even in position to slay the Goliath's. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 16 Top TensKansas was the first race in the Chase Kurt failed to finish in the top 10. Kurt's now 91 points out of the lead but California is a good track for this team. Expect him to get back into his top ten ways there. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 20 Top TensIt looks like the 14 car finally snapped out of their long, long, long slump. In order for Stewart to remain in contention the next few races will crucial for the 14 team. I'm not convinced their on par with the 5 and the 48 on intermediate tracks. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 20 Top TensAll the previous tracks that I consider similar to California (Michigan, Chicago, Kansas & prior California race) Jeff Gordon has finished second every time. Another second place finish or a win would go a long way for this teams championship ho |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 16 Top TensThis team has scored the second most points over the last 6 races but yet Hamlin still sits 99 points out of the lead. At California Hamlin will need a much better finish then his 14th place average if he hopes to gain on the leader. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle- 9 Top Fives, 14 Top TensI'm surprised this team ran so good at Kansas. Perhaps Roush is starting to turn things around. It's been a while since Roush Fords for the most part all ran strong. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 12 Top TensThis would be a good team to pick for the win at California if they had the R6 engine. Unfortunately they won't have it. If Hendrick was so insecure about themselves like RPM is Dale Jr would be in a Lumina by now. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 12 Top TensDo you remember the last time Carl Edwards finished in the top 10 before Kansas? The answer is Michigan. California is very similar to Michigan so there is hope here. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top TensWho could have seen this bad run coming? Anybody if they've been paying attention. This team simply doesn't get it at intermediate tracks for whatever reason. If Newman struggles on the other tracks then he might just be battling Vickers for 12th. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensThis team could make excuses for the first two races but their overall performance at Kansas was hideous. Every year in the Chase there is a team that battles really hard to get in only to crumble like a cookie. Will history repeat itself again? |
Dover
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Juan Pablo Montoya: 7th to 4th
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Brian Vickers: 8th to 11th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 16 Top TensWill Martin be the man who finally dethrones Jimmie Johnson? He's known for finishing second and being unlucky but Martin and the 5 team are capable of going toe to toe with Johnson. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jimmie Johnson- 4 Wins, 17 Top TensJohnson had a statement victory at Dover but in order to win the 2009 championship the 48 will need to have the same type of day at Kansas where they are the defending champions. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 16 Top TensThe 2 car team is a real sleeper for the championship but they are definitely an elite team this year. They don't get much attention but they are lurking and are in position to strike if the opportunity arises. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 4 Top Fives, 14 Top TensEver since Montoya was let off the leash for the Chase this team has been incredible. Before the Chase they were very consistent but in the Chase they are now competitive and consistent. Those two things are what win drivers championships. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 19 Top TensJeff Gordon was my pre-Chase championship pick and they still have plenty of time to make their move however they're already 122 points behind Martin. That's almost a full race behind and they haven't even had real problems yet |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart- 3 Wins, 19 Top TensAt Dover this team finally was able to avoid problems and get their first solid finish since Watkins Glen. My opinion about this team is that their still in trouble. The 14 isn't on par with some of the other elite teams at the intermediate tracks. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 15 Top TensDenny finally snapped his horrible finish streak at Dover and instead replaced it with a new uncompetitive streak that now stands at 1. Teams in the Chase simply can't have this type of uncompetitive day in the Chase. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Greg Biffle- 8 Top Fives, 13 Top TensWith how uncompetitive the Fords have been lately if they ever get into the lead at Kansas I think NASCAR should just call it race and say its to dark outside. In 2007 Biffle didn't even need to cross the line first and he still won. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top TensRyan Newman now has 5 top tens in row. Don't get to excited because I don't think Kansas, California, and Lowes will be kind to the 39 in the upcoming weeks. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 11 Top TensI'm amazed that Kahne first used the R6 motor at Dover in June and now in September they are back to the old R5 motor. What's next, will they bring back the Intrepid too? |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensThe 83 can't use their excuse that Dover and New Hampshire are bad tracks for them anymore. If they're going to make some noise in the Chase the time is now. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 11 Top TensI'm shocked at how uncompetitive this team was at Dover. Their average finish over the last 5 races is now a very uncompetitive 19.2. This team needs to start experimenting for next year because their finished. |
Loudon
Who's Up
|
Who's Down
|
Biggest Gain This Week:
Mark Martin: 3rd to 1st
|
Biggest Drop This Week:
Kasey Kahne: 7th to 10th
|
No new drivers this week.
|
No drivers dropped out this week.
|
|
|
Rank: 1st
|
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 15 Top TensNot only did Mark Martin get his first career win at Loudon but he also extended his contract last week. Will this be his year? Someone will win it. Did you know that Martin first announced his "Salute to you tour" in 2004. |
|
|
Rank: 2nd
|
Jimmie Johnson- 3 Wins, 16 Top TensJohnson dominated the Dover race earlier this year but there are no guarantee's in NASCAR. It will be difficult for the 48 team to duplicate their previous dominate performance. |
|
|
Rank: 3rd
|
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 18 Top TensI don't really know what happened to this team Sunday. They were the fastest team on the track at the start of the race then all of a sudden they were junk. As a result of his bad day Gordon now sits 10th in the point standings. |
|
|
Rank: 4th
|
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 15 Top TensThis team will try their hardest having their crew chief Pat Tryson there part time but I don't really think this is a sustainable strategy. I expect this problem to grow over the course of the remaining 9 races. |
|
|
Rank: 5th
|
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 15 Top TensHamlin was definitely the most aggressive driver on the track at New Hampshire. He was running into other cars frequently and he even ran over a guy on pit road. If his high aggression level continues trouble will certainly find him on the track. |
|
|
Rank: 6th
|
Tony Stewart- 3 Wins, 18 Top TensThere have been a lot of people saying this team is testing but I'm going to hold my ground on this one and say they're simply making mistakes. In order for Stewart to win the championship he really needed to score more points here. |
|
|
Rank: 7th
|
Juan Pablo Montoya- 3 Top Fives, 13 Top TensThe 42 is truly a top team in the series. The main thing people hold against him is his lackluster history. This year is vastly different from years in the past. If you haven't thrown out the history book on him yet, do it now. |
|
|
Rank: 8th
|
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top TensNot too many teams made a mistake at Loudon but this team did. I honestly don't trust this pit crew at all. Fun Fact: Did you know that Brian Vickers best finish in the last 10 races in 2008 was 11th and his team was caught cheating after that race. |
|
|
Rank: 9th
|
Greg Biffle- 8 Top Fives, 13 Top TensBiffle is the only Roush car that is showing a heart beat now but in order to win the championship teams need to do a lot more then that. Anything less then a top 5 for Biffle at Dover will be considered a failure. |
|
|
Rank: 10th
|
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 10 Top TensCan you stick a fork in this team yet? I say hold off for now but their championship chances are greatly reduced. At least he won't have to worry about the R6 motor next year. |
|
|
Rank: 11th
|
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 13 Top TensI bet you didn't know this but Newman now has 4 consecutive top tens in a row. Ryan Newman once owned Dover and even won here without power steering. A good day for this team is crucial for their championship aspirations. |
|
|
Rank: 12th
|
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 11 Top TensOne race into the Chase and this team is already 113 points behind Mark Martin. If there performance is flat at Dover then it will be time to stick a fork in them for the year. |
Next Page »
