Every week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
Tony Stewart won for the third time in four races after Jeff Gordon's rare late-race blunder. Gordon was leading with two laps to go when he lost control of his car in turn 1, which handed over the lead to Tony Stewart. Stewart then held off a furious charge from Carl Edwards, who ended up driving off the course on the final lap. Edwards finished 8th.
Also in the spotlight this week was Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya, who engaged in a shoving match after a lap 72 accident. Montoya got into Harvick after contact with Martin Truex Jr heading in to turn 1. Harvick pulled in front of Montoya's damaged car, climbed out and confronted the NASCAR rookie.
1. (1) 24-Jeff Gordon: Two things you don’t see very often- Jeff Gordon choking with two laps to go on a road course, and Michael Waltrip participating in a race.
2. (2) 20-Tony Stewart: It looks like a classic Tony Stewart versus Jeff Gordon championship battle is on the horizon.
3. (3) 11-Denny Hamlin: Because Denny Hamlin is solid at just about every type of track, it is easy to forget that he is only in his second season in NASCAR Nextel Cup.
4. (5) 48-Jimmie Johnson: Just an observation here, but ESPN doesn’t seem to focus as much attention on Jimmie Johnson as FOX and TNT does.
5. (4) 17-Matt Kenseth: If Matt Kenseth could improve his road racing skills, he could easily be mentioned with Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon as the most skilled drivers in NASCAR.
6. (9) 99-Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards showed that he is fully capable of running with the big boys on the road courses.
7. (8) 5-Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch will jump from Terry Labonte’s old car into Bobby Labonte’s old car.
8. (6) 31-Jeff Burton: There are now question marks concerning Jeff Burton’s decals this weekend.
9. (7) 29-Kevin Harvick: I don’t think Kevin Harvick expected Juan Pablo Montoya to shove back.
10. (10) 2-Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch has given the Dodge brand hope.
11. (11) 07-Clint Bowyer: Clint Bowyer is the one driver in the Chase picture that no one is really talking about.
12. (13) 1-Martin Truex Jr: Martin Truex Jr’s light bump on Juan Pablo Montoya opened up a huge can of worms.
13. (14) 12-Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman has won at two of the four remaining tracks before the Chase for the Championship begins.
14. (13) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: It’s not over yet, but Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Chase for the Championship hopes are slowly fading.
15. (NR) 16-Greg Biffle: Almost going unnoticed was the fact that Greg Biffle scored a top ten in both road course races in 2007.
16. (16) 42-Juan Pablo Montoya: Say what you want about Juan Pablo Montoya, but he does not back down from anybody.
Past Suite 16 Rankings
UAW Daimler Chrysler 400, at Las Vegas
Goody's Orange Cool 500, at Martinsville
Subway Fresh Fit 500, at Phoenix
Crown Royal/Jim Stewart 400, at Richmond
Dodge Avenger 500, at Darlington
Citizens Bank 400, at Michigan
Toyota Save Mart 350, at Infineon
LENOX Industrial Tools 300, at New Hampshire
USG Sheetrock 400, at Chicagoland
All-State 400, at Indianapolis
