Jimmie Johnson- 2007 Cup Champion
Final Suite 16 Rankings of the 2007 Nextel Cup Season
Every week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
Love him or hate him, you have to take your hat off to Jimmie Johnson and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization. Dominance is really the only word that comes to mind when Hendrick Motorsports is even mentioned. As a group they won 18 of 36 Nextel Cup points paying races in 2007, which is exactly 50%. Will the dominance continue?
Jimmie Johnson's seventh place finish wrapped up his second consecutive championship by 77 points over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon. Johnson's ten wins, four in the Chase for the Championship, were too much to overcome for Gordon, who finished in the top ten 30 times, the first driver to do so in NASCAR's modern era (1972 onward). Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top ten. Martin Truex Jr and Denny Hamlin were 11th and 12th respectively.
Ryan Newman won the 13th place consolation prize as he reeled of five top tens in the final ten races.
Here is the final Suite 16 Rankings for the 2007 season. Throughout the off-season, we'll be posting various reviews of the 2007 Nextel Cup season such as most improved driver, most disappointing driver, most surprising driver, etc. Once January rolls around, we'll gear up for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season with the Top 40 Predictions.
1. (1) 48-Jimmie Johnson: I don’t think that Jimmie Johnson and the 48 team can get much better. Congratulations on back-to-back Nextel Cup titles.
2. (2) 24-Jeff Gordon: Lost in the fact the he did not win his fifth championship is the fact that Jeff Gordon scored 30 top tens in 36 races. Amazing indeed!
3. (8) 17-Matt Kenseth: Matt Kenseth just propelled himself as the guy that is most likely to dethrone the Hendrick Motorsports dynamic duo.
4. (3) 07-Clint Bowyer: Clint Bowyer is out to prove that he is no one-season wonder.
5. (4) 20-Tony Stewart: Chevrolet, Toyota, Pinto- it doesn’t matter what Tony Stewart drivers, he is going to win races.
6. (5) 5-Kyle Busch: I foresee a potential Kyle Busch – Dale Earnhardt Jr rivalry heating up in 2008.
7. (7) 2-Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch caps off his first solid season since joining Penske Racing in 2006.
8. (10) 99-Carl Edwards: Once Carl Edwards can learn to play nice with his teammates, he will be a championship contender.
9. (9) 1-Martin Truex Jr: Two things that Martin Truex Jr and the 1 team lacked- experience and consistency.
10. (11) 31-Jeff Burton: Jeff Burton ended the season with four consecutive top ten finishes.
11. (6) 29-Kevin Harvick: It is safe to say that Kevin Harvick was less than impressive in the Chase for the Championship.
12. (13) 11-Denny Hamlin: Denny Hamlin ended the season with a solid third-place finish for the second straight season.
13. (12) 12-Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman was quietly one of the most improved drivers in 2007.
14. (14) 16-Greg Biffle: Greg Biffle and the 16 team still have some work to do in order to get back to where they were in 2005.
15. (16) 25-Casey Mears: Hate to say it but Casey Mears will continue to be the ‘fourth’ driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable.
16. (15) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: Does anyone believe that Teresa Earnhardt is planning a farewell party for Dale Earnhardt Jr ?
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
Centurion Boats At The Glen, Watkins Glen
3M Performance 400, at Michigan
Sharp Aquos 500, at California
Chevy Rock & Roll 400, at Richmond
Sylvania 300, at New Hampshire
Bank Of America 500, at Lowe's
