Every week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
Congratulations to Juan Pablo Montoya for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup triumph.
1. (1) 24-Jeff Gordon: NASCAR can penalize Jeff Gordon 500 points and he would still be a good shape in the championship standings.
2. (2) 48-Jimmie Johnson: Is it true? Four races since Jimmie Johnson’s last top ten?
3. (3) 20-Denny Hamlin: Denny Hamlin was put in an awkward position Saturday night in Milwaukee, but he made the most of it.
4. (5) 20-Tony Stewart: His late-race battle with Jeff Gordon may have been the most exciting battle of the race.
5. (4) 17-Matt Kenseth: Matt Kenseth’s performance has fizzled over the last month or so.
6. (8) 31-Jeff Burton: His third place finish at Infineon was Jeff Burton’s first top ten since the rainy Mother’s Day weekend in Darlington.
7. (9) 29-Kevin Harvick: If fuel mileage was not a factor in Sunday’s race at Infineon, I believe that Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya would have engaged in a thrilling duel to the finish.
8. (6) 99-Carl Edwards: Man, I wonder who is going to win the Busch Series title. It’s just so close right now!
9. (7) 1-Martin Truex Jr: Martin Truex Jr should rebound well in Loudon, New Hampshire.
10. (10) 07-Clint Bowyer: Where did Clint Bowyer come from? That was probably the most unnoticed fourth place finish in history.
11. (11) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: That was probably the best we have seen Dale Earnhardt Jr run at a road course. Too bad his finish doesn’t complement that.
12. (12) 5-Kyle Busch: It is safe to say that the Kyle Busch free agency saga lacks the fanfare of Dale Earnhardt Jr's.
13. (14) 12-Ryan Newman: There was a time when Ryan Newman owned the fuel mileage races. On Sunday, fuel mileage cost him a top ten.
14. (16) 26-Jamie McMurray: Do they still give out that Goody’s Headache award? If so, that award belongs to Jamie McMurray.
15. (13) 01-Mark Martin: Since Mark Martin is not on the entry list for New Hampshire this weekend; this could be the last time we see him on the Suite 16. Like he cares!
16. (NR) 42-Juan Pablo Montoya: Who cares if it was fuel mileage or not, Juan Pablo Montoya is a winner in NASCAR Nextel Cup. However, before he can really be acknowledged by the ever critical fans, he must dominate an oval track.
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
