Suite 16 Rankings- Michigan 400
The top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers after Michigian
Every week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
A recent string of bad luck has knocked Kurt Busch out of the top 16, and Jamie McMurray has replaced him.
1. (1) 24-Jeff Gordon: Jeff Gordon ‘struggles’ to a ninth place finish.
2. (2) 48-Jimmie Johnson: A bad finish for Jimmie Johnson is nineteenth.
3. (3) 11-Denny Hamlin: I think that Denny Hamlin prefers the Car of Tomorrow.
4. (4) 17-Matt Kenseth: Matt Kenseth’s streak of finishing every lap in 2007 came to an abrupt end on Sunday at Michigan.
5. (5) 20-Tony Stewart: Tony Stewart shouldn’t have to worry about any run-ins with David Gilliland this weekend at Infineon.
6. (7) 99-Carl Edwards: All five of Carl Edwards’ Nextel Cup victories have been on tracks 1.5-miles or longer.
7. (8) 1-Martin Truex Jr: Martin Truex Jr is proof that there will be life after Dale Earnhardt Jr at DEI.
8. (6) 31-Jeff Burton: Is it just me, or is the performance of the three Richard Childress Racing drivers beginning to decline.
9. (9) 29-Kevin Harvick: Because of the Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon dominance on the road courses this decade, one may forget that Kevin Harvick won the most recent road course race at Watkins Glen last August.
10. (10) 07-Clint Bowyer: Clint Bowyer actually ran decent at the two road course races in 2006. He could be a darkhorse.
11. (13) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: Dale Earnhardt Jr’s teammate Martin Truex Jr has actually outperformed his future teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in recent weeks.
12. (14) 5-Kyle Busch: Jack Roush doesn’t want him and neither does Kevin Harvick. However, everybody else would love to have Kyle Busch on their driver roster.
13. (11) 01-Mark Martin: If Mark Martin does indeed have to fill in for Jeff Gordon in the 24 car at Infineon, and you’ll see exactly how good this driver is.
14. (12) 12-Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman takes two giants steps forward in the race to the Chase for the Championship, only to take another step back.
15. (16) 25-Casey Mears: Casey Mears’ victory in the Coca Cola 600 last month has obviously sparked a run of solid finishes. Still, he has a long way to go in order to into that top 12.
16. (NR) 26-Jamie McMurray: Jamie McMurray scored a much-needed top ten finish at Michigan.
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
