Suite 16 Rankings- Richmond 400
The top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup Drivers after the Crown Royal 400
Every week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
Ryan Newman replaces Martin Truex Jr in this week's Suite 16 rankings.
1. (1) 24-Jeff Gordon: Is Jeff Gordon peaking too early, or is he going to be this consistent all season?
2. (2) 48-Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie Johnson now has four wins in the season’s first ten races. At this pace, he will finish the season with roughly 14 wins.
3. (5) 11-Denny Hamlin: The gap from second to third is so wide, but someone has to be third. Congrats to Denny Hamlin for being number one in NASCAR’s second tier.
4. (3) 17-Matt Kenseth: Matt Kenseth is quickly losing ground to Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
5. (4) 31-Jeff Burton: Jeff Burton could be the driver to knock Hendrick Motorsports off their pedestal at Darlington this coming weekend.
6. (8) 5-Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch will be one of the few young guns contending for the win at Darlington this weekend.
7. (6) 20-Tony Stewart: The maddening season continues for Tony Stewart, and judging by his history at Darlington, it will continue.
8. (7) 29-Kevin Harvick: One small blunder on pit road may have cost Kevin Harvick the win at Richmond.
9. (12) 2-Kurt Busch: It is official; Kurt Busch has turned the corner.
10. (13) 07-Clint Bowyer: A recurrent theme- a Richard Childress Racing (or Kevin Harvick, Inc) car wins the Busch Series race; a Hendrick Motorsports car wins the Nextel Cup race.
11. (10) 99-Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards is having a quietly mediocre season. That is not a good thing; however, I bet his teammates, Greg Biffle and David Ragan, wish that the same could be said about them.
12. (11) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: I bet Dale Earnhardt Jr wishes he that would have replaced Kyle Busch in the 5 car in a Car of Tomorrow race instead of Texas.
13. (9) 26-Jamie McMurray: His 41st place finish at Richmond notwithstanding, Jamie McMurray is still NASCAR’s most improved driver.
14. (NR) 12-Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman’s qualifying is not what it used to be, but he is running a heck of a lot better.
15. (15) 01-Mark Martin: Mark Martin still appears to be just a little off in the Car of Tomorrow. Nevertheless, he will be one of the favorites at Darlington this weekend.
16. (14) 40-David Stremme: I can sense a David Stremme versus Kasey Kahne rivalry heating up.
Past Suite 16 Rankings
UAW Daimler Chrysler 400, at Las Vegas
Goody's Orange Cool 500, at Martinsville
Subway Fresh Fit 500, at Phoenix
