Texas 2 NASCAR Power Rankings
What you’re seeing here can also be found at onpitrow.com. It looks better there but of course you can get a sampling of it here.
1. Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 22 Top Tens
Jimmie Johnson has absolutely dominated the 2009 Chase. At Talladega he most likely sealed the deal with many of his main Chase competitors getting collected up in the “Big One”.
2. Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 23 Top Tens
Jeff Gordon may not win the championship this year but he does have the most top fives and top tens in the series. In the end of the day people will only remember who won the championship.
3. Mark Martin – 5 Wins, 19 Top Tens
Mark Martin was confident that he wouldn’t wreck at Talladega but unfortunately his wishful thinking didn’t do the trick. Martin sometimes uses reverse psychology in interviews, I remember his bad 2006 Lowes wreck and he said he was having fun.
4. Juan Pablo Montoya – 7 Top Fives, 17 Top Tens
Juan Pablo Montoya is 2009’s version of Clint Bowyer’s Cindrella Chase season. He is the little guy who no one ever gave a chance. Let’s hope that his Chase momentum continues into next season.
5. Kurt Busch – 1 Win, 18 Top Tens
Kurt Busch had a rough day at Talladega. He had a flat tire early and went down two laps. The new NASCAR wave around rule is what really saved his day. Now the big question surrounding him is when will he get a new crew chief? Will it be this year?
6. Tony Stewart – 4 Wins, 22 Top Tens
If NASCAR was still under the old points system I read that Jimmie Johnson would now be ahead of Tony Stewart by just 7 points. That sounds more exciting then Johnson’s full race advantage he now has over his competitors.
7. Kasey Kahne – 2 Wins, 14 Top Tens
Kasey Kahne’s main goal this season is now to stay in the top 10 in points to ensure that he’ll get an invitation to the awards banquet this year. In order for Kahne to accomplish that goal a good run at Texas is a must for the 9 team.
8. Denny Hamlin – 3 Wins, 17 Top Tens
Hamlin had a good run like he usually does at Talladega but this team never finishes races there. Hamlin was probably lucky to have blown up other wise he most likely would’ve been a victim of Brad Kesolowski again.
9. Greg Biffle – 9 Top Fives, 15 Top Tens
Out of all the drivers who survived the “Big One” Greg Biffle is the last driver who I thought would be spared from the carnage at Talladega. Many of the historically unlucky Talladega drivers had good days.
10. Ryan Newman – 5 Top Fives, 15 Top Tens
If your a NASCAR driver who can’t win the race and you want airtime then I would recommend you do what Newman did. He’s now one up on Carl Edwards in the flipping column for the year.
11. Carl Edwards – 7 Top Fives, 13 Top Tens
I really think the Chase somehow needs a mechanism to eliminate drivers. Edwards doesn’t even have a top 5 and Vickers doesn’t have a top 10. I personally think it would’ve been more beneficial for this team to miss the Chase.
12. Brian Vickers – 1 Win, 13 Top Tens
I wonder if this team will be able to bounce back in 2010. Before the Chase started Vickers was one of the hottest drivers in the series, now he’s lucky to be locked in the top 12.
Additional recommended Fantasy Race reading for Texas
NASCAR newscast: Texas Preview video
