NASCAR14FAN
04-11-2007, 07:14 PM
Jeff Gordon
OK, so he doesn't have three wins like his victory-hording teammate -- but Gordon has been the model of consistency through six races (5.2 average finish). And despite what Jeff said after Martinsville -- "I'm not going to wreck a guy to win a race" -- does anyone believe had it not been a Hendrick car that Jeff would've punted 'em into the wall? Neither does Matt Kenseth. Or Rusty Wallace. Or ...
Jimmie Johnson
He's won half the races through 1/6th of the season, but he's third in points and his average finish is 10.2. Until Gordon hiccups, JJ can do no better than runner-up.
Jeff Burton
You can't take anything away from the early season success of Burton, and yet he takes a dip in the rankings? He's not as consistent as Gordon (though very close) and he doesn't have the wins to rival Johnson.
Matt Kenseth
The worst thing you can say about Kenseth -- and yep, it's a stretch -- is that he "struggled" in the first two COT races: 10.5 average finish. (Average finish in the first four races: 8.7.) Other drivers only wish they struggled like that.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin remains the most consistent of the Gibbs drivers and he heads to Texas with three top-10 finishes in as many starts at the track.
Kyle Busch
Yeah, he does look like Pee-Wee Herman. Moving on ... the Bowtie Brigade is chewing up the competition: five wins, 24 top-five finishes and 40 top-10s in six races. And Kyle is doing his part with one win, two top-fives and four top-10s.
Clint Bowyer
Another solid performance by Bowyer at Martinsville; four top-11 finishes in the past five races. He's replaced Kevin Harvick as RCR's happy-go-lucky driver.
Tony Stewart
Not a bad finish (seventh at Martinsville) for a guy who isn't a big fan of the COT. It's scary to think how good Stewart will be once he gets comfortable.
Carl Edwards
Some idiot on the radio not named Don Imus said the other day, "Carl Edwards is the best thing going for Roush Racing." ... Not until Kenseth hangs 'em up, which is not a slight of Carl but another example of how Matt is overlooked.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
JR Motorsports -- the next megateam in NASCAR. DEI will always be Dale Earnhardt Inc.; JRM will be Junior's legacy. Will the two co-exist in harmony or be the feature match at Wrestlemania XXX: Junior's deed vs. Teresa's hair!
Jamie McMurray
Back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time since Charlotte-Dover in 2006. This bodes well for when the COT is fully implemented.
Kevin Harvick
Only two top-20 finishes in the past five races. Dude, it's time turn the tables on karma: Plead with DeLana to remove her cap during the national anthem.
Elliott Sadler
To help promote Autism Awareness Month, Sadler will be wearing a special autism helmet during the remaining races in April and it will be auctioned online to benefit the Hermie and Elliott Sadler Charitable Foundation. (Sadler's niece Halie is autistic.) ... You'll have to out-bid me, folks.
David Stremme
He finished 35th at Martinsville, by far his worst finish of the season. A bump in the road or a harbinger of things to come? I believe the glass is half full, but time will tell.
Juan Montoya
Fans of bump 'n' grind racing are going to have a field day if Montoya ever gets in position to battle for the checkered flag. He is Cole Trickle.
Kurt Busch
Texas, Phoenix and Talladega ... Busch is primed to make a run up the point standings during the next three weeks. His worst average finish at those three tracks is 13.0 at Phoenix, where he has five top-10s in eight races.
J.J. Yeley
And here's the polar opposite of Kurt Busch. ... Yeley's track record at Texas, Phoenix and Talladega is nothing to write home about; only three top-20 finishes in seven races.
Ryan Newman
I really want to root for Ryan Newman. He's a smart guy, doesn't have a lot of time for stupid questions, does a lot for the good of others (and animals).
David Ragan
Yes, the kid has a pulse! I loved the emotion he showed during the Busch race at Nashville. He'll be a spitfire once he gets comfortable at the Cup level. ... On another note, he's completed all 1,000 laps raced at Martinsville, which ain't too shabby.
Greg Biffle
Maybe the folks at Duncan will get into the sponsorship game. The way Biff's past 18 months have yo-yo'ed, it'd be a perfect match.
Bobby Labonte
Glad he got it out of the way early: BLab now has finished last in a race for three consecutive years:
April 1, 2007, at Martinsville
March 19, 2006, at Atlanta
Feb. 20, 2005, at Daytona
Robby Gordon
Did you know: Martinsville was the first race this season in which Gordon failed to finish better than he started? Still, for the year his starting average is 36.2 and his finishing average is 23.3.
Martin Truex Jr.
He's following in Ryan Newman's footsteps: good qualifying run (15.3 average start), not so good finish (26.2 average -- and 24th in the point standings).
Tony Raines
OK, so what's the deal with the elephant in the DLP commercials? Inquiring minds want to know -- and I'll have the answer in Cross' Words on Monday. ... Good thing about Texas: Raines' finish has improved each race at the track -- 42nd, 24th and 19th.
Reed Sorenson
He's crashed-out of two races this year and finished 43rd both times, which goes a long way toward explaining that he's 452 points behind Jimmie Johnson. ... Growing pains, buddy; the good news is that all three Ganassi drivers are on the come.
OK, so he doesn't have three wins like his victory-hording teammate -- but Gordon has been the model of consistency through six races (5.2 average finish). And despite what Jeff said after Martinsville -- "I'm not going to wreck a guy to win a race" -- does anyone believe had it not been a Hendrick car that Jeff would've punted 'em into the wall? Neither does Matt Kenseth. Or Rusty Wallace. Or ...
Jimmie Johnson
He's won half the races through 1/6th of the season, but he's third in points and his average finish is 10.2. Until Gordon hiccups, JJ can do no better than runner-up.
Jeff Burton
You can't take anything away from the early season success of Burton, and yet he takes a dip in the rankings? He's not as consistent as Gordon (though very close) and he doesn't have the wins to rival Johnson.
Matt Kenseth
The worst thing you can say about Kenseth -- and yep, it's a stretch -- is that he "struggled" in the first two COT races: 10.5 average finish. (Average finish in the first four races: 8.7.) Other drivers only wish they struggled like that.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin remains the most consistent of the Gibbs drivers and he heads to Texas with three top-10 finishes in as many starts at the track.
Kyle Busch
Yeah, he does look like Pee-Wee Herman. Moving on ... the Bowtie Brigade is chewing up the competition: five wins, 24 top-five finishes and 40 top-10s in six races. And Kyle is doing his part with one win, two top-fives and four top-10s.
Clint Bowyer
Another solid performance by Bowyer at Martinsville; four top-11 finishes in the past five races. He's replaced Kevin Harvick as RCR's happy-go-lucky driver.
Tony Stewart
Not a bad finish (seventh at Martinsville) for a guy who isn't a big fan of the COT. It's scary to think how good Stewart will be once he gets comfortable.
Carl Edwards
Some idiot on the radio not named Don Imus said the other day, "Carl Edwards is the best thing going for Roush Racing." ... Not until Kenseth hangs 'em up, which is not a slight of Carl but another example of how Matt is overlooked.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
JR Motorsports -- the next megateam in NASCAR. DEI will always be Dale Earnhardt Inc.; JRM will be Junior's legacy. Will the two co-exist in harmony or be the feature match at Wrestlemania XXX: Junior's deed vs. Teresa's hair!
Jamie McMurray
Back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time since Charlotte-Dover in 2006. This bodes well for when the COT is fully implemented.
Kevin Harvick
Only two top-20 finishes in the past five races. Dude, it's time turn the tables on karma: Plead with DeLana to remove her cap during the national anthem.
Elliott Sadler
To help promote Autism Awareness Month, Sadler will be wearing a special autism helmet during the remaining races in April and it will be auctioned online to benefit the Hermie and Elliott Sadler Charitable Foundation. (Sadler's niece Halie is autistic.) ... You'll have to out-bid me, folks.
David Stremme
He finished 35th at Martinsville, by far his worst finish of the season. A bump in the road or a harbinger of things to come? I believe the glass is half full, but time will tell.
Juan Montoya
Fans of bump 'n' grind racing are going to have a field day if Montoya ever gets in position to battle for the checkered flag. He is Cole Trickle.
Kurt Busch
Texas, Phoenix and Talladega ... Busch is primed to make a run up the point standings during the next three weeks. His worst average finish at those three tracks is 13.0 at Phoenix, where he has five top-10s in eight races.
J.J. Yeley
And here's the polar opposite of Kurt Busch. ... Yeley's track record at Texas, Phoenix and Talladega is nothing to write home about; only three top-20 finishes in seven races.
Ryan Newman
I really want to root for Ryan Newman. He's a smart guy, doesn't have a lot of time for stupid questions, does a lot for the good of others (and animals).
David Ragan
Yes, the kid has a pulse! I loved the emotion he showed during the Busch race at Nashville. He'll be a spitfire once he gets comfortable at the Cup level. ... On another note, he's completed all 1,000 laps raced at Martinsville, which ain't too shabby.
Greg Biffle
Maybe the folks at Duncan will get into the sponsorship game. The way Biff's past 18 months have yo-yo'ed, it'd be a perfect match.
Bobby Labonte
Glad he got it out of the way early: BLab now has finished last in a race for three consecutive years:
April 1, 2007, at Martinsville
March 19, 2006, at Atlanta
Feb. 20, 2005, at Daytona
Robby Gordon
Did you know: Martinsville was the first race this season in which Gordon failed to finish better than he started? Still, for the year his starting average is 36.2 and his finishing average is 23.3.
Martin Truex Jr.
He's following in Ryan Newman's footsteps: good qualifying run (15.3 average start), not so good finish (26.2 average -- and 24th in the point standings).
Tony Raines
OK, so what's the deal with the elephant in the DLP commercials? Inquiring minds want to know -- and I'll have the answer in Cross' Words on Monday. ... Good thing about Texas: Raines' finish has improved each race at the track -- 42nd, 24th and 19th.
Reed Sorenson
He's crashed-out of two races this year and finished 43rd both times, which goes a long way toward explaining that he's 452 points behind Jimmie Johnson. ... Growing pains, buddy; the good news is that all three Ganassi drivers are on the come.