Each week Suite 16 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on their results and performance.
1. (3) 48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson continues to put himself in position to win races, no matter who his crew chief is.
2. (1) 17-Matt Kenseth: Lack of drafting help impaired Kenseth's late race charge.
3. (4) 20-Tony Stewart: Stewart isn't too pleased with Jeff Gordon after Gordon laid back on that final restart.
4. (2) 9-Kasey Kahne: A bad day only got worse for Kahne. After being caught up in the lap-8 melee, a minor injury forced him to sit out while Hermie Sader finished the race in the #9 car.
5. (5) 29-Kevin Harvick: Expect an announcement soon as Harvick and Richard Childress close in on a new contract agreement.
6. (7) 24-Jeff Gordon: After dominating the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, Gordon was shuffled back to 15th position, while his teammate won the race.
7. (6) 6-Mark Martin: Maybe Martin needs to hire 'Fernando' to race the two remaining restrictor plate races.
8. (10) 31-Jeff Burton: Burton is on the threshold of breaking that four-year plus winless drought.
9. (8) 5-Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch was involved in the big wreck, but this time it wasn't his fault.
10. (9) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: I would like some more light shed on the Earnhardt Jr vs Carl Edwards deal.
11. (13) 99-Carl Edwards: Cut, copy, paste comment #10.
12. (14) 88-Dale Jarrett: Jarrett is applying the Jeremy Mayfield approach to qualify for the Chase For The Championship.
13. (11) 42-Casey Mears: Mears and the #42 team have hit a brick wall in the momentum department.
14. (NR) 25-Brian Vickers: Some guys at Hendrick Motorsports just don't get the breaks that others do.
15. (NR) 26-Jamie McMurray: McMurray and the #26 team's restrictor plate program isn't lacking.
16. (NR) 2-Kurt Busch: Busch and the # 2 team scored a much-needed top ten at Talladega.
email the author: autoracing@suite101.com
Past Suite 16 Rankings
