Suite16 NASCAR Rankings- Indy

Suite 16 NASCAR rankings after the All-State Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis

Aug 7, 2006

Each week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.

1. (1) 48-Jimmie Johnson: 2006 Daytona 500 Champion! 2006 All-State Brickyard 400 Champion! 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion?

2. (2) 17-Matt Kenseth: For Kenseth, it has to be getting rather trite looking at Jimmie Johnson's back bumper.

3. (3) 31-Jeff Burton: Jeff Burton has three poles in 2006, one more than Ryan Newman. That could be the biggest surprise of the season.

4. (5) 29-Kevin Harvick: Kevin Harvick's post-race interview was interrupted by Jimmie Johnson's burnouts.

5. (4) 5-Kyle Busch: Surprisingly, Kyle Busch was a non-factor for most of the afternoon at Indianapolis.

6. (8) 20-Tony Stewart: Stewart will be one of the two clear-cut favorites at Watkins Glen next week.

8. (9) 11-Denny Hamlin: Every season, it seems like a new face emerges as a legit championship contender. This season, it's Denny Hamlin.

9. (11) 6-Mark Martin: Now that was the Mark Martin we are used to seeing on race weekend.

10. (10) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: Watkins Glen will be crucial for Earnhardt Jr and company.

11. (6) 9-Kasey Kahne: If Kasey Kahne misses the Chase for the Championship after winning four times, it could be considered the greatest collapse in NASCAR since the Chase was implemented.

12. (12) 2-Kurt Busch: Like every other Dodge team, Kurt and the #2 team are hit or miss.

13. (14) 99-Carl Edwards: According to Tony Stewart, Edwards is the Eddie Haskell of NASCAR.

14. (13) 16-Greg Biffle: Biffle's champion hopes took another major hit at Indianapolis.

15. (NR) 07-Clint Bowyer: After another on-track run-in with Tony Stewart, Bowyer quoted, "(Tony Stewart) put me three-wide and knocked me into Vickers or whoever it was. He still ain't learned."

16. (15) 25-Brian Vickers: I wonder if it's too late for Brian Vickers to change his mind about leaving Hendrick Motorsports to drive for Red Bull Racing.

The copyright of the article Suite16 NASCAR Rankings- Indy in Auto Racing is owned by Jeremy Dunn. Permission to republish Suite16 NASCAR Rankings- Indy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.