Each week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
1. (2) 48-Jimmie Johnson: How many times has Jimmie Johnson spun out and not hit anything this year?
2. (3) 17-Matt Kenseth: It was a very below average performance for Matt Kenseth at Infineon.
3. (1) 9-Kasey Kahne: Kasey Kahne is just glad that one of the road course races is over and done with.
4. (4) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: Dale Earnhardt Jr finished 26th, which is where he started.
5. (6) 6-Mark Martin: Despite finishing outside of the top ten for three straight weeks, Mark Martin is still a comfortable fourth place in the Nextel Cup standings.
6. (5) 20-Tony Stewart: Boris Said wants an apology from Tony Stewart. Good luck with that.
7. (7) 31-Jeff Burton: Jeff Burton continues to rack up top tens. He now has ten top tens, four more than he had all year in 2005.
8. (9) 16-Greg Biffle: Greg Biffle's performance at Infineon further confirmed that he is a championship contender.
9. (8) 29-Kevin Harvick: It wasn't the best of weekend's for Kevin Harvick.
10. (12) 24-Jeff Gordon: Jeff Gordon's weekend- First win of 2006, ninth road course win, 74th career win, 2nd engagement.
11. (10) 99-Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards scored a solid sixth place finish at Infineon- a career best at a road course.
12. (11) 11-Denny Hamlin: After starting 40th on the grid, Denny Hamlin arguably may have passed the most cars at Infineon.
13. (13) 5-Kyle Busch: After slamming the wall, an eleventh place finish was not a bad thing for Kyle Busch.
14. (14) 2-Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch looked as if he may be the guy to beat early on in the Dodge Save Mart 350, but he faded to a fourth place finish, which isn't substandard by any means.
15. (16) 12-Ryan Newman: Despite an unpleasant cramp, Ryan Newman held his own against road racing's best.
16. (NR) 96-Terry Labonte: Yeah, I know Terry Labonte is not a NASCAR regular, but his third place finish was inspiring enough to land him a spot in the Suite 16.
email the author: autoracing@suite101.com
Past Suite 16 Rankings
