Each week, Suite 101 ranks the top 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers based on results and performance.
1. (3) 9-Kasey Kahne: Kasey Kahne now leads the NASCAR Nextel Cup series with four wins, with three coming from the pole position.
2. (2) 48-Jimmie Johnson: It was an off-day day for Jimmie Johnson- he finished sixth.
3. (1) 17-Matt Kenseth: Matt Kenseth rallied back after pit road contact and a spin out to finish 13th. Very Jimmie Johnson-like.
4. (6) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: The retro paint scheme that Dale Earnhardt Jr sported may have been the smoothest one yet.
5. (4) 20-Tony Stewart: Obviously, Tony Stewart's shoulder is okay if he was able to swing that hammer with such force. Maybe he was pretending that the sheet metal was Jeff Green.
6. (5) 6-Mark Martin: Mark Martin was practically nonexistent at Michigan, which was rather surprising.
7. (7) 31-Jeff Burton: Jeff Burton continues to flirt with victory lane.
8. (8) 29-Kevin Harvick: It will take a total collapse for Kevin Harvick to not win the Busch Series championship.
9. (9) 16-Greg Biffle: Greg Biffle has finally entered into the top ten in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, but he must survive Infineon and Daytona, two tracks that have historically given him problems.
10. (13) 99-Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards may have been able to give Kasey Kahne a run for his money if weather would have permitted.
11. (10) 11-Denny Hamlin: Denny Hamlin has exited Cloud 9, for now.
12. (12) 24-Jeff Gordon: Jeff Gordon's performance at Michigan was a substantial improvement from last year's.
13. (11) 5-Kyle Busch: Suddenly, Kyle Busch finds himself on the outside of the top ten looking in.
14. (15) 2-Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch could be a sleeper at Infineon this coming weekend.
15. (NR) 42-Casey Mears: Casey Mears scored his first top ten since Las Vegas back in March.
16. (16) 12-Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman has quietly posted three straight top fifteens and moved up five spots in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings. Could this be the calm before the storm?
email the author: autoracing@suite101.com
Past Suite 16 Rankings
