Suite 16 NASCAR Rankings-Kansas

Suite 16 NASCAR Nextel Cup rankings after Banquet 400 at Kansas

Oct 2, 2006 Jeremy Dunn

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

  1. (5) 31-Jeff Burton: It’s going to be tough for any driver in the Chase for the Championship to overcome Jeff Burton’s consistency.
  2. (1) 17-Matt Kenseth: That was far and away Matt Kenseth’s worst performance of 2006. Did they run a Robert Yates Racing chassis?
  3. (4) 11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was a total non-factor all weekend at Kansas.
  4. (3) 29-Kevin Harvick: At least Harvick won the Busch Series race at Kansas.
  5. (2) 24-Jeff Gordon: While the Hendrick Motorsports group was holding their top-secret conference, the debarred Brian Vickers was tampering with Jeff Gordon’s fuel pump.
  6. (6) 48-Jimmie Johnson: Two costly blunders prevented Jimmie Johnson from finishing in the top ten.
  7. (8) 6-Mark Martin: A sure bet would be that Mark Martin will mention his loathing of restrictor plate racing at least once next weekend at Talladega.
  8. (7) 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr: Three races into the Chase for the Championship and a 10th place finish is his highest. That’s just not going to get it done.
  9. (10) 5-Kyle Busch: Finally, Kyle Busch was able to finish the race in one piece.
  10. (11) 20-Tony Stewart: Wasn’t Tony Stewart one of the drivers who was heavily critical of Ryan Newman’s excessive fuel mileage wins back in 2003.
  11. (9) 9-Kasey Kahne: Kasey Kahne is picking up where Jeremy Mayfield left off at the bottom of the heap.
  12. (13) 99-Carl Edwards: Two consecutive top tens for Carl Edwards. Is the 99 team starting to turn the corner?
  13. (12) 16-Greg Biffle: It could be worse for Greg Biffle- he could be performing like Jamie McMurray.
  14. (15) 07-Clint Bowyer: The 07 team has gradually improved as the season has progressed. Bowyer will be the next first-time winner on the Nextel Cup circuit.
  15. (14) 2-Kurt Busch: Another intermediate race in the books, and another head scratching week for the Penske Racing boys.
16. (NR) 42-Casey Mears: Casey Mears scored his first top five since the Daytona 500.

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