Top 5 Drivers

FED EX 400 BENEFITTING AUTISM SPEAKS from DOVER

 

The #5 pick has horrible stats here in the first state, #15 Clint Bowyer. Clint comes into the Monster Mile with 14 starts, no wins and one Top 5. So why pick him? Because Clint’s single Top 5 finish came in his last race here and in fact, all of his last four races were all Top 10’s. And Clint is #5 hottest over the last six weeks.

 

My #4 pick just won last week in Charlotte and he too has horrible Dover stats,  #29 Kevin Harvick. Kevin has 24 starts, no wins and three Top 5’s. Again not the best stats but he did finish 2^nd here last year and four of his last six starts were Top 10’s.

 

The #3 pick is the best driver on tracks like this, #20 Matt Kenseth. Matt now drives for Joe Gibbs Racing who has only had two wins here in the last ten years. It will be interesting to see how Matt does here where he has had 28 starts, two wins and 13 Top 5’s – almost half, and more importantly, eight of his last ten races were Top 5’s, helping to give him the #3 best average finish.

 

My #2 driver to watch has the #2 best average finish at the Monster Mile, #99 Carl Edwards. He has 17 starts, one win and eight Top 5’s. Carl is having a great season – he is #2 in points and #2 hottest over the last six weeks.

 

My #1 driver is the winning-est current driver here, #48 Jimmie Johnson. Here at Dover Jimmie has seven wins in just 22 starts and 11 Top 5’s. He has won four of his last eight races here helping him to the #1 best average finish.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday look for our preview of the Party in the Poconos 400 from Pocano Raceway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP 30 DRIVERS

FEDEX AUTISM SPEAKS 400:DOVER

 

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

2. CARL EDWARDS #99

3. MATT KENSETH #20

4. KEVIN HARVICK #29

5. CLINT BOWYER #15

6. KYLE BUSCH #18

7. DENNY HAMLIN #11

8. JEFF GORDON #24

9. MARTIN TRUEX #56

10. ARIC ALMIROLA #43

11. JEFF BURTON #31

12. KURT BUSCH #51

13. MARK MARTIN #55

14. KASEY KAHNE #5

15. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2

16. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88

17. GREG BIFFLE #16

18. PAUL MENARD #27

19. JOEY LOGANO #22

20. RYAN NEWMAN #39

21. MARCOS AMBROSE #9

22. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1

23. TONY STEWART #14

24. RICKY STENHOUSE #17

25. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA #42

26. DAVID REUTIMANN #83

27. BOBBY LABONTE #47

28. DAVID RAGAN #34

29. DANICA PATRICK #10

30. DAVID GILLILAND #38

 

 

Here’s our Top 30 for Sunday’s race. Friday we’ll break down the Top 5 drivers.

TOP 10 TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST CHARLOTTE

1. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

2. JOE GIBBS RACING

3. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING

4. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING

5. ROUSH/FENWAY RACING

6. EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING

7. FURNITURE ROW RACING

8. PENSKE RACING

9. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

10. STEWART HAAS RACING

For the 11th week in a row Hendrick Motorsports stay at #1. Joe Gibbs Racing with Denny Hamlin back for two races go to #2 from #5. Richard Childress Racing also gain three spots at #3. Michael Waltrip Racing lose two spots at place at #4. Roush/Fenway Racing drop two spots to #5. Earnhardt/Ganassi Racing move up two places to #6. A strong 3^rd place finish from Kurt Busch help Furniture Row Racing move up two places to #7. Penske Racing have a rough few weeks and drop four spots to #8. Richard Petty Motorsports slip back two places to #9. move up a place to the #2 spot. slip to #3. Stewart/Haas Racing remain at #10.

These are the Top 10 Teams, Thursday look for our Top 30 drivers in advance of Sunday’s Autism Speaks 400.

TOP 10 DRIVERS by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: INTERMEDIATE TRACKS

1. MATT KENSETH #20

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

3. CARL EDWARDS #99

4. KEVIN HARVICK #29

5. DENNY HAMLIN #11

6. GREG BIFFLE #16

7. KYLE BUSCH #18

8. CLINT BOWYER #15

9. TONY STEWART #14

10. MARTIN TRUEX #56

Top 10 drivers on Intermediate tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 teams ranked and Thursday look for our Top 30 driver rankings for Sunday’s Fed EX Autism Speaks 400 from Dover Int. Speedway.

RACE PREVIEW

FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks 

DOVER INT SPEEDWAY

JUNE 2nd, 1PM ET on FOX TV

1 Mile, 24 Degrees of Banking

We are done with two weeks of racing in Charlotte, and it is time we visit the concrete jungle in Dover AKA the Monster Mile. I love this track! The banking is high and the site lines are amazing. Just about wherever you sit you have a great view of the track. In the last ten years three teams have dominated here, Hendrick Motorsports has five wins, all by Jimmie Johnson, Penske Racing also has five, with the most recent last fall by Brad Keselowski and lastly Roush/Fenway Racing have six with the most recent from Matt Kenseth in this race in 2011. Matt has moved on to Joe Gibbs Racing where they have only found victory lane twice in the last ten years, both times with Kyle Busch. Will Matt bring JGR their first win at Dover since 2010? Will Hendrick Motorsports or Penske Racing tie Roush/Fenway Racingfor most wins in the last ten years? We’ll find out Sunday.

 

Tuesday look for our Top 10 teams and Thursday look for our Top 30 driver rankings for Dover.

TOP 30 DRIVERS

COCA-COLA 600:CHARLOTTE

 

1. MATT KENSETH #20

2. KASEY KAHNE #5

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

4. KYLE BUSCH #18

5. CLINT BOWYER #15

6. DENNY HAMLIN #11

7. KEVIN HARVICK #29

8. CARL EDWARDS #99

9. GREG BIFFLE #16

10. JEFF GORDON #24

11. ARIC ALMIROLA #43

12. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88

13. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2

14. JOEY LOGANO #22

15. KURT BUSCH #78

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1

17. TONY STEWART #14

18. PAUL MENARD #27

19. RYAN NEWMAN #39

20. MARK MARTIN #55

21. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA #42

22. MARCOS AMBROSE #9

23. JEFF BURTON #31

24. REGAN SMITH #51

25. DAVID RAGAN #34

26. DAVID REUTIMANN

27. RICKY STENHOUSE #17

28. CASEY MEARS #13

29. BOBBY LABONTE #47

30. DAVID GILLILAND #38

 

 

These are our Top 30 drivers for Sunday’s Coca-Cola (World) 600. Friday we’ll break down the Top 5.

TOP 10 TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST ALL STAR RACE

1. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

2. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING

3. ROUSH/FENWAY RACING

4. PENSKE RACING

5. JOE GIBBS RACING

 

6. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING

7. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

8. EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING

9. FURNITURE ROW RACING

10. STEWART HAAS RACING

For the teinth week in a row Hendrick Motorsports stay at #1. Our top four remain the same this week. Joe Gibbs Racing rebound from a bad day two weeks ago and move up two places to #5.  Richard Childress Racing slip a place to #6 and Richard Petty Motorsports go down a place to #7. Earnhardt/Ganassi Racing, Furniture Row Racing and Stewart Haas Racing all remain in place this week.

 

These are the Top 10 Teams, Thursday look for the Top 30 drivers in the Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

TOP 10 DRIVERS by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10 DRIVERS: INTERMEDIATE TRACKS

1. MATT KENSETH #20

2. CARL EDWARDS #99

3. KEVIN HARVICK #29

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

5. DENNY HAMLIN #11

6. KYLE BUSCH #18

7. GREG BIFFLE #16

8. JEFF GORDON #24

9. CLINT BOWYER #15

10. KURT BUSCH #78

Top 10 on Intermediate tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 team rankings for Sunday’s Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

RACE PREVIEW

 

COCA COLA (WORLD) 600

CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

MAY 26th, 7PM ET on FOX TV

1.5 Miles, 24 Degrees of Banking

 

This is NASCAR’s longest night at 400 laps and 600 miles. This race is always very interesting not only because of its long 600 mile length – the longest of all the races – but also because it starts in the late afternoon and ends in the cooler night time. This is a definite challenge for the crew chiefs because the track conditions are constantly changing. Drivers and crew chiefs had a chance to experience how this track feels during the All Star Race. #48 Jimmie Johnson has raced here 23 times, in points races, winning six of those times and finishing in the Top 5 just under half of the time! His owner Hendrick Motorsports has won nine points races in the last ten years at this track. Three years ago Kurt Busch won the All Star Race and came back to win the 600, #48 Jimmie Johnson won the All Star R

ace Saturday and you know he hopes to come back be a winner again this Saturday night. Can he? We’ll find out on Sunday. 

 

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway.

ALL STAR DRIVERS TO WATCH

SPRINT SHOWDOWN

It is always tough to predict this night of racing but I will try. I think the two drivers with the best shot to advance from the Sprint Showdown and into the Sprint All-Star Race are veteran #1 Jamie McMurray and second year full time driver #43 Aric Almirola. Jamie starts the night with 21 points’ starts here and two wins and five Top 5’s, so we know he can get the job done at this track. Aric has surprised many by sitting at ninth in points and is in line to make the “Chase for the Sprint Cup.” Aric has only two starts here with an average finish of 14. More importantly he is #5 hottest over the last six weeks. One other driver will make it into the All-Star Race – the driver voted in by the fans. This will probably go to #10 Danica Patrick, this year the fan vote driver doesn’t have to be on the lead lap but the car must be “raceable condition.”

 

SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE

In the Sprint All-Star race I’m looking at three drivers. My first is the hottest driver over the last six weeks, #48 Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie has six points’ wins here in the Queen City and three All-Star wins. His team Hendrick Motorsports has eight All-Star wins in the 28 that have been run. They also have won nine of the last 20 points’ races here. Hendrick has the most wins of any owner at eight. In the last ten years Hendrick Motorsports has three wins tying with Roush/Fenway Racing who also have three wins. My next driver is on that team, #99 Carl Edwards. Carl has no points’ wins at Charlotte but he did win the All-Star in 2011. He is third hottest over the last six weeks and also third best on tracks like Charlotte. My third and last driver to watch drives for a team that incredibly has never won an All-Star race, Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs Racing has three Cup Championships and not one All-Star win. That could easily change this year with three drivers all in position to get a win, #11 Denny Hamlin, #18 Kyle Busch and #20 Matt Kenseth. Of those three my money is on Matt Kenseth. Matt is the best driver on intermediate tracks like Charlotte and second hottest over the last six weeks. Will it be one of these three or one of the other nineteen starters? We’ll find out under the lights Saturday night.

 

Monday look for our preview of the Coca Cola (World) 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway.