TOP TEN TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST RICHMOND

1. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

2. JOE GIBBS RACING

3. TEAM PENSKE

4. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING

5. ROUSH/FENWAY RACING

 

6. CHIP GANASSI RACING

7. JTG/DAUGHERTY RACING

8. STEWART HAAS RACING

9. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

10. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING

 

For the seventh week in a row Hendrick Motorsports stay at #1. Our top ten remain the same this week. Pretty unbelievable to see no change but Richmond had a pretty predictable finish. We can’t expect next week in Talladega.

 

These are the Top 10 Teams, Thursday look for our Top 30 drivers at Talladega Superspeedway.

TOP TEN by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACKS

1. DALE EARNHARDT JR. #88

2. GREG BIFFLE #16

3. RICKY STENHOUSE #17

4. MATT KENSETH #20

5. BRAD KESELOWSI #2

6. CLINT BOWYER #15

7. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

8. JEFF GORDON #24

9. KEVIN HARVICK #4

10. PAUL MENARD #27

Top 10 on Restrictor Plate tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 team rankings for Sunday’s AARON’S 499 from Talladega Super Speedway.  

RACE PREVIEW

AARON’S 499
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
MAY 3rd, 1 PM CHARLOTTE TIME FOX TV
2.66 MILES, 33 Degrees of Banking

This is race #10 and the 2^nd restrictor plate race of the year. A restrictor plate regulates how much air gets into an engine and therefore restricts or limits how fast it can go. They are only used at two tracks: here at Talladega and at Daytona. Drivers fear these races as they force them to run very close together because the speeds are limited. This is the biggest oval track on the circuit and that often times leads to the biggest wrecks at any track. Drivers (and fans) are all waiting for “the big one” – a wreck that can sometimes take anywhere from one car to half of the field out. When the cars get bunched up like they do here it only takes one car getting loose to start a huge chain reaction pile up. We are only nine races into the season and no one wants to get caught up in someone else’s mistake or misfortune. Many times drivers who know each other will move thru traffic on the track together nose to tail – “drafting” – and with the season just beginning, it will be interesting to see if old alliances stay intact or if new ones are formed due to team loyalties or drivers wanting to hook up with others they think can take them farther. Chevrolet has won 13 of the last 20 races here. Hendrick Motorsports has seven of those wins and Richard Childress Racing has three of them. Who will win this year? We’ll know on Sunday.

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on plate tracks in advance of the Aaron’s 499 from Talladega.

TOP 5 DRIVERS

TOYOTA OWNERS 400 from RICHMOND

My #5 driver is a three-time former-winner here, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. has 29 starts, three wins and nine Top 5’s. Even though his last win was in the spring of 2006 Jr. is a top 5 short track racer. He is off to good start this year as he sits 4^th in points.

The #4 driver to watch is #1 points, but has yet to win a race this season, #24 Jeff Gordon. Jeff comes in here where he is a two-time past winner with 42 starts, two wins and 16 Top 5’s. Jeff may miss the mark on a win but should come up with yet another Top 5. Jeff is my #1 rated all-around short track driver.

My #3 driver to watch got his first win in the Commonwealth in the spring race of 2009, #18 Kyle Busch. Kyle went on to win four straight spring races. Kyle has 18 starts and 12 of those were Top 5 finishes! Kyle is #4 hottest over the last six races.

The #2 driver has not exactly dominated here, #20 Matt Kenseth. Matt did get a win here in September of 2002, but hasn’t been great in Richmond – he only has four Top 5’s in 28 starts. But his team Joe Gibbs Racing has dominated Richmond. Gibbs’ has won six of the last ten races here.

My #1 driver to watch is the most recent winner here, #99 Carl Edwards. Carl has 19 starts, one win, and four Top 5’s. Carl won here in September of last year and is #3 hottest over the last six weeks.

Monday we’ll preview the Aaron’s 499 from Talladega.

 

TOP 30 DRIVERS

TOYOTA OWNERS 400 from RICHMOND INT RACEWAY

 

1. CARL EDWARDS #99

2. MATT KENSETH #20

3. KYLE BUSCH #18

4. JEFF GORDON #24

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88

6. TONY STEWART #14

7. CLINT BOWYER #15

8. DENNY HAMLIN #11

9. RYAN NEWMAN #31

10. KEVIN HARVICK #29

11. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

12. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47

13. GREG BIFFLE #16

14. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2

15. AUSTIN DILLION #3

16. KYLE LARSON #42

17. KASEY KAHNE #5

18. JAMIE McMURRAY #1

19. JOEY LOGANO #22

20. RICKY STENHOUSE #17

21. KURT BUSCH #41

22. PAUL MENARD #27

23. BRIAN VICKERS #55

24. ARIC ALMIROLA #43

25. MARCOS AMBROSE #9

26. MARTIN TRUEX #78

27. DAVID RAGAN #34

28. CASEY MEARS #13

29. DANICA PATRICK #10

30. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers to watch.

TOP 10 TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST DARLINGTON

1. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

2. JOE GIBBS RACING

3. TEAM PENSKE

4. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING

5. ROUSH/FENWAY RACING

6. CHIP GANASSI RACING

7. JTG/DAUGHERTY RACING

8. STEWART HAAS RACING

9. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

10. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING

For the sixth week in a row Hendrick Motorsports stay at #1. Our top six remain the same this week. JTG/Daughtery Racing move up a spot to #7. Stewart Haas Racing also move a sot to #8. Richard Petty Motorsports go down two spots to #9. Michael Waltrip Racing stay #10 and remain in the Top10.

 

These are the Top 10 Teams, Thursday look for our Top 30 drivers at Talladega Superspeedway.

 

TOP 10 by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: SHORT TRACK

1. JEFF GORDON #24

2. CLINT BOWYER #15

3. MATT KENSETH #20

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. #88

6. KYLE BUSCH #18

7. CARL EDWARDS #99

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2

9. DENNY HAMLIN #11

10. KEVIN HARVICK #4

Top 10 on Short tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 team rankings for Saturday’s Toyota Owner’s 400 from Richmond International Raceway.

RACE PREVIEW

TOYOTA OWNERS 400

RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

APRIL 26, 7:30PM CHARLOTTE TIME FOX TV

¾ MILE 14 DEGREES of BANKING

The last race of the spring short track season promises the one constant of all short tracks:  short tempers. Success here will depend on how well you qualify and whether or not you can stay up front and hopefully out of the sheet metal bumping and bending that you usually find in the back and middle of the pack. Kyle Busch had a now broken streak where he won this spring race four years in a row. Kyle and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin have won six total races here in the last ten races. That gives Joe Gibbs Racing the most wins in the last ten years of any owner; six. The next are Richard Childress Racing with four and Hendrick Motorsports with three wins in the last ten years. Will the Joe Gibbs Racing domination continue? We’ll know Saturday night under the lights.

 

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on short tracks.

TOP FIVE DRIVERS

BOJANGLES SOUTHERN 500 from DARLINGTON

My #5 driver was the winner here two years ago, #48 Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie has 15 starts, three wins and eight Top 5 finishes at “the Track Too Tough to Tame.” And it does not hurt that his team Hendrick Motorsports has won six of the last 12 races here.

My #4 driver to watch is the winning-est current driver here “South of the Border,” #24 Jeff Gordon. Jeff has seven wins in 31 starts with 19 Top 5’s. He is #2 hottest over the last six weeks. Like Jimmie, he is confident with the Hendrick Motorsports record here.

The number #3 driver to watch has been very consistent, #11 Denny Hamlin. Denny has eight starts here, two wins and four Top 5’s. But Denny is also 19^th hottest over the last six weeks and needs to turn things around. Nowhere would be better than Darlington where he has finished in the Top five four of eight tries and won a quarter of his races. He also has #1 average finish.

My #2 pick is the hottest driver over the last six weeks, #99 Carl Edwards. Carl has ten starts here and three Top 5’s. He sits #3 in points and after finishing 7^th the last two years is looking to bust that slump.

The #1 driver only has two Top 5’s here, #18 Kyle Busch. But one of his Top 5’s was a win here in 2008. A win and another Top 5 in nine starts isn’t the best, but Kyle has been hot and that hot streak should continue when he meets the “Lady in Black”. Kyle hopes to be the first driver with a repeat win and there is no better place than one where half of the wins in the last six years have been from his team – Joe Gibbs Racing.

Monday look for our preview of the Toyota Owners 400 from Richmond.

TOP 30 DRIVERS

BOJANGLES SOUTHERN 500 from DARLINGTON

 

1. KYLE BUSCH #18

2. CARL EDWARDS #99

3. DENNY HAMLIN #11

4. JEFF GORDON #24

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48

6. MATT KENSETH #20

7. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88

8. RYAN NEWMAN #31

9. KASEY KAHNE #5

10. TONY STEWART #14

11. GREG BIFFLE #16

12. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2

13. KEVIN HARVICK #4

14. BRIAN VICKERS #55

15. MARTIN TRUEX #78

16. JOEY LOGANO #22

17. PAUL MENARD #27

18. CLINT BOWYER #15

19. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1

20. KYLE LARSON #42

21. KURT BUSCH #41

22. MARCOS AMBROSE #9

23. ARIC ALMIROLA #43

24. AUSTIN DILLION #3

25. RICKEY STENHOUSE #17

26. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47

27. CASEY MEARS #13

28. DANICA PATRICK #10

29. DAVID RAGAN #34

30. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51

 

 

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers to watch.