TOP 30 DRIVERS

Top 30 DRIVERS:GEICO 500 from TALLADEGA

1. MATT KENSETH #20
2. CLINT BOWYER #15
3. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
4. KEVIN HARVICK #4
5. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
6. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88
7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. #78
8. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
9. GREG BIFFLE #16
10. DAVID RAGAN #18
11. RYAN NEWMAN #31
12. KASEY KAHNE #5
13. JEFF GORDON #24
14. JOEY LOGANO #22
15. ARIC ALMIROLA #43
16. AUSTIN DILLION #3
17. DENNY HAMLIN #11
18. KYLE LARSON #42
19. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1
20. PAUL MENARD #27
21. KURT BUSCH #41
22. A.J. ALLMENDINGER #47
23. CASEY MEARS #13
24. DAVID GILLILAND #38
25. CARL EDWARDS #19
26. DANICA PATRICK #10
27. MICHAEL WALTRIP #55
28. CHRIS BUESCHER #34
29. LANDON CASSILL #40
30. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers for the Geico 500 from Talladega.

TOP TEN TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST RICHMOND

1. TEAM PENSKE
2. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
3. FURNITURE ROW RACING
4. STEWART HAAS RACING
5. CHIP GANASSI RACING

6. JOE GIBBS RACING
7. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
8. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS
9. JTG RACING
10. ROUSH FENWAY RACING

Once again we find Team Penske at #1. That keeps Hendrick Motorsports Furniture Row Racing moves up #4 to #3. For the seventh week in a row Hendrick Motorsports stay at #1. Stewart Haas Racing drops two places to #4 even coming off a big win. Chip Ganassi Racing return to the Top 5 at #5. Joe Gibbs Racing take the CGR spot at #6 from #5. Richard Childress Racing remain at #7. Richard Petty Motorsports also stay static at #8. JTG Racing return to the Top 10 at #9. Roush Fenway Racing hold down the #10 spot again this week.

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

TOP TEN DRIVERS by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACKS

1. DALE EARNHARDT JR. #88
2. CLINT BOWYER #15
3. GREG BIFFLE #16
4. BRAD KESELOWSI #2
5. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
6. CASEY MEARS #13
7. MATT KENSETH #20
8. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
9. RYAN NEWMAN #31
10. DENNY HAMLIN #11

Top 10 on Restrictor Plate tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 team rankings for Sunday’s GEICO 500 from Talladega Super Speedway.

RACE PREVIEW

GEICO 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
MAY 3rd, 1 PM CHARLOTTE TIME FOX TV
2.66 MILES, 33 Degrees of Banking

This is race ten 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 11 of the last 20 races here. Hendrick Motorsports has six 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 Geico 500 from Talladega.

TOP 30 DRIVERS

TOYOTA OWNERS 400 from RICHMOND INT RACEWAY

1. JEFF GORDON #24
2. KEVIN HARVICK #4
3. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88
4. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
5. MATT KENSETH #20
6. RYAN NEWMAN #31
7. JOEY LOGANO #22
8. CARL EDWARDS #19
9. KASEY KAHNE #5
10. JAMIE McMURRAY #1
11. KURT BUSCH #41
12. CLINT BOWYER #15
13. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
14. MARTIN TRUEX #78
15. PAUL MENARD #27
16. KYLE LARSON #42
17. DENNY HAMLIN #11
18. DAVID RAGAN #18
19. TONY STEWART #14
20. ARIC ALMIROLA #43
21. GREG BIFFLE #16
22. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47
23. AUSTIN DILLION #3
24. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
25. DANICA PATRICK #10
26. CASEY MEARS #13
27. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51
28. SAM HORNISH #9
29. TREVOR BAYNE #6
30. DAVID GILLILAND #38

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers to watch.

TOP TEN TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST BRISTOL

1. TEAM PENSKE
2. STEWART HAAS RACING
3. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
4. FURNITURE ROW RACING
5. JOE GIBBS RACING

6. CHIP GANASSI RACING
7. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
8. RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS
9. GERMAIN RACING
10. ROUSH FENWAY RACING

Team Penske remains at #1 even after a tough day in Bristol. Stewart Haas Racing take the #2 spot. Hendrick Motorsports slip to #3. Furniture Row Racing move up a place to #4. Joe Gibbs Racing round out the Top 5. Chip Ganassi Racing stay at #6. Richard Childress Racing go up a spot to #7. Richard Petty Motorsports moves up two spots to #8. Germain Racing slip back two places to #9. Roush Fenway Racing return to the Top 10 at #10.

 

Thursday look for out Top 30 drivers at Taladega Super Speedway.

TOP TEN DRIVERS by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: SHORT TRACK

1. JEFF GORDON #24
2. MATT KENSETH #20
3. CLINT BOWYER #15
4. JOEY LOGANO #22
5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. #88
6. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
7. CARL EDWARDS #99
8. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
9. KEVIN HARVICK #4
10. GREG BIFFLE #16

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 25th, 7:00PM 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. Joe Gibbs Racing has most wins in the last ten years of any team; six. Richard Childress Racing is next with four and then Hendrick Motorsports with three wins in the last ten years. But last year the two drivers from Team Penske Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano swept the track getting both wins. Will the Team Penske sweep continue? We’ll know Saturday night under the lights.

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on short tracks.

TOP 5 DRIVERS:BRISTOL

FOOD CITY 500 from BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

The #5 driver to watch is tied with Jeff Gordon for most wins here with five, #41 Kurt Busch. Kurt has 28 starts, five wins, and eight Top 5’s. Kurt was 5th in his last race here. His team, Stewart Has Racing has been riding high with Kevin Harvick, it is Kurt’s turn in the limelight this week.

My #4 driver is coming off a big win in Texas, his second win of the year, #48 Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie has 24 starts with just one win and eight Top 5 finishes. His short track program was off at Martinsville, look for them to right things in Thunder Valley.

My #3 driver is the most consistent driver here, #20 Matt Kenseth. Matt has great stats here – 20 starts, three wins and 12 Top 5’s. He is the only driver in this group who has Top 5 finishes in over 50% of starts. His team, Joe Gibbs Racing, has won six of the last 12 races here.

The number #2 driver to watch has won two races here, #2 Brad Keselowski. Brad has those two wins in just ten starts! Brad is #2 hottest over the last six races and finished second last August to…

The #1 pick who won here last year in the summer night race, #22 Joey Logano.  Joey has 12 starts, one win, and two Top 5’s. He is a Top 5 ranked short track driver and #3 hottest over the last six weeks.

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

TOP 30 DRIVERS:BRISTOL

TOP 30 POWER RANKINGS

FOOD CITY 500-BRISTOL

1. JOEY LOGANO #22
2. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
3. MATT KENSETH #20
4. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
5. KURT BUSCH #41
6. KASEY KAHNE #5
7. JEFF GORDON #24
8. PAUL MENARD #27
9. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88
10. CLINT BOWYER #15
11. GREG BIFFLE #16
12. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1
13. KEVIN HARVICK #4
14. MARTIN TRUEX #78
15. DAVID RAGAN #18
16. KYLE LARSON #42
17. RYAN NEWMAN #31
18. DENNY HAMLIN #11
19. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
20. CARL EDWARDS #99
21. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47
22. TONY STEWART #14
23. AUSTIN DILLION #3
24. ARIC ALMIROLA #43
25. CASEY MEARS #13
26. DANICA PATRICK #10
27. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51
28. DAVID GILLILAND #38
29. TREVOR BAYNE #6
30. LANDON CASSILL #40

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers to watch.