lee_montgomery 's avatar
Author:
Lee Montgomery
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
  • Related Photos
  • Related Videos
SPEEDtv.com Store
DVD: David Jefferies Story
The David Jefferies Story is a reminder of the much loved and much missed Yorkshireman.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
CUP: Many Top Drivers Still Outside Top 12
Written by: Lee Montgomery
SceneDaily.com   http://www.scenedaily.com
05/12/2009
Charlotte, NC
 
There are plenty of big-name drivers who aren’t in the top 12 and not in position to make the 2009 Chase For The Sprint Cup including Kevin Harvick (Left) and Clint Bowyer. (Photo: LAT Photographic) » More Photos

After 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, the drivers who are not in the top 12 of the points standings may be as big a story as who is.

There are plenty of big-name drivers who aren’t in the top 12 and not in position to make the 2009 Chase For The Sprint Cup: Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and others.

Sure, there are 15 races before the Chase starts, but there’s a good chance one or more of those drivers won’t make it – and thus have what could be considered a poor season.

Meanwhile, the drivers who are in the top 12 of the points standings are all having varying degrees of success thus far, from the resurgence of points leader Jeff Gordon to the somewhat-slow start of 12th-place Carl Edwards.

After failing to win in 2008, Gordon has already won a race and has more top-five finishes than any other driver. After Darlington, he leads Tony Stewart by 29 points.

Stewart is another good story, as his upstart Stewart-Haas Racing team has performed better than expected and has two drivers in the top 10. Teammate Ryan Newman has rebounded from a luckless start to rank eighth in the points.

Third
in the points is Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch, who like Gordon, is enjoying a resurgence. Busch also has one victory and is 55 points behind Gordon.

Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is fourth, 136 points behind Gordon, but Johnson’s prowess doesn’t usually show up until Chase time.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is fifth but is disappointed not to have a victory yet. In sixth is the leading Richard Childress Racing driver, Jeff Burton. Each week, Burton talks about how his organization needs to improve, yet Burton still is solidly in Chase contention.

JGR’s Kyle Busch remains the most talked about driver in NASCAR, with eight victories across the three national series, including three in Cup. Inconsistency, however, remains a problem.

Greg Biffle is the top Roush Fenway Racing driver, ranking ninth in points, though he has yet to win. Teammate Matt Kenseth won the first two races of the season but has only two top-10 finishes since.

Like Newman, Hendrick Motorsports’ Mark Martin got off to a slow start, but his Southern 500 win was his second victory of the season and moved him into the top 12 in points for the first time this season.


Page 1 of 2
Next Page »
1 2 >
View All Comments