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TALLADEGA

  • Who's Up

Biggest Gain this week:

Bobby Labonte: 23rd to 19th

New This Week :
Reed Sorenson

  • Who's Down

Biggest Drop this week:

David Stremme: 14th to 22nd

Dropped Out :
J.J. Yeley

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 2
    CHANGE : +1

  • 1

  • Jeff Gordon

    While discussing the volatility of Tony Stewart, he gave a glimpse into what it's like to be Jeff Gordon: "I just hide my emotions a lot more. When I'm frustrated, when I'm upset, I try to contain that or keep that for myself privately or keep it with the people I'm close to." He's not as cold as some may believe; he has a firm grip on reality. And the points lead.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 1
    CHANGE : -1

  • 2

  • Jeff Burton

    Burton crossed the stripe 13th at Phoenix, only the second time this year he's failed to finish in the top 10. His consistency remains the team's hallmark and a big reason he'll make some noise during the race to the Chase. And it doesn't hurt that he's driving a Chevy.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 3
    CHANGE : 0

  • 3

  • Matt Kenseth

    Betcha didn't know this: Since 2006, Matt has the Cup Series' highest average finish -- 9.4. Yeah, most folks think it would be Jimmie Johnson or another Chevy driver. If I hear another boob tube talking head say, "Where'd he come from?" again, it'll be too soon. Why should Kenseth running up front late in a race be a surprise?

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 4
    CHANGE : 0

  • 4

  • Jimmie Johnson

    Johnson does have the second-highest average finish since 2006 -- 10.2, which is bouyed by a series-best eight wins. It's a story when he's not among the front-runners; he has a top-10 finish in 60 percent of his 191 starts.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 5
    CHANGE : 0

  • 5

  • Denny Hamlin

    Hamlin was not happy with being the featured "entertainment" at Phoenix; he was chapped about the speeding peanlty that put the No. 11 team in a hole. In the end, another top-five finish -- his third show-place run of the year -- but he lost 20 points to the leader ... and gained 34 on sixth place.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 7
    CHANGE : +1

  • 6

  • Tony Stewart

    He was mum post-race Phoenix, but opened up on his Sirius show: "I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too.' I can't understand how long the fans are going to let NASCAR treat them like they're stupid before the fans finally turn on NASCAR."

    Paging Tony Stewart. Mr. Stewart to the Big Yellow Phone Booth, please ...

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 8
    CHANGE : +1

  • 7

  • Carl Edwards

    Nineteen drivers already have more than $1 million in winnings this season. Can you believe that Carl isn't one of them? He's 24th on the list ($889,358).

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 9
    CHANGE : +1

  • 8

  • Kyle Busch

    Yeah, he hates the COT -- and you can see it in his finishes: first at Bristol, fourth at Martinsville, seven at Phoenix. If he keeps pace by the time we get to Martinsville in the fall he'll finish 43rd. ... Never gonna happen; he's too good.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 6
    CHANGE : -3

  • 9

  • Clint Bowyer

    Clint has been lurking around the top 10 all season. He doesn't get a lot of on-screen time. He doesn't do a lot of TV interviews. He just doesn't do a lot of anything -- except keep the fenders on and chalk up good finishes. ... And now he goes to Talladega, where he's crashed-out in both starts.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 11
    CHANGE : +1

  • 10

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Dude, go ahead and reach into your front-left pocket and dole out $55M for your share of DEI. At that point, the news cycle rolls from "Teresa, Junior continue to argue over ownership" to the much more manageable "Can you believe Junebug carries around that much cash?!" ... It's yours for the taking -- just like a spot in the Chase, so rid yourself of the minutiae.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 12
    CHANGE : +1

  • 11

  • Mark Martin

    How does skipping Talladega -- and not getting even 43rd-place points (all 34 of 'em) -- play into Mark's hands? Martin is 10th in points; with any luck he'll still be top-15 at the end of the day and well within shouting distance of keeping pace with the Chase contenders. That's a win-win proposition: another week off and still in the race.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 10
    CHANGE : -2

  • 12

  • Jamie McMurray

    At first glance his 23rd-place finish at Phoenix sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to his previous five starts. But it wasn't all Mac's fault; he woulda, coulda, shoulda had a much better showing. That said, the team has to continue to learn from mistakes and make the most of its opportunities.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 13
    CHANGE : 0

  • 13

  • Kurt Busch

    Another of the woulda, coulda, shoulda drivers. The blue deuce crew must feel like it's stuck in that Hawaiian episode of The Brady Bunch. Someone return that tiki; this team's run of bad luck is enough to make Kurt consider retro ear surgery in an attempt to reverse the curse.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 15
    CHANGE : +1

  • 14

  • Kevin Harvick

    Happy finished 10th at Phoenix, only his second top-10 since winning the season opener at Daytona. Time now for the second plate race, which again should net another front-of-the-pack run for Harvick.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 17
    CHANGE : +2

  • 15

  • Greg Biffle

    No one was happier to see tax season end than The Biff. In three races with Jackson Hewitt as the primary sponsor, he averaged a 26.0 finish. In five other races this season, Biffle sports a 15.8 average finish. I hope he gets a refund ...

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 19
    CHANGE : +3

  • 16

  • Martin Truex Jr.

    Here's where the rankings begin to play the numbers game. Most of the drivers have had comparable seasons, so it's tough to pinpoint why Truex makes a six-spot jump while Juan Montoya drops a notch. A top-20 finish at Phoenix (compared to JPM's 33rd-place run) is the difference-maker in Truex Jr.'s favor.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 16
    CHANGE : -1

  • 17

  • Juan Montoya

    When Juan retires, his farewell tour will be the "One-finger Salute to You." ... La luz roja significa que la camara fotografica esta encendido. (The red light means the camera is on.)

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 18
    CHANGE : 0

  • 18

  • Elliott Sadler

    Evernham has two top-10 finishes this year -- Sadler was sixth at Daytona and Kasey Kahne was seventh. That's zero top-10s in the past 14 starts. ... Sadler gets a reprieve this week, given that his lone top-10 was a plate race. But if he stinks up 'Dega ...

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 23
    CHANGE : +4

  • 19

  • Bobby Labonte

    What a difference 14 years makes:
    Oct. 31, 1993 -- Labonte finished eighth in the Slick 50 500 at Phoenix and made $14,620.
    April 21, 2007 -- Labonte finished eighth in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix and made $118,561.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 22
    CHANGE : +2

  • 20

  • Tony Raines

    The elephant and the girl were chosen to represent the magic of the mirrors and to introduce consumers, in a friendly and approachable way, to the amazement and wonder of these tiny mirrors inside DLP chips that power leading brands of HDTVs available in stores right now. The elephant is a gentle representative and symbolic of prosperity and hope. ... That's DLP's story and they're sticking to it.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 25
    CHANGE : +4

  • 21

  • Jeff Green

    Yes! Greenie cracks the top 25 last week, finishes sixth at Phoenix ... life is good for the No. 66 crew. Then again, this cannot be good -- 6-66.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 14
    CHANGE : -8

  • 22

  • David Stremme

    OK, a big tumble for Stremme this week, which prompts questions from the office peanut gallery: "Why you so harsh on my boy?" ... They drive, I just let the shells fall where they may.

    I still believe he'll be a top-20 driver at year's end, but right now he needs to dial in the consistency, much like the rest of these twentysomething drivers.

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 20
    CHANGE : -3

  • 23

  • Robby Gordon

    RG has one lead-lap finish this year. Eight races, one LLF. Still he's averaging a 23.5 finish -- better than Ryan Newman (25.5) and Reed Sorenson (26.5). Wonder who's finishing 24.5 each week?

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : 21
    CHANGE : -3

  • 24

  • Ryan Newman

    Newman used to be the crowned prince of qualifying. But in the past 44 races he has five back-to-back finishes of 30th or worse and only three poles. If it happens two more times -- the 30th or worse, not the poles -- I have a stat that will knock your socks off. Not that I'm wishing Newman bad luck ...

  • Rank

    PREVIOUS : NR

  • 25

  • Reed Sorenson

    Reed has been prairie-dogging the top 25 for the past few weeks. He's been riding the roller-coaster since Atlanta (up, down, up, down, up) -- with a top-15 at Phoenix his latest high. He has two DNFs in as many starts at Talladega. ... Another low on the horizon?

2007 Power Rankings

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