Atlanta is the next stop in the topsy-turvy Cup Series

How unpredictable has the 2009 season been? Where do you begin?

Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is 19th in the standings entering Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin are 29th and 34th, respectively, after three races.

Carl Edwards, who won a series-high nine races last year, including two of the first three, is winless with one top-10 and has led all of three laps.

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David Reutimann is fifth in the standings, Bobby Labonte is 10th and Michael Waltrip is 12th. Reutimann has never won a Cup race, and the last wins for Labonte and Waltrip came in 2003.

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For only the third time in the past 35 years, no driver has finished in the top 10 in each of the first three races.

"Trust me, guys like Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman [33rd] will not be there long," said John Andretti, who is 30th. "These teams know they aren't bad teams, but it shows that everyone can have some bad luck. Right now, it's like a lottery. The points are going to bounce all around, and you're going to see some guys jump up big and fall down big."

Labonte is in the top 10 for the first time since August 2004.

"It's good to see a lot of diversity at the front right now," Labonte said. "Our sport needs this, and it's great."

"I'm sure the fans have to love this," Andretti said. "You see more teams up front, and it's great. You never want to see someone stink up the show. It's early, but it's a good sign to see a lot of different guys running up front."

Johnson also started slowly last year, entering Atlanta 14th in points. His experience tells him there's no reason to be alarmed.

"Yes, last year we got off to a slow start, but it was more of a panic situation than what we have right now because we didn't have the speed in the cars," Johnson said. "This year it's different. We've got fast cars but just haven't linked together a solid [400] or 500 miles and taken advantage of the great cars that we've had.

"It's only three races in. Guys are going to have bad luck and hopefully ours is behind us and we can climb up the points ladder here. I'm not worried. I'm not stressed. I'm really optimistic and excited about the next few races."

Kyle Busch, No. 18: Busch kicked off his breakout 2008 season with a victory in this race last year. He also won last week in Las Vegas.

Jeff Gordon, No. 24: Gordon is off to a strong start, and it's only a matter of time before he snaps his 44-race winless streak. He has won four times at Atlanta.

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48: Johnson has every reason to feel confident this week. His record at Atlanta is excellent: three wins and nine top-fives in 15 starts.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88: Junior has finished third in three of his past six races at Atlanta. Overall, he has one win and 10 top-10s in 19 starts. He needs a strong showing to begin a move up the standings.

Carl Edwards, No. 99: Edwards won the fall race at Atlanta last year, his third win at the track. Like Johnson, Edwards is off to a slow start. Unlike Johnson, Edwards (ninth) is in the top 10.

Matt Kenseth: "Atlanta is a track where you not only race your competitors, but you race the track. It's really high banked and fast. You start off fast, and the track gets slick, so you're always looking for a different groove and for more grip. The cars are tougher to drive, and they move around a lot more than the old cars. When the track gets slick, you've got to have a good-handling car so that you can change your points and get into the corners. I always have a lot of fun racing at Atlanta, because it is always a challenge."

Kyle Busch: "Atlanta definitely doesn't have much grip, but I still seem to like it. There are so many lines. You can run anywhere on the track, and I love that. Coming off Turn 2, if you're running the low line and start to slide up, you have a tendency to get sideways. But, otherwise, it's a really fun track. It's really a driver's track because when you get about 40 laps on your tires, you really start to slide around and that can be a handful."

Mark Martin: "I love Atlanta. The track drives just like the short tracks I raced on back in Arkansas. The track is like a monster, but it's really like a short track. I've always liked this track since the first time I raced it in 1982. I've never not been comfortable at Atlanta."