NASCAR midseason superlatives

By George Winkler

Slightly more than halfway through the 26 races that determine the field for the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR.com is handing out some hardware. The break in Sprint Cup competition over Father's Day weekend allowed us a chance to gather, debate and vote on some of this season's superlatives.

Most Valuable Driver: Kevin Harvick

Harvick hasn't led the most laps, he doesn't have the most wins or even the most top 10s, but what he does have is the most points in the Sprint Cup Series standings by a long shot (a 30-point lead over second place Kurt Busch). Harvick's almost workmanlike excellence has earned him the top spot in a hotly contested category.

Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott.

Most Valuable Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Gustafson has guided Chase Elliott to an incredibly hot start under an enormous amount of pressure. In fact, it's gotten to the point now where it seems like Elliott has been in the No. 24 seat a lot longer than just 15 starts. His top 10s have almost become old hat, with the only thing missing being a trip to Victory Lane.

Honorable Mention: Rodney Childers, Cole Pearn.

Best Pit Crew: Carl Edwards' No. 19 team

Edwards looks like a legitimate championship contender with two wins already in the bag (Bristol, Richmond) and the power of Joe Gibbs Racing behind him. Part of that power includes a pit crew that's always on top of its game. In a sport where milliseconds matter, it could mean the difference in Edwards getting his first title.

Honorable Mention: Kurt Busch.

Best Race: Daytona 500

There were plenty of fantastic finishes in the first part of the season, but taking into account the stakes that were at hand, none was better than the Daytona 500. In the closest finish in the 58-year history of the race, Denny Hamlin edged Martin Truex Jr. by one-hundredth of a second. It gives us goose bumps just thinking about it.

Honorable Mention: Dover, Richmond.

Biggest Surprise: Chase Elliott

Here's Elliott again, but hey it's hard not to lavish praise on the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, who has done a great job of filling the seat of the No. 24 after Jeff Gordon. Only Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch have more top-10 finishes than Elliott, and only Kyle Busch and Harvick have more top fives this year.

Honorable Mention: Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney.

Biggest Disappointment: Tony Stewart's injury

We like to see our heroes ride off into the sunset on a high note, so when Stewart injured his back in an all-terrain vehicle accident in January, it was not the right way to start his final full-time Sprint Cup season. Luckily, he was alright and able to return in late April at Richmond, but watching him miss the Daytona 500 was a bummer.

Honorable Mention: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Best Story Line: Daniel Suarez wins

When Daniel Suarez passed his boss Kyle Busch on the way to Victory Lane in the XFINITY Series at Michigan, one might say he carried an entire country with him. Suarez became the first Mexican-born driver to win in a NASCAR national series race, and who could forget his smile and his yelling in Spanglish after the big win? What a day for the driver from Monterrey.

Honorable Mention: Youth is served across NASCAR national series.

Best Moment: Sherry Pollex and Martin Truex Jr. in Victory Lane

All of us know somebody who is battling a disease, so it was almost like we were all there in Victory Lane with Martin Truex Jr. and his girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who has fought ovarian cancer. And it was fitting that Truex overcame his heartbreak from the Daytona 500 and other early races by absolutely dominating the Coca-Cola 600 (leading 392 of 400 laps). In a way, it was a therapeutic pummeling of sorts.

Honorable Mention: Daytona 500 finish, Erik Jones honoring his dad at Michigan.