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Say what you want about the All-Star Race, but Jimmie Johnson proved that he will a contender for this year’s championship. After winning five consecutive titles, he was a non-factor for most of the chase last season and his reign of terror finally came to an end after Tony Stewart won his third championship.
After winning at Darlington and the All-Star Race, Johnson has made himself the favorite heading into this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 and has moved himself into the top spot in this week’s power rankings.
1. Jimmie Johnson: He had a career long winless streak of 16 races heading into Darlington and had fans starting to wonder if his dominance was over. While it will be hard for him to win five straight championships again, 16 races is hardly a drought. Just ask Martin Truex Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Matt Kenseth: He quietly sat back with Johnson after winning segment two of the All-Star Race but hardly got yelled at. He spun his tires on the final restart which took away any shot that he had at the win. On a side note, why was it such a surprise that the segment winners hung out in the back after their segment wins? That should have been the first thought everyone had once the rules came out.
3. Greg Biffle: Engine trouble ruined his night, but he will be a threat this weekend and for the rest of the season. Biffle is one of a handful of drivers who have shown they have what it takes to win the championship this year.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Winning the Sprint Showdown along with segment four most have been a great sight for Junior nation. They have not seen their driver go to victory lane in a long time and seeing him win something must have done their hearts good. Earnhardt would be a serious threat for the championship if he could start finding his way to victory lane.
5. Brad Keselowski: Two early wins makes Keselowski a sure thing to make the chase. Crew chief Paul Wolfe and company are the best in all of NASCAR at making strategy decisions which will be crucial for the Chase. He has proven that last year was not a fluke, but while he can win races, he still lacks some consistency. If he and Dale Jr. could mold into one driver they would win the Sprint Cup with ease.
6. Kyle Busch: After a somewhat slow start to the season, Rowdy has been collecting top-five finishes for the past month including a win at Richmond. He needed one more segment to compete with Johnson for the win but he ran out of time. Busch will be looking for his first Coke 600 win this weekend.
7. Denny Hamlin: He challenged for parts of the All-Star Race but was not a factor for most of the night. He had a solid run and should have another one this weekend. Is it just me or is Hamlin under the radar this season? He has two wins and is sitting fourth in points. He is ready to put 2008 behind him and get his first championship.
8. Martin Truex Jr.: It’s a shame he wasn’t in the All-Star race this year, but Truex seems to be getting bit on pit road this season. At Darlington he was winning the race when he was told to come down pit road and could never make it up. At the Sprint Showdown he was only one of two cars who stayed out on older tires between segments which cost him a spot in the All-Star Race. Other than that Truex has nothing to complain about.
9. Tony Stewart: Was he even at Charlotte last weekend? Apparently he was and didn’t have a good run. With two victories this season and after what we saw last season, it’s best just to let things play out before any judgements are made on Smoke.
10. Kasey Kahne: It seems the black cloud is finally off of Kasey Kahne. After a rough start to the season, Kahne now sits 16th in points and is on the cusp of a victory. Charlotte is one of his best tracks and he will be a contender this weekend. Also, I wonder how much Kahne got for his Farmers Insurance commercial where all he has to do is shoot a fire extinguisher.
11. Carl Edwards: Cousin Carl has not gotten off to the season like his Roush-Fenway teammates have, but that shouldn’t last all season. Edwards has not won in over a year now and is due for a win soon. The 600 is a perfect race for Edwards as he is by far the most fit driver in the garage.
12. Ryan Newman: Every year Newman seems to be hanging around the bottom half of the top 12 and gets lost in the shuffle during the postseason. This season is starting to look that way again, which makes Tony Stewart’s decision on whether or not resign him after this season a little more interesting.
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