NASCAR Driver Rankings & Championship Odds- Michigan

Michigan International Speedway -- 08/17/08

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Tuesday Aug 19 2008 2:34pm

1. (1) 18-Kyle Busch: 6-4 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kyle Busch finished second at Michigan on Sunday, as he was unable to juke Carl Edwards on the final restart with two laps to go. Anything less than a victory is unsatisfactory for the 23-year-old driver, and his disappointing was evident following the race. Edwards is the only driver thus far that has displayed enough strength to threaten Kyle Busch once the Chase for the Championship begins. After starting the race in eleventh, Busch spent the majority of the race in the top five, and led 34 laps. He is the current Sprint Cup championship leader by 222 points over Carl Edwards.

After twenty-three races, Kyle Busch has eight wins, fourteen top five finishes, and fifteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 111.5. He leads the Sprint Cup series in wins, top five finishes, and driver ratings.

2. (2) 99-Carl Edwards: 4-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

For the past three weeks, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch have provided additional proof to the NASCAR world that the 2008 Sprint Cup championship will likely become a duel between the two fourth year drivers. Edwards won his fifth race of the season at Michigan after he led 84 of the 200 laps. Edwards and Busch have combined for thirteen wins in twenty-three races, and the media is fervently advertising a budding rivalry between the two young stars. Edwards is within 222 points of Kyle Busch. Keep in mind, Edwards would only be 122 points off the pace if it were not for a 100-point penalty levied by NASCAR back in March.

After twenty-three races, Edwards has five wins, ten top five finishes, and a series-high seventeen top ten finishes. He has a rising driver rating of 105.3.

3. (3) 48-Jimmie Johnson: 6-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Jimmie Johnson is still winless at Michigan International Speedway. After leading the first twelve laps of the 3M Performance 400, Johnson began to slowly fade. Eventually, he cut a tire after contact with Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon as the three champions were battling back in midpack. Johnson lost a lap; however, he rallied to finish in the seventeenth position. It was certainly not the day that Johnson and the 48 team anticipated. Johnson is third in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 302 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-three races, Johnson has two wins, seven top five finishes, and twelve top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 104.1.

4. (4) 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr: 10-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. dominated the early portion of the race, as he led 43 laps. However, his car began to experience handling issues. Late in the race, he slapped the wall while battling in the top ten, and eventually lost a lap. The contact with the outside wall resulted in a dismal 23rd place finish. His summer slump began almost immediately after he won the first race at Michigan back in June. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 345 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-three races, Earnhardt, Jr. has one victory, seven top five finishes, and twelve top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 102.7.

5. (5) 20-Tony Stewart: 18-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Tony Stewart’s day at Michigan was unspectacular. He qualified 21st, and hovered around tenth and fifteenth for most of the afternoon. Ultimately, he finished in the twelfth position. The most exciting part of his day was his mid-race battle with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Stewart moves up to sixth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 558 points behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch.

After twenty-three races, Stewart has yet to win; however, he has produced eight top five finishes, and eleven top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 95.2.

6. (6) 31-Jeff Burton: 33-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

The 2008 Sprint Cup season for Jeff Burton has seen a cornucopia of consistent finishes. Nevertheless, he lags behind the typical frontrunners, and he is rarely mentioned when discussing championship contenders. Still, never discount a veteran such as Jeff Burton. He is solid at every track in the Chase for the Championship, and barring any misfortune, he may be one of the dark horses once the Chase for the Championship begins next month. Burton is fifth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 349 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-three races, Burton has one win, four top five finishes, and eleven top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 89.5.

7. (9) 29-Kevin Harvick: 33-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

With four top ten finishes in the last five races, Kevin Harvick is entrenching himself into the Chase for the Championship picture. With tracks such as Bristol and Richmond forthcoming, Harvick appears to be in good shape. Expect Harvick to contend for the title. At Michigan, Hayrick posted an eighth place finish after qualifying in the 38th position. He is now eighth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 103 points above the cutoff.

After twenty-three races, Harvick has four top five finishes, and nine top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 86.5.

8. (NR) 16-Greg Biffle: 20-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Following his fourth place finish at Michigan, Greg Biffle’s chances at a second Chase for the Championship appearance are rather high. Biffle has arguably performed the best of the non-winners in 2008, and seems to be right on the threshold of winning his first race of the season. He is capable of winning at any of the next three tracks on the schedule. He moves up to seventh in the Sprint Cup standings, 145 points above the cutoff.

After twenty-three races, Biffle has seven top five finishes, and ten top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 90.8.

9. (NR) 17-Matt Kenseth: 25-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Matt Kenseth is another bubble driver who enjoyed a solid weekend at Michigan. He posted a fifth place finish, therefore, he moves up to tenth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 74 points above the cutoff. Kenseth will likely qualify for his fifth consecutive Chase for the Championship.

After twenty-three races, Kenseth has five top five finishes, and thirteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 87.5.

10. (NR) 6-David Ragan: 66-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Prior to the season, I never expected to see David Ragan’s name among the top ten. However, the kid has drastically improved from his rookie season. Ragan posted a career-high third place finish at Michigan on Sunday, further enhancing his position in the championship standings. He led three laps late in the race, and could be the driver that sneaks up on his opponents. He is tied with Clint Bowyer for thirteenth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 26 points behind twelfth place driver Denny Hamlin.

After twenty-three races, Ragan has five top five finishes, and eight top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 80.2.

On the rise: Brian Vickers (66-1 nascar odds), Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Mark Martin, Scott Riggs

On the decline: Jeff Gordon (16-1 nascar odds), Kasey Kahne (25-1 nascar odds), Denny Hamlin (25-1 nascar odds), Clint Bowyer (100-1 nascar odds), and Ryan Newman (100-1 nascar odds)