NASCAR Driver Rankings & Championship Odds- Talladega

Talladega Superspeedway -- 10/05/08

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Monday Oct 6 2008 2:34pm

1. (1) 48-Jimmie Johnson: 5-6 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

On Sunday, Jimmie Johnson was not only exceptional, but also exceptionally lucky. He lost the draft early in the race, which eventually put him a lap down. After earning the lucky dog pass, Johnson was able to methodically work his way through traffic. Along the way, he dodged several bullets, especially the one that took out his two closest rivals in the championship fight- Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. On lap 173, Edwards tapped Biffle, causing a multi-car pileup. Johnson made it through the calamity unscathed. He ended the afternoon with a ninth place finish. Johnson now has 72 point lead over Carl Edwards in the Sprint Cup championship standings.

After 30 races, Johnson has five wins, twelve top five finishes, and eighteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 105.3, which is second among Sprint Cup drivers.

2. (2) 16-Greg Biffle: 5-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Greg Biffle was riding along for most of the afternoon, awaiting the perfect opportunity to make his way to the front. Everything seemed to be falling into place as Biffle’s teammate Carl Edwards gave him a push. The duo just about made it to the front of the pack when Edwards hooked Biffle, prompting the disastrous melee. Not only was the wreck awkward due to the fact it involved teammates, but it relegated Biffle to a sub par 24th place finish. Surprisingly, Biffle refused to lash out at his Roush Fenway Racing teammate. He is third in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 77 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Biffle has two wins, eleven top five finishes, and fourteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 93.1.

3. (3) 99-Carl Edwards: 7-2 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

After receiving much praise for his aggressive driving last week at Kansas, he may encounter some censure this week. As mentioned before, Edwards was bump drafting his teammate Greg Biffle when he hooked his left rear quarter panel. The incident took out Edwards, Biffle, and a host of other contenders including Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kevin Harvick. Edwards finished in the 29th position. He now finds himself 72 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Edwards has six wins, fourteen top five finishes, and twenty-two top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 105.3.

4. (5) 31-Jeff Burton: 18-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Jeff Burton and his Richard Childress Racing team produced another solid showing at Talladega, as the veteran posted a fourth place finish. Burton drove a smart race, yet he did not sit around towards the back of the pack. He raced for the lead on several occasions. Burton continues to display interminable consistency, and he is starting to inch his way into the championship picture. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, only 99 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Burton has one victory, six top five finishes, and sixteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 89.9.

5. (4) 29-Kevin Harvick: 33-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kevin Harvick was less than thrilled with Carl Edwards after he triggered the multi-car pileup on lap 173. However, he finished the race in the 20th position. It was the 74th consecutive race in which he crossed the finish line. Harvick streak of nine consecutive finishes in the top ten ended. Harvick was one of the frontrunners for most of the afternoon, leading 22 laps. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 171 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Harvick has yet to win, but he has scored six top five finishes, and fifteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 89.9.

6. (10) 07-Clint Bowyer: 33-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Clint Bowyer was able to survive the carnage at Talladega and finished fifth. Although he did not lead a lap, Bowyer spent most of the afternoon near the front. Bowyer latched on to his teammate Jeff Burton late in the race, but the two were unable to make a run at Tony Stewart and the DEI trio. Bowyer moves up to fifth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 152 markers behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Bowyer has one win, five top five finishes, and fourteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 81.0.

7. (NR) 20-Tony Stewart: 25-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

In controversial fashion, Tony Stewart claimed his first win of the 2008 Sprint Cup season, and the 33rd of his career. Additionally, it was his first win at Talladega, a track in which he finished runner-up six times. On Sunday, it was finally Stewart’s day in the sun, and perhaps his last victory for Joe Gibbs Racing. There will be many critics with disparaging words towards NASCAR, as Stewart was behind Regan Smith when they crossed the finish line. However, NASCAR penalized Smith for advancing his position while driving below the yellow line, or in football terms, he was out of bounds. With his victory, Stewart jumps up to seventh in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 203 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Stewart has one win, ten top five finishes, and fifteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 93.8.

8. (8) 18-Kyle Busch: 50-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kyle Busch got a piece of the big wreck; however, he salvaged a fifteenth place finish. Busch led 20 laps, so he clearly had a fast hot rod. Unfortunately, for Busch and his fans, the dark cloud continues to trail him. With the championship all but out the window, Busch will focus solely on winning races, and he was fast at Charlotte back in the spring. He is eleventh in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 331 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Kyle Busch has a series-high eight wins, fifteen top five finishes, and seventeen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 105.6, which is first among all Sprint Cup drivers.

9. (6) 17-Matt Kenseth: 100-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Matt Kenseth was a victim of his teammate’s late race gaffe. He appeared to be on his way to a top five finish when he was collected in the melee involving Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. Kenseth ended the afternoon with a disappointing 26th place finish. Kenseth is ninth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 245 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Kenseth has yet to win a race, but he has recorded eight top five finishes, and seventeen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 88.7.

10. (9) 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: 50-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

It was not a weekend to remember for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He blew a tire on Friday during practice, destroying his primary car. His engine became toast, so he had to start at the back for the main event on Sunday. He made his way to the front, as he led 19 laps, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Edwards spun out Biffle. He finished in the 28th position, capping off another exasperating weekend for Earnhardt, Jr. He falls to tenth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 249 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

After 30 races, Earnhardt, Jr. has one win, nine top five finishes, and fourteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 100.2.

On the rise: Regan Smith, Paul Menard, David Ragan, Bobby Labonte, and Scott Riggs

On the decline: Jeff Gordon (33-1 nascar odds), Denny Hamlin (200-1 nascar odds), Ryan Newman, Martin Truex, Jr., and Kasey Kahne