NASCAR Driver Rankings & Championship Odds- Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen International -- 08/10/08

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Tuesday Aug 12 2008 12:15pm

1. (1) 18-Kyle Busch: 11-8 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kyle Busch inches closer to the record books with yet another victory in 2008. His win at Watkins Glen on Sunday was the eighth of the season. The modern-era record is thirteen set by Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon. Busch must win six of the final fourteen races to become the single-season record holder. In the decade of the 2000’s, only two other drivers have won eight or more races in a season, Jimmie Johnson (twice) and Ryan Newman. It will be interesting to see how many wins Busch ends up with once the 2008 season comes to a conclusion in November. He leads the Sprint Cup championship standings by 242 points over Carl Edwards.

After twenty-two races, Kyle Busch has a series-high eight wins, thirteen top five finishes, and fourteen top tens. He has a driver rating of 110.6, which leads the Sprint Cup series.

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

Although it was not his best outing of the season, Carl Edwards enjoyed a solid day at Watkins Glen. He posted a respectable ninth place finish. It is safe to say that Edwards had a top ten car for most of the afternoon, but he had nothing for Kyle Busch. With four wins, Edwards seems as if he is going to be the only driver in the same zip code as Busch once the Chase for the Championship begins next month. If the Chase started now, Edwards would have forty bonus points compared to Busch’s 80. His top ten run at Watkins Glen moves him up to second in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 242 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-two races, Edwards has four wins, nine top five finishes, and a series-high sixteen top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 103.9, which is third best among Sprint Cup drivers.

3. (3) 48-Jimmie Johnson: 9-2 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

It is difficult to believe that Jimmie Johnson has yet to win on a road course in any of NASCAR’s top series. On Saturday, Johnson had a car that could have won, but he ran out of fuel with just a couple of laps remaining. On Sunday, he had a top five car, but it did not appear as if he could get up there and run with Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart. After finishing in the seventh position, Johnson moves up to third in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 244 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-two races, Johnson has two wins, seven top five finishes, and twelve top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 104.4, which is second among Sprint Cup drivers.

4. (4) 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: 15-2 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

When the race began, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. looked phenomenal, as he pulled away from the competition and led for 28 of the first 29 laps. However, flawed pit strategy spoiled any hopes of his first road course victory in Sprint Cup competition. On lap 65 of the 90-lap event, Earnhardt, Jr. was the leader, and the last of the frontrunners to pit. When the caution came out for debris from Travis Kvapil’s off-road adventure, Earnhardt, Jr. had to pit; therefore, he restarted towards the back of the pack. He simply did not have ample time to make up the track position, and ultimately settled for a 22nd place finish. He falls to fourth in the Sprint Cup standings, 269 points behind Kyle Busch.

After twenty-two races, Earnhardt, Jr. has one victory, seven top five finishes, and twelve top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 102.6.

5. (8) 20-Tony Stewart: 16-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

For the second consecutive week, Tony Stewart finished in the runner-up position. This would typically rile him; however, he is in the midst of a heated battle for a spot in the Chase for the Championship. After his painful exclusion from the Chase for the Championship two years ago, Stewart wants every point he can get. He drove another clean race at Watkins Glen; therefore, he moves up to seventh in the Sprint Cup standings, 138 point ahead of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.

After twenty-two races, Stewart is winless; however, he has posted eight top five finishes, and eleven top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 95.9.

6. (6) 31-Jeff Burton: 25-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Jeff Burton quietly produced a decent finish at Watkins Glen. He basically survived the Centurion Boats At The Glen with a seventeenth place finish. Over the past few months, Burton has lost ground to the rest of the drivers in the top five because of performance. While Burton is incredibly consistent, the performance is decent at best, and drivers such as Busch, Edwards, Johnson, and Earnhardt, Jr. are gaining ground on the veteran driver. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 309 points behind Kyle Busch.

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

7. (5) 24-Jeff Gordon: 14-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Jeff Gordon is arguably the best road racer in NASCAR, but he has not shown that road-racing prowess in either of the road course races in 2008, especially Sunday at Watkins Glen. Gordon struggled all day with handling as well as track position. Ultimately, the nine-time winner on road courses finished in the 29th position, far below expectations. Despite the substandard finish, Gordon remains sixth in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 148 points ahead of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.

After twenty-two races, Gordon has yet to win, but he has posted eight top five finishes, and ten top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 95.1.

8. (NR) 11-Denny Hamlin: 16-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Denny Hamlin rebounded nicely from a disappointing finish at Pocono. Although he never threatened the leaders at Watkins Glen, he was able to post a much-needed eighth place finish. At this stage in the season, top ten finishes are of the essence. Following his eighth place finish, Hamlin moves up to ninth in the Sprint Cup standings, 83 points ahead of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.

After twenty-two races, Hamlin has one victory, six top five finishes, and eleven top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 94.2.

9. (NR) 29-Kevin Harvick: 40-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kevin Harvick has scored two consecutive top ten finishes, which should give this team momentum at the proper time. His sixth place finish at Watkins Glen was indicative of how Harvick ran throughout the afternoon. At this point in the season, Harvick must continue to score top ten finishes. He is eleventh in the Sprint Cup championship standings, 64 points ahead of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.

After twenty-two races, Harvick is still searching for that elusive first win of the season, but he has scored four top five finishes, and eight top ten finishes. He has a driver rating of 86.5.

10. (9) 9-Kasey Kahne: 16-1 Sprint Cup Championship Odds

Kasey Kahne was one of the drivers that just needed to survive Watkins Glen. A road ringer Kahne is not. However, he matched his career best road course finish of fourteenth on Sunday. The solid finish was imperative for Kahne and the 9 team, as well as Dodge considering that Kahne is the only Dodge driver with a legitimate shot at a spot in the Chase for the Championship. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup standings, 107 points ahead of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.

After twenty-two races, Kahne has two wins, three top five finishes, and eleven top ten finishes.

One the rise: Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex, Jr., Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, and Marcos Ambrose

One the decline: Greg Biffle (28-1 nascar odds), Ryan Newman (100-1 nascar odds), Clint Bowyer (66-1 nascar odds), David Ragan (100-1 nascar odds), and David Gilliland