NASCAR Driver Rankings & Odds- Bristol

Bristol Motor Speedway -- 03/16/08

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Monday Mar 17 2008 2:37pm

NASCAR Driver Rankings & Odds- Bristol

1. (1) 18-Kyle Busch- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (7-1)

Kyle Busch was leading the Food City 500 at Bristol when the steering apparently locked up. He spun out and received excess damage to his Toyota Camry. Nevertheless, he recovered and finished 17th. That says a lot about the resilience of Busch and this 18 team. They have materialized as the team to beat in 2008, as they have maintained the lead in the Sprint Cup championship standings. While most of the series will enjoy next weekend off, Kyle Busch will be in Nashville, Tennessee competing in the Nationwide Series event.

2. (3) 16-Greg Biffle- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (12-1)

Greg Biffle seems to have become the Matt Kenseth of 2008. He will hang around the bottom half of the top ten until it is go-time. Suddenly, he finds himself in position to either win or score a top five finish. In the past, Biffle may dominate a race, and then fade towards the end. The reversal of fortune may prove beneficial in the long run. Martinsville is next on the Sprint Cup agenda, and that has not been one of Biffle’s favored tracks. However, Texas and Phoenix have, so if he happens to use a mulligan at Martinsville, it is likely that he will bounce back.

3. (2) 99-Carl Edwards- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (7-1)

Surprisingly, Carl Edwards was a non-factor at Bristol. Edwards spent most of the day in the bottom-half of the top ten until he faded late in the race, finishing 16th, two laps off the pace. This was the first time all season that Edwards really seemed to struggle with the handling. His confidence should receive a boost next weekend as the Nationwide Series visits Nashville. Edwards won both races at the 1.33-mile track in 2007. Unfortunately, the Sprint Cup race in Martinsville may be another setback. He has yet to figure out NASCAR’s shortest and slowest track.

4. (8) 29-Kevin Harvick- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (20-1)

The Food City 500 almost fell right into the reaching hands of Kevin Harvick. He was the first driver with fresh tires on the next-to-last restart; however, contact with Tony Stewart allowed his Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton to overtake the second position. Moreover, Harvick’s close friend and former driver, Tony Stewart, spun out and finished 14th. Eventually, Burton and Harvick passed Denny Hamlin, but Stewart was none-too-pleased with his buddy. Harvick’s second place finish was only a third of the 1-2-3 finish for Richard Childress Racing. Clint Bowyer finished right behind his two teammates. As of now, it is a toss-up between Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing as to which organization is the strongest in 2008.

5. (10) 31-Jeff Burton- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (20-1)

It is okay to win a race when you do not have the best car. Jeff Burton has lost several races in which he should have won. It was not pretty, but Burton handed Chevrolet their first victory of 2008. He has been inaudibly consistent all season long, as he has yet to finish outside of the top 15. He stays out of trouble, which is the principal reason why he is in contention at the end of these races. Now that Mark Martin is no longer a full-time driver, Jeff Burton has arguably become the best driver never to win a championship.

6. (7) 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr.- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (5-1)

For the third consecutive week, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finishes in the top five. He is oh so close to winning his first race in nearly two years. When a driver builds up momentum like this, they typically do not want to see an off-week. They want to keep going. When the Sprint Cup series returns to Martinsville, Earnhardt, Jr. will be among of the heavy favorites to win. He led the most laps last year, and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson won the race. Do not worry Earnhardt Nation; your boy is on the threshold of victory lane.

7. (5) 20-Tony Stewart- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (9-2)

Every week, there is some reason why there is controversy surrounding Tony Stewart. This week, it was not self-inflicted. Stewart utterly dominated the Food City 500 by leading 267 laps. He fell to second right before Kevin Harvick got loose and spun him out. It was no surprise that Tony Stewart was disgruntled at his middling 14th place finish. He is another driver that is longing for the weekend off. When the series returns to Martinsville in two weeks, Stewart will undoubtedly be one of the favorites.

8. (4) 12-Ryan Newman- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (30-1)

It was no fault of his own, but Ryan Newman finished a season-low 33rd Sunday at Bristol. After starting dead last, Newman quickly made his way into the top fifteen before a wreck occurred right in front of his. Left with nowhere to go, Newman ran into Paul Menard, and then was t-boned by Bobby Labonte. The damage eventually took its toll on the Daytona 500 winner, and he begrudgingly settled for a 33rd place finish, seven laps off the pace. It was the second week in a row in which Newman was involved in an incident initiated by someone else. I would not give up on him yet.

9. (9) 9-Kasey Kahne- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (15-1)

Kasey Kahne rose from the ashes at Bristol. He seemed all but out of contention for most of the first half of the event, but he rallied to finish seventh. Track position was crucial for Kahne. Once he was able to get back on the lead lap, he methodically worked his way to the front.

10. (6) 24-Jeff Gordon- Sprint Cup Championship Odds (6-1)

Hendrick Motorsports won three of the first five races in 2007. Just one year later, they are winless after five races. Jeff Gordon astonishingly had a mediocre day at Bristol, a track where he has won five times. Gordon just could not find a comfortable balance as he finished 11th. Expect Gordon and the Hendrick Motorsports group to bounce back at Martinsville, a track that they have owned over the last two years.

On the rise- Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, David Gilliland

On the decline- Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte, Brian Vickers