Which Manufacturer Is Best In NASCAR?

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Thursday Jul 31 2008 7:47am

If you glance at the NASCAR Sprint Cup manufacturer standings, you are well aware of the fact that Toyota is the leader in only its second season in the series, much to the chagrin of many traditional fans. However, are they the best manufacturer overallΔ

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch (11-8 nascar odds) accounts for seven of the eight victories posted by Toyota in 2008. His teammate Denny Hamlin (12-1 nascar odds) has the only non-Rowdy win, which occurred at Martinsville in April. It is only a matter of time until Tony Stewart (14-1 nascar odds) finally wins his first race of the 2008 season. Outside of Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota does not have a powerhouse organization. Red Bull Racing is steadily improving, especially Brian Vickers (66-1 nascar odds) who is vying for a spot in the Chase for the Championship. His teammate A.J. Allmendinger scored his first top ten finish last weekend at Indianapolis.

Michael Waltrip Racing and Bill Davis Racing have decent showings every now and then, but they are few and far between. What this goes to show you is that Joe Gibbs Racing is the best organization in NASCAR instead of Toyota being the best manufacturer in NASCAR.

Chevrolet has had a stranglehold on the manufacturer standings for most of the decade. However, on paper, they are behind Toyota. One thing to consider is the depth Chevrolet has as opposed to Toyota. While Toyota has one powerhouse team in Joe Gibbs Racing, and another team with boundless potential, Red Bull Racing, Chevrolet has three competitive teams in Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, and Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated.

Hendrick Motorsports has carried the banner for General Motors in 2008, as they have three wins as a whole. Jimmie Johnson (4-1 nascar odds) has two wins, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (13-2 nascar odds) has one. Jeff Gordon (9-1 nascar odds) is on the brink of breaking his winless skid, and his performance has been better than most Toyota teams.

Richard Childress Racing has Chevrolet’s additional two wins. Jeff Burton (22-1 nascar odds) won at Bristol, and Clint Bowyer (40-1 nascar odds) won at Richmond. Kevin Harvick (40-1 nascar odds) has been inconsistent for most of the season, but he has contended for the win on several occasions. Harvick will likely win a race before the season concludes. As a whole, Richard Childress Racing has some room for improvement, but they are better than all Toyota teams with the exception of Joe Gibbs Racing.

Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated is the weakest of Chevrolet’s top three teams, but even they have enjoyed some bright spots. Mark Martin gives them a chance to win every time he wheels the number 8 Chevrolet. He has two top five finishes and six top ten finishes. Martin Truex, Jr. (100-1 nascar odds) has performed better than his results indicate. The 15 and 01 teams driven by Paul Menard and Regan Smith have been off the radar for most of the season.

Ford has three wins, all courtesy of Roush Fenway Racing driver Carl Edwards (7-1 nascar odds). Matt Kenseth (14-1 nascar odds) and Greg Biffle (16-1 nascar odds) are capable of winning every week; the stars have yet to align for either driver. David Ragan (100-1 nascar odds) and Jamie McMurray (200-1 nascar odds) are not weekly contenders, but they have performed respectably.

Yates Racing has gradually improved with Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland as the drivers, but they are miles away from contending for wins.

Ford could use one more top tier team.

Dodge has four wins. Penske Racing’s Ryan Newman (100-1 nascar odds) won the Daytona 500 and Kurt Busch (150-1 nascar odds) won at New Hampshire, and Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne (14-1 nascar odds) won the Coca Cola 600 and the Pocono 500. However, they are last in the manufacturer standings as they trail Toyota by 35 points. Other than a brief early summer surge by Kahne, Dodge has consistently been the least competitive manufacturer.

Chip Ganassi Racing has not even come close to winning a race, and recently cut back to two full time teams.

In my estimation based no depth, Chevrolet is the top manufacturer, followed by Toyota, Ford, and Dodge.

The Sprint Cup manufacturer standings look like this:

1. Toyota- 128 points (8 wins)
2. Chevrolet- 114 points (5 wins)
3. Ford- 105 points (3 wins)
4. Dodge- 93 points (4 wins)