Motorsports FanHouse

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings:
Happy Thanksgiving at 190 MPH

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Juan Montoya, NASCAR Crashes, NASCAR Fights, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Craftsman Truck Series

It's definitely been a while since we've rolled out the power rankings at the 'House because of the revolving door at No. 1 between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

Let's face it, down the stretch, that's all we could do!

Anyways, seeing as today is Thanksgiving and all, it's only right to tell the world what the NASCAR FanHouse is thankful for. Agree? Disagree? Leave us some love on what your take is on what we should be thankful for in the NASCAR world, and don't forget to pass the turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

1) Fighting Without a Fine - Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya got into a bit of a skirmish at Watkins Glen in August that involved some pushing and shoving. Harvick said he wanted to kick Montoya's ass, and Montoya didn't think he was to blame. Regardless, NASCAR actually enjoyed the fracas, with Cup Series director John Darby being quoted later as saying he thought the whole incident was "cool as hell".

Baby steps, right?

2) FOX Sports - If you've ever set foot in the FanHouse before, you know that we aren't the biggest fans of ESPN on ABC. With that, we are extremely thankful for the entire NASCAR cast of FOX Sports including Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Steve Byrnes, Dick Berggren, and Matt Yocum.

Complain about DW all you want, but you know deep inside that he his infinitely better than Rusty Wallace. Thank you for being rockin' awesome with NASCAR, FOX!
3) Tony Stewart - From spouting off about NASCAR on his radio show to blaming Denny Hamlin for being in front of his bumper at Daytona, Stewart has definitely given the FanHouse plenty to talk about over the 2007 season. For that, we do indeed thank you, and silently hope that the antics persist for a long time.

I don't think there's going to be a problem with that...

4) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series - These guys get a nod, especially Mike Skinner and Ron Hornaday for constantly keeping it real in the racing world. From SPEED Channel's true racing coverage to plenty of unpredictable passes, crashes and whatever else, the Truck Series has been a shining light of all that is good in NASCAR in 2007.

There's a reason SPEED Channel's ratings are going up, and it's not because people are leaving their TV's on at home.

5) Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports Inc. - Smith gets a nod in the FanHouse because, well, we don't want to make the guy mad. When the Concord [NC] City Council did, he threatened to tear down and rebuild a crown jewel of NASCAR in Lowe's Motor Speedway. Wednesday evening though, word got out that he was decided to keep LMS right where it is, and of course, with a new drag strip, surrounding roads, tax incentive, and his own boulevard.

If that's not a good businessman, I don't think there are any left.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings:
Happy Thanksgiving at 190 MPH originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Ranking: Subway 500

tallglassofmilk — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:49:00 EST

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, NASCAR Power Rankings

1--and only. Four-time Cup champion; current points leader; Subway 500 pole-sitter Jeff Gordon.

This is Gordon on Martinsville Speedway: most poles of any active driver (5); most wins of any active driver (7), most top 5s of any active driver (17); 23 top 10s in 29 starts; most lead lap finishes of any active driver (22); all-time record-holding driver with the fewest DNFs (0). Twice he's won from the pole. Any questions?

Fanhouse Power Ranking: Subway 500 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Rankings: Talladega COT

tallglassofmilk — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:19:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Talladega Superspeedway

Why do I get the feeling that just finishing on the lead lap in this weekend's Nextel Cup race at Talladega will be considered a major feat?
1. Jeff Gordon - I'd bore you with stats, but that would be incredibly boring. Almost as boring as having Gordon at the top of the power rankings every week.
2. Jimmie Johnson - Ditto. The only thing keeping these two out of victory lane is "The Big One." Or any number of little ones.
3. Tony Stewart - Please let him finish in the top 3. Please let the media ask him stupid questions. Pleeeeaaase.

Everything after that is a crap shoot. Nobody has an advantage when it comes to staying out of trouble at Talladega in the COT.

Purposefully unranked for good luck. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - One of the few active drivers who knows how to find victory lane here, but Fanhouse power rankings have a way of lessening a driver's chances to win. Junior has predicted his own victory tomorrow. We don't want to get in the way of that.
4. Kurt Busch - Strategy: Don't wreck Stewart.

5. Kyle Busch - Strategy: Wreck Dale Earnhardt Jr.

6. Kevin Harvick - Strategy: Stay out of trouble.

7. Matt Kenseth - Strategy: Dodge the Ford layoffs.

8. Carl Edwards - Strategy: Stay out of trouble.

9. Jeff Burton - Strategy: Make Nationwide a good neighbor.

10. Ryan Newman - Strategy: Be the first Penske driver to win a plate race.

Long shot. Denny Hamlin - He's not great when restricted, but I picked him as my favorite to win the Chase so he better drive the wheels off that COT like he knows he can.

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Talladega COT originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dodge Dealers 400

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:27:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

1. Leave Jeff Gordon alone. He's the daddy of a precious little girl now. It's time for the gay rumors to cease. The flaming torch has officially been passed to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Leave Jimmie Johnson alone. He just lost his pants.

3. Leave Mark Martin alone. He does not deserve beer cans thrown at him when he steps behind the wheel of the #8 car, especially if it's in Budweiser paint before the end of the year.
4. Leave Martin Truex Jr. alone. He's concentrating on sweeping.

5. Leave Tony Stewart alone. We love the pudge and the long, curly locks. How we coming on that back wax job, though?
6. Leave Kyle Busch alone. His team kicked him to the curb, his girlfriend stepped out on him and he's being forced to drive a car he hates. It's hard out there for a shrub.
7. Leave Greg Biffle alone. He's getting married next month. He needs his strength.

8. Leave Dale Earnhardt Jr. alone. He's AMP'd for next season. Now if we could only get him amped about the "good" country girl Grandma Martha's on the lookout for.
9. Leave Denny Hamlin alone. He can't help it--he graduated from the Kanye West School of Megalomania.
10. Leave Jeff Burton alone. I'm talking to you Nextel.

Long Shot. Leave Ryan Newman alone. He hasn't had a win in two years, but he's found victory lane here before (and I couldn't finish the Dodge Dealers 400 Power Rankings without including at least one Dodge).

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dodge Dealers 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Power Rankings: Chevy Rock & Roll 400

tallglassofmilk — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

The race to the chase is down to the wire and only two tickets to paradise remain for three eligible drivers. Saturday night's alright for fighting--get a little action in.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a happenin' with him.
2. Denny Hamlin - Goodness gracious great balls of fire.
3. Jeff Gordon - Rock steady.

4. Kyle Busch - Don't know what you got 'til it's gone.
5. Tony Stewart - If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with.
6. Matt Kenseth - Takin' care of business.

7. Kurt Busch - Gonna let it ride.

8. Carl Edwards - Ain't lookin' for nothin' but a good time.

9. Kevin Harvick - Say live and let die.

10. Jimmie Johnson - Doo, doo, doo lookin' out his back door.

11. Jeff Burton - Keep on rockin'--but no wireless talkin'--me baby.

12. Martin Truex Jr. - Knockin' on heaven's door.

Long Shot: Clint Bowyer - One of these nights, one of these crazy old nights ...

Power Rankings: Chevy Rock & Roll 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Rankings: It's Bristol, Baby!

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 03:17:00 EST

Filed under: Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

Racing under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway is always exciting, but having missed the last two races, I'm especially looking forward to Saturday night. A new track surface promises side-by-side racing and unpredictability in this high-stakes race on the road to the Chase.
1. Denny Hamlin - Pressure's off, desire to drive the wheels off still on.

2. Kurt Busch - Junior Nation really needs Busch to hit a points wall over the next three races to help our driver out. That's probably not going to happen in Thunder Valley, where Busch is tied with Jeff Gordon for most wins by a current driver (5).
3. Matt Kenseth - He ranks first at Bristol Motor Speedway in Driver Rating, Average Running Position, Fastest Laps Run, Green Flag Speed and Laps in the Top 15. Twice in the last four races here, he's been the first to cross the finish line.
4. Tony Stewart - He led the most laps here in March but couldn't find victory lane. He's getting better directions these days.
5. Jeff Gordon - "We really don't care where we finish, unless it's first. I'd rather be ahead by 10 or 20 points than tied."

6. Kyle Busch - His only win this season came here in March. A repeat would greatly improve his seed position for the Chase.
7. Kevin Harvick - An RCR victory would break the three-way owner tie for most wins between Childress, Jack Roush and Roger Penske..
8. Jeff Burton - Calling all sponsors. Eh ... better not use an AT&T phone.
Long Shot. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Been there, done that. But not lately: "It was only a few years back (2004) when we were struggling after I got burnt (in a sports car crash), and we came in here and won the Busch and the Cup races that weekend. That was a great boost for the whole team, and it meant a lot to me personally to win at Bristol. Maybe we can do it again Saturday night."

Maybe? I would've rather heard a "Hell yeah we can do it again!"

Fanhouse Power Rankings: It's Bristol, Baby! originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 03:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan II

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Richard Childress Racing, Kyle Busch

The Nextel Cup regulars will welcome themselves back to the 2-mile D-shape that is Michigan International Speedway this weekend for the 3M Performance 400. Last year's winner, Matt Kenseth, looks to pick up only his second win of the 2007 campaign at a track that teammate Carl Edwards took the victory at in June.

1. Matt Kenseth - He's due, and Roush Racing just never has an off day at Michigan or California

2. Carl Edwards - Cousin Carl will be good, but he's already in next year's All-Star race -- so he's happy.

3. Tony Stewart - Three-in-a-row is tough to do, but it is summertime and weirder things have happened.
4. Jeff Gordon - Speaking of weirder things, Gordon has some confidence to rebuild this weekend after last week's mishap with 2 to go. Oh, and crew chief Steve Letarte is back.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Think his engine will make it 400 miles? Is Junior starting to count the days?

6. Denny Hamlin - Strong everywhere so you know it'll happen for him at Michigan.

7. Kyle Busch - He's had an exciting week with the Gibbs announcement. Will the stupid comments resume now that he has a place to land?

8. Juan Pablo Montoya - Told the world on ESPN his worst moment so far was wrecking at MIS in June. With the incident behind last week, Montoya should be looking to prove why he's here.

9. Kevin Harvick - Should've won at Fontana, shouldn't have gotten into it with Montoya. But hey, it happens.

10. Jimmie Johnson - How strong will he and Chad Knaus be with their first weekend back at the racetrack together?

Wildcard: Jeff Burton - The ~~AT&T~~ Cingular driver hasn't been too worried about making the Chase, but the accident last week with JPM and Harvick hurt in the points. He needs to step it up, but hasn't as of late.

Longshot: Clint Bowyer - He nearly had the win a year ago at Michigan before his motor blew up very late in the race. It's time for Bowyer to find Nextel Cup victory lane.

FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan II originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pennsylvania 500

tallglassofmilk — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:14:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Montoya, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

Nextel Cup returns to Pocono Raceway on the way to the Chase. Only a dozen or so current drivers have managed to bring home a win at the tri-oval and only a handful of them have done it recently.
1. Denny Hamlin. He ruined his perfect record at Pocono when he finished 6th in June despite leading the most laps. But Hamlin's had three wins in his young Nextel Cup career and two of them came at Pocono. The only driver to keep him out of victory lane this weekend might be his teammate.
2. Tony Stewart. The second half of the season has begun and apparently Smoke wants to win races now--and he'll move whoever he needs to out of the way to get there whether it's his teammate ... or his Busch boss ... or ...
3. Kurt Busch. It hasn't all fit together for Busch this season, but he's only one spot away from Chase contention. They've put together a few solid runs of late and this weekend should be no exception.
4. Jeff Gordon. Won here in June and is probably bringing the same car back for a repeat. Ella would like to see the inside of victory lane, please.
5. Ryan Newman. He led 20 laps and brought home a 2nd place finish here in June. He's only got a few more weeks to prove he's championship material. He needs at least a top 10 finish at Pocono or those championship hopes are right out the window.
6. Martin Truex Jr. He was on a roll for a minute there, but that seems to be over. Still, he finished 3rd here in June and has quite a desire to hold on to his position in the Chase. That desire ought to drive him right to the front.
Long shot. Jimmie Johnson. Remember when he swept here in 2004? Yeah, me neither. And he finished 42nd here in June. If only Chad were there. He'd ~~have something up his sleeve~~ pull something out of his a** to discontinue Johnson's downward slide. I wonder what he has in store for The Glen.
Wild card. Juan Pablo Montoya. Ugh. I really wanted to give the wild card to the #42's former driver, Casey Mears, who finished 4th here in June. But my instincts had other ideas.

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pennsylvania 500 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Indy

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:52:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

NASCAR returns to Indianapolis this weekend with the 14th edition of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. ESPN takes the television coverage reigns at 1:00pm/ET on Sunday.

1. Jeff Gordon - He's got four wins at his kinda-hometown track. Five would be a oval track record at the speedway.

2. Tony Stewart - Got the win in Chicago, Indy could be a good chance for the hometown boy to make up ground in the Chase seeding.

3. Jimmie Johnson - Started in top-5 last year, fell back to 39th, and then won. Can't count him out.
4. Jeff Burton - He led 87 laps at Indy in 2006. Maybe he can finish the job?

5. Denny Hamlin - There hasn't been too much noise from the No. 11 since his win at New Hampshire. Flat tracks are his thing and Indy should bode well for that.

6. Matt Kenseth - The Roush driver always does the Matt Kenseth-hang-around-til-the-end at Indy. He hasn't had the season that makes you believe he'll take over at the end.

7. Kevin Harvick - Former Indy winner, he led 18 laps last year en route to a 3rd-place finish.

8. Kasey Kahne - There's gotta be something good from this team soon, right?

Wildcard: Dale Earnhardt Jr. - He's run well at Indy, and he's also run terrible. What kind of impact will the team shakeup this week have on DEI's departing driver?

Longshot: Clint Bowyer - No driver has ever taken their first victory in Nextel Cup at Indy. Bowyer ran well enough to do it last year, and he's more than due.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Indy originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Chicago

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:58:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR Power Rankings, Richard Childress Racing

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. What can I say? I just have a feeling he can Dew it. (That's gonna get old quick, huh?)
2. Kevin Harvick. Hearing that Kyle Busch might be joining RCR just might be the boost Harvick needs to get past him in the standings. He does not want to be third man when Shrub arrives.
3. Tony Stewart. Just remember, if he gets the win, it will be somebody else's fault. Or is that only when he doesn't win?
4. Matt Kenseth. Chicagoland Speedway owes him.

5. Jeff Gordon. Just when I thought he'd stopped whining, he had to go and whine it up.
6. Jimmie Johnson. It's near impossible to come up with something for this guy week in and week out. If only he would do something interesting or say something stupid like, "I don't think it's NASCAR's responsibility to test for abuse of illegal substances," a little more often.
7. Kyle Busch. He can get by without a little help from his friends.

8. Carl Edwards. He's a little overdue for a backflip in front of the close to home crowd.
9. Denny Hamlin. Overcame his 43rd place finish in Daytona by renting a 700' house boat on Lake Norman and enjoying the company every "single" girl in Cornelius, N.C.. Get that boy some Powerade. Stat! With all those phone numbers to fulfill, the newly single playboy is going to have to continuously refuel if he's to have enough energy to go all the way on Sunday.
10. Ryan Newman. His season has gone to the dogs.

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Chicago originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Power Rankings: Race to the Chase

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Kyle Busch

The last five races at New Hampshire International Speedway have been won by five different drivers, as have the last five July races. Add the COT to the mix and it's anybody's guess who wins this weekend. Instead, we're going to look at who holds the power heading into the first of ten races to the chase.

1. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Except for having babies, this pair does everything together. Too bad for them there aren't two Nextel Cups. Their mission: to out race each other for the most wins--without their crew chiefs--to be the top seeded driver in the chase.
2. Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart. Together they have racked up eight top 5 finishes and 21 top 10s and have led a combined 1,322 laps. But neither has been able to find victory lane yet this season. Their mission: to make a few of their led laps count.

3. Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. The Roush Red Sox have a win apiece in 2007, but neither has been able to find their groove. Their mission: to make their manufacturer--and partners on the field--proud.
4. Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick. Burton has been going the wrong way in the standings, Harvick is fighting his way back up. Their mission: to reclaim Richard Childress Racing's position as a dominant team and to overthrow NASCAR's official sponsors.
5. Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer. Shrub is looking for his second chase, Bowyer his first. Both have the skill, determination and resources to pull it off. Their mission: to keep distractions to a minimum and keep up with their teammates.
6. Martin Truex Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr. One new team leader looking to make make his first chase, one lame duck looking for his last at DEI. They currently sit in the 11th and 12th spots. Their mission: to keep someone else out of the chase besides themselves and make each other proud.
7. Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray. Both drivers have shown promise, but neither has produced results. Their mission: to prove they can set the pace at the checkers as well as on the pole.
Wild card. Mark Martin. He says he won't run enough races to make it, but he never says never. His mission: to have fun.

NASCAR Power Rankings: Race to the Chase originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhouse Power Rankings: Infineon Raceway

tallglassofmilk — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:38:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Terry Labonte, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Dodge, Toyota, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Ricky Rudd

1. Jeff Gordon. This place is heaven for Gordon. Last year he announced his engagement, this year he's having a baby. If Ingrid's not giving birth on Sunday, Jeffy will be out front in Sonoma. He is by far the dominant driver on the track with five poles, five wins and nine top 10s. If he has to miss one race, this shouldn't be it.
(Update: The kid is out and the race is on.)
2. Tony Stewart. He's the head of the class if Gordon's out. Maybe his 300th Nextel Cup career start will jump start his 2007 win column with his 30th career win.
3. Denny Hamlin. Only one start here, but that shouldn't stop him. This is a COT race. The COT owes him.
4. Martin Truex Jr. He too has only one start here. So what. He's on fire.

5. Kurt Busch. One of the Busch Bros. needs some good news. It would be just like this one to do something really annoying and win his first week out with a new crew chief.

6. Ricky Rudd. His last race won was here in June five years ago. He's got as good a shot of anyone being in the right place at the right time.
Ringer. Boris Said. He's finished in the top 10 in three of the last four races--as good or better than most of the full-time Cup drivers. Speaking of Boris, check out his fancy footwork:

Long Shot. Terry Labonte. It's only right to have a Toyota in the rankings for the manufacturer's first sponsored race. Texas Terry will have no trouble victory lane if they put him in a decent car--and there seems to be a decent possibility of that these days.

Hey, didn't this used to be Dodge's race?

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Infineon Raceway originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

1. Ryan Newman - Michigan is a track that's wide open and smooth -- both of which will put the strong Penske power in victory lane.

2. Jeff Gordon - He's got something to prove now that that Junior character is going to be hanging around the shop. Like making it 5 wins this season.

3. Matt Kenseth - Ford will do better at MIS, but Kenseth should have the upper hand. He won at the sister to this place at California in February.

4. Carl Edwards - Improving every week it seems, it's time to shave that hauler driver's beard. And apparently, metal detecting has become a hobby of Edwards. Needless to say, boy needs to win a race.

5. Jimmie Johnson - Face it, you can't ever count him out.

6. Kevin Harvick - He would have started the season 2-2 if not for a blown tire at California. The car should be good this weekend, too.

7. Tony Stewart - He ran third at MIS last fall and is past winner. He just fits in somewhere.

8. Greg Biffle - Two top-10s last season at MIS should get Biffle's season back on track with a nice run.

9. Denny Hamlin - I'm tired of the excuses from this bunch. Put up or shut up.

10. Mark Martin - Every time he races it seems he's near the front. He's had a decent history at MIS.

Wildcard - Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Dude had a big announcement this week: will that hurt or help his current team?

Longshot - Kasey Kahne - Evernham is rumored to bringing the 2006 nose for Michigan. Last year's winner could make some noise just in time for Detroit to care.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pocono I

tallglassofmilk — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:30:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

1. Denny Hamlin. Can he go 3 for 3? Hell to the yeah. He got his first Cup win in last year's Pocono 500 having never driven the track except in a video game. He followed up by dominating and repeating in the Pennsylvania 500. His only two wins to date. So far this season, he trails only champions (Gordon, Stewart, Johnson) in laps led. He knows which lap to lead here.
2. Kurt Busch. It pains me, but if he isn't parked in the garage, he's liable to find a parking spot in victory lane.
3. Kevin Harvick. He's been a little too quiet since Daytona. I don't expect that to continue.
4. Mark Martin. He's already got 4 tops 5s and 6 tops 10s in just 10 races this season. A win here makes up for a few lost points, but more importantly, it improves his seeding in the Chase.
5. Tony Stewart. If he can steer clear of Busch Bro. #1 and Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman and ... speaking of Newman ...

6. Ryan Newman. If he can just figure out how to be fastest when there are other race cars on the track with him ...

7. Brian Vickers. He knows his shapes and has never started worse than 10th at the tricky triangle, so he shouldn't have any trouble qualifying. Once on the track, his driver rating here is second only to Hamlin.
8. Carl Edwards. He either needs a win or an exterminator.

Wild Bill Elliott Card. Awesome Bill from Dawsonville will be the winningest driver on the track. Think the old man still know how to find victory lane?

What? A power rankings without a Hendrick car? Hey ... we can dream, right?

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pocono I originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dover I

tallglassofmilk — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:20:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Jamie McMurray, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

1. Jamie McMurray. A year ago, he missed the win by .787 seconds. This year, Crown Royal gave up millions worth of exposure to allow JMac to run a special autism paint scheme for the cause that is near and dear to his heart. The driver's firesuit and helmet will be worth more if they visit victory lane before being auctioned for The Jamie McMurray Foundation. No driver will be trying harder to get there.
2. Jeff Gordon. If Gordon's not in the delivery room, look for him to visit victory lane for the fifth time. Who is his backup driver this weekend?
3. Mark Martin. This is only Martin's third COT race and if we were talking about another driver, that might actually matter, but this one has found his way to victory lane in all three of NASCAR's premier series, so I don't guess it matters too much what he's driving.
4. Jimmie Johnson. What? You're tired of seeing Hendrick drivers dominate? Me too. But Johnson's already won two COT races, and they only account for half of his season wins to date. He's hardly finished with victory lane.
5. Matt Kenseth. The defending race champion is looking for the second win of the season for himself and Ford. If not for running out of gas in September, he'd have swept last year.
6. Jeff Burton. The defending track champion is also looking for his second win. Hopefully, he is also looking for AT&T paint scheme 2.0--the Cingular orange has got to go.
7. Denny Hamlin. Has led the most laps in the COT and has had five top 3 finishes this season, three of them in the COT. He's gonna get there one of these days.
Wildcard. Tony Stewart. He sucked here last year, but still has the best average finish among active drivers in the pre-COT era. Still, Smoke hasn't been able to close the deal yet this season despite trailing only his teammate for most laps led in the COT. If fate has even one lap in store for him in Dover I hope it's the last one. Nobody likes an unhappy Tony.

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dover I originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 30 May 2007 04:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Charlotte

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 23 May 2007 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Kurt Busch, Juan Montoya, Lowes Motor Speedway, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

The 'other race' on a race fan's 1100-mile dream day waves the green flag on Sunday afternoon at 5:40pm/ET for NASCAR's longest event. FOX will have coverage live from Lowe's Motor Speedway starting at 5:00pm/ET. Kasey Kahne won last year's event -- one of his six victories last season. He'll look to recapture that magic and tackle Jimmie Johnson, always a favorite at LMS, Sunday night.

1. Jimmie Johnson - You can't hold Jimmie down for long at LMS. He got a whiff of victory from 2nd-place last Saturday night. Sunday he'll take it all.

2. Jeff Burton - DW was right. Jeff Burton looked very strong in the All-Star race. He also took the checkers at Texas.

3. Jeff Gordon - Charlotte hasn't been kind to Gordo for a while. Would you believe he hasn't won a Coca-Cola 600 since 1998? Or at Charlotte since 1999? You'd better.
4. Mark Martin - Calls LMS one of his favorite tracks and had a great run in the All-Star race. Poss-i-bili-tees.

5. Denny Hamlin - Terrible with new setup during the All-Star weekend, Hamlin might be able to run something better.

6. Carl Edwards - He's been magic in Busch races at LMS. It's about time that transferred to Cup.

7. Tony Stewart - 600 miles is a long way for Stewart to go without getting into some shenanigans. Dark horse favorite, though.

8. Matt Kenseth - Give this man clean air and say goodbye.

9. Kurt Busch - I hope he didn't want to race the All-Star car this weekend. It was ugly anyways.

10. Kyle Busch - Ditto. Except his was ugly after the wreck.

Wildcard: Juan Pablo Montoya - He won't make a bonehead mistake this time around in turn 1, but will he last 600 miles?

Longshot: Bobby Labonte - This team has to turn it around at some point. Why not make it Charlotte? Bobby does love LMS.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Charlotte originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 23 May 2007 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Darlington

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 09 May 2007 14:43:00 EST

Filed under: Darlington Raceway, NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup

Last year's Nextel Cup action saw Greg Biffle head to victory lane for the 2nd year in a row at Darlington. He'll try and make it 3 in a row Saturday night when FOX picks up coverage of the Dodge Avenger 500 live from the Lady in Black. Coverage starts at 6:30pm/ET live on Saturday night.

1. Jeff Gordon - The last time the FanHouse picked a Hendrick driver to win, the occasion was Easter. Since then, Hendrick Motorsports has won 3 of 4 races. We're getting on the bandwagon late, but how can you pick against them in a COT race? And Gordon has a pretty nice record at Darlington.

2. Greg Biffle - It's been two wins out of the last two tries for the Biff at Darlington. COT or not, he's been stout there, and it's a nice way for Ford to show that it actually races in the Nextel Cup Series again.

3. Jimmie Johnson - Before Biffle's 2-fer, Johnson had the same feat, winning two in a row. Can you honestly pick against those eyebrows -- ever?

4. Kurt Busch - Ricky Craven got the better of him in one of the most thrilling finishes ever at Darlington in 2003. I'd imagine he's still a little bitter that a win at Darlington hasn't come. The Penske team seems to be on the upswing.

5. Jeff Burton - After an engine failure at Richmond, Burton heads to a bread and butter track for him. He's run 24 races at Darlington and only had 1 DNF with 2 wins. He was 9th a year ago.

6. Ryan Newman - "Hello, Newman" makes his first appearance in power rankings in a while. Two top 10's in a row coupled with modest success at Darlington in the past combine to make this weekend look awful positive for Newman.

7. Kyle Busch - A top 10 a year ago, a win in the Busch series, and oh yeah -- he's driving a Hendrick car. That's money in the bank.

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - His first race at Darlington finished in a crash. He's finished every one since then, including four straight in the top 15. Consistency is a nice attribute for racing at The Lady in Black.

9. Matt Kenseth - Kenseth led 64 laps a year ago and finished 3rd. His smooth driving style seems to fit this place.

10. Denny Hamlin - This Gibbs driver has the equipment to get it done at Darlington and he seems to have apapted well after scoring a top 10 last season and also picking up the Busch Series victory.

Longshot: Ward Burton - He's got two wins at Darlington. A decent run for him isn't out of the question.

Wildcard: Tony Stewart - After 14 starts at Darlington, Tony has only led 8 laps at Darlington with 2 top 5's. Average finish? 12th. It's a tough call with Stewart.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Darlington originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 09 May 2007 14:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Richmond

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 02 May 2007 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Richard Childress Racing

Saturday night, the Nextel Cup stars invade Richmond International Raceway for the third short-track race of the season. With the COT having four races under its belt, it's back to racing on a 3/4 mile D-shaped oval for 400 laps. Two grooves are expected to develop for the driver's to work with, so enjoy a fun race. FOX has coverage beginning at 7:00pm/ET Saturday night with the race starting about 35 minutes after that.

1. Denny Hamlin - One of Virginia's native sons, Denny Hamlin has been on a roll this season during the middle of several races. This week, he'll finish it.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - He's got a nice record at Richmond. Isn't it time he showed DEI what they could be missing?

3. Tony Stewart - It's been a rough couple of weeks around the FanHouse for ol' Smoke. Maybe Saturday night the only thing we'll be able to write about is his finish. Ha, nevermind. Controversy follows Tony everywhere. And we love it.
4. Jeff Gordon - I just have a nagging feeling that one of these days, Gordon isn't going to finish strongly. He's been terrible at Richmond as of late -- could it be sign of Jeff Gordon's 2007 campaign being human?

5. Jeff Burton - He's got his win at Texas. Now he's just going to cruise into the Chase.

6. Matt Kenseth - Faded at Talladega last week, so he needs a good run Saturday. Remember when he came back from two laps down to win at RIR? Now if only he was in a Chevy...

7. Kurt Busch - This Penske team is improving drastically each week. The other? Well, not so much. Busch should be knocking on the door for a top 5.

8. Jimmie Johnson - Nothing about this team seems to stick out for Richmond, but he's gotta be in the top 10, right? His average finish is 21st at RIR, however.

9. Kyle Busch - The Shrub will be elated to run 400 laps and not hit anything. The last few weeks have had to have taken a toll on his confidence.

10. Kasey Kahne - His first Nextel Cup win and 3 top-10's at RIR could be a confidence boost for a good run this weekend. He's just trying to salvage his season at this point.

Longshot: Dave Blaney - If his Bill Davis Racing Toyota makes the field, Blaney could turn it into a nice run. He ran fourth at Richmond last fall and has 5 career top-20 finishes.

Wildcard: Kevin Harvick - It's hit or miss with this team so far in 2007. The Daytona 500 champ won the last time NASCAR visited Richmond and his last four finishes have been in the top-10.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Richmond originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 02 May 2007 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Talladega

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Talladega Superspeedway

Talladega. The sound of it is enough to make any NASCAR fan's heart race. 500 miles of full-throttle three-wide racing. What's not to like? Jimmie Johnson won last year's edition, taking the first race of the Hendrick sweep at Talladega in 2006. Choosing a victor at Talladega is like eating healthy at McDonald's -- there's too much that can happen to get in the way of it. Anyways, here goes.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Talladega is always a great place for Dale Jr. to bounce back into thick of things. Big Red was on his way to a victory last fall until Brian Vickers showed up. He'll do it on his Daddy's birthday

2. Jeff Gordon - Gordon will undoubtedly have a strong car, but Talladega could be the place where something else could derail this magical start to a season.

3. Jimmie Johnson - Bad day at Texas, could never get all the way to the front at Phoenix, and last year at 'Dega, contact from Brian Vickers kept him from making it 3 of 4 in restrictor plate racing. He'll be strong.

4. Matt Kenseth - Kenseth always seems to hang around the front of restrictor plate races but he can't ever finish the job. He's got 3 top fives at Talladega and has finished on the lead lap there 10 of 14 times.

5. Tony Stewart - Half of Tony's finishes at Talladega are in the top five and he's finished 2nd six times at the Alabama track. Zero wins, however, might tell the tale of the tape for this weekend, too. Maybe he can find the media center this weekend, though.

6. Martin Truex Jr. - A fifth place finish in the fall at Talladega was no joke. He's won the last three Busch races there and will be drafting with Dale Jr. all day. This will be one of his better shots to win all year.

7. Kevin Harvick - His car wasn't really that great at Daytona, he just had a great draft towards the end. 2 for 2 in restrictor plate wins? That'll surprise me.

8. Kurt Busch - Kurt was very stout at Daytona, but that car has since been destroyed. Kurt will be decent though -- two top 10s at Talladega in 2006 with Penske.

9. Jeff Burton - I doubt his State Farm Insurance adjuster really wants him racing, and he'll take the cautious approach to Sunday's drafting session. He did finish 4th a year ago.

10. Kyle Busch - The last time Busch was at Talladega, he led 10 laps en route to finishing 11th. It was also the first time he finished a Cup race at 'Dega on the lead lap.

Wildcard & Longshot - The entire field. For all we know, the "Big One" could happen on Lap 1 and Kyle Petty could be the only car to sneak through to win it.

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Talladega originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Power Rankings: Phoenix, Return of COT

tallglassofmilk — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Phoenix, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Ford, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., NASCAR Power Rankings, Nextel Cup, Richard Childress Racing

The car of tomorrow returns this weekend, which likely means Chevy domination.

Only three teams have won races so far this season. Only ten drivers have recorded wins at Phoenix.

Does anyone outside these four teams really have a shot?

	Jeff Burton has finished outside the Top 5 only twice this season. He and his teammate Kevin Harvick have posted the most wins of all drivers at Phoenix (2), along with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who, for the purposes of this week's power rankings, is an honorary RCR team member--DEI didn't make it in, and Jeff Gordon might cry if I throw him in with Hendrick.
	Kyle Busch is the only team member with a win at PIR, but with 3 wins under his belt, Jimmie Johnson is likely to be a factor. Gordon is still on top of the points standings and has posted 7 Top 5s and 13 Top 10s here, but has never won a Cup race in Phoenix. Will he ever win another race? I hope not.
	They're not Chevys, but Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth are the only Ford drivers to finish with Top 10s in the COT races and Kenseth is the only non-Childress, non-Hendrick driver to win yet this season. Former Roush driver Mark Martin makes his COT debut and is looking to make his was back into the Top 10.
	Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart and his teammate have logged the most laps led in the COT. Assuming Smoke doesn't officially hang up the steering wheel before the week's end, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. A certain Colombian native might want to steer clear of the Columbus native.

Power Rankings: Phoenix, Return of COT originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorsports FanHouse

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Happy Thanksgiving at 190 MPH

Fanhouse Power Ranking: Subway 500

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Talladega COT

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dodge Dealers 400

Power Rankings: Chevy Rock & Roll 400

Fanhouse Power Rankings: It's Bristol, Baby!

FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan II

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pennsylvania 500

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Indy

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Chicago

NASCAR Power Rankings: Race to the Chase

Fanhouse Power Rankings: Infineon Raceway

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Michigan

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Pocono I

NASCAR Fanhouse Power Rankings: Dover I

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Charlotte

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Darlington

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Richmond

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings: Talladega

Power Rankings: Phoenix, Return of COT

NASCAR FanHouse Power Rankings:
Happy Thanksgiving at 190 MPH