Lee Spencer
FOXSports.com, Updated 1 hour ago
For a twist following an off-week, Power Rankings looks at the organizations behind the drivers hoping to maintain positions among the top 35.
What are the teams' strengths? Who is vulnerable? How will each organization persevere over the final seven races before the Chase to the Championship begins? If Silly Season has been nuts prior to the Chase, waits until the dominos start falling in September.
With the DEI-Ginn merger, Chevrolet has lost two teams while Hendrick Motorsports' weekly engine count now drops to six or seven depending which cars are running. If and when Richard Childress expands to four teams, the engine initiative between RCR and DEI jumps to eight full-time programs.
Robert Yates Racing is looking to ramp up with an infusion of new blood from Newman/Haas/Lanigan after spiraling over the last 18 months. Also needing a bump is Toyota. That could come from Joe Gibbs Racing should that organization commit to making that move. Don't hold your breath on the George Gillett-Ray Evernham merger. That deal has bounced around more that a pinball.
So who benefits? Hendrick and Roush-Fenway. Two powerhouses that have no major shake-ups in the offing with the exception of what is currently known as the No. 5 car.
Here is the week's power rankings:
1. Hendrick Motorsports: HMS is by far the class of the field. Not since 1971 had an organization won five consecutive races. So, there was an off-week at Chicago — if you can call it that when three of the drivers finish in the top 15. The Hendrick juggernaut has not hit a slump, the rest of the field is just finally catching up to them.
2. Richard Childress Racing: RCR is having a bang-up season that started with a jolt from Kevin Harvick winning the Daytona 500. Jeff Burton backed that up with a Texas two-step. RCR has run toe-to-toe with HMS without the flash. Clint Bowyer has come into his own and should be the next breakout winner on the tour.
3. Roush-Fenway Racing: Only Hendrick has more wins per individual driver. Still needs to return Greg Biffle's team to previous glory. Once Biffle makes his 3M announcement at Indy and reaffirms his commitment to the No. 16, RFR should remain out of the tabloids for the remainder of the year and be able to concentrate on racing.
4. Joe Gibbs Racing: With Stewart's overdue win, this organization maintains its position as one of the sport's premier organizations. JGR has contended on a weekly basis and will easily qualify two drivers for the Chase. A transition to Toyota might stagnate progress — but not for long. Its farm club program is the best on the circuit.
5. Dale Earnhardt Inc.: Acquisition of Ginn Racing not only satisfies the organization's expansion goal, the merger elevates DEI in the NASCAR hierarchy. The move will pool some of the sport's top resources and also guarantees rookie Paul Menard will receive the necessary seat time to gain the necessary experience to help him contend in 2008.
6. Penske Racing: At the top of the Dodge pecking order. Two top-10s at Chicagoland shows Penske's advanced with its intermediate program. Alas, those cars will be relics after 2007. The improvements at PR have benefited both teams — which appear to be working closer together than ever. The addition of Kurt Busch's crew chief Pat Tryson provides PR with a true team player.
7. Ganassi Racing: Juan Pablo Montoya's fifth-place finish at Atlanta and eighth-place Texas run were the highlights before his predictable win at Sonoma. The rookie sensation is CGR's only driver in the top 20. Reed Sorenson has two top-10s but is mired by DNFs. David Stremme was the most consistent but has just one top-10. Ganassi has finished in the top 10 in points just once since merging with Felix Sabates in 2001.
8. Petty Enterprises: A nice surprise in the NASCAR landscape. Bobby Labonte has made tremendous gains for the organization and Petty would like to extend the former Cup champ's contract. However, Labonte name is cropping up as a potential candidate for RCR's fourth team. Experimenting with John Andretti and Chad McCumbee has produced positive results.
9. Evernham Motorsports: This cluster is the enigma of the year. How does an organization that shined so brightly with Kasey Kahne crash and burn to the extent Evernham has this season? Scott Riggs isn't even qualifying for races. Even Dr. Eric Warren recently resigned in disgust and with the departure of Dodge as the title sponsor on the Nos. 9 and 19, it's scramble time.
10. Robert Yates Racing: The RYR merger with Carl Haas, Paul Newman and Michael Lanigan is precisely what is needed to move forward. RYR has operated too long with a bare-bones budget and has neglected to do the necessary testing needed to maintain top 20 status. Both drivers are extremely talented and would benefit from the possible addition of J.J. Yeley.
11. Robby Gordon Motorsports: Gordon has plenty of heart, talent and determination. Despite his owner/operator status, Gordon has persevered and dropped out of the top 25 only after a 36th-place finish at Chicago. With a full-time sponsor, Gordon could easily contend in the top 20. A marked improvement has been apparent since the addition of crew chief Gene Nead.
12. Haas-CNC Racing: The Haas relationship with Hendrick and the addition of a 7-post shaker machine has paid technological dividends. However, both cars still remain outside the top 30. Despite naming Joe Custer as the teams' owners at Sonoma, it's been status quo. Johnny Sauter's performances don't mirror the results. If it's bigger than a mile, Jeff Green might as well stay home.
FOXSports.com, Updated 1 hour ago
For a twist following an off-week, Power Rankings looks at the organizations behind the drivers hoping to maintain positions among the top 35.
What are the teams' strengths? Who is vulnerable? How will each organization persevere over the final seven races before the Chase to the Championship begins? If Silly Season has been nuts prior to the Chase, waits until the dominos start falling in September.
With the DEI-Ginn merger, Chevrolet has lost two teams while Hendrick Motorsports' weekly engine count now drops to six or seven depending which cars are running. If and when Richard Childress expands to four teams, the engine initiative between RCR and DEI jumps to eight full-time programs.
Robert Yates Racing is looking to ramp up with an infusion of new blood from Newman/Haas/Lanigan after spiraling over the last 18 months. Also needing a bump is Toyota. That could come from Joe Gibbs Racing should that organization commit to making that move. Don't hold your breath on the George Gillett-Ray Evernham merger. That deal has bounced around more that a pinball.
So who benefits? Hendrick and Roush-Fenway. Two powerhouses that have no major shake-ups in the offing with the exception of what is currently known as the No. 5 car.
Here is the week's power rankings:
1. Hendrick Motorsports: HMS is by far the class of the field. Not since 1971 had an organization won five consecutive races. So, there was an off-week at Chicago — if you can call it that when three of the drivers finish in the top 15. The Hendrick juggernaut has not hit a slump, the rest of the field is just finally catching up to them.
2. Richard Childress Racing: RCR is having a bang-up season that started with a jolt from Kevin Harvick winning the Daytona 500. Jeff Burton backed that up with a Texas two-step. RCR has run toe-to-toe with HMS without the flash. Clint Bowyer has come into his own and should be the next breakout winner on the tour.
3. Roush-Fenway Racing: Only Hendrick has more wins per individual driver. Still needs to return Greg Biffle's team to previous glory. Once Biffle makes his 3M announcement at Indy and reaffirms his commitment to the No. 16, RFR should remain out of the tabloids for the remainder of the year and be able to concentrate on racing.
4. Joe Gibbs Racing: With Stewart's overdue win, this organization maintains its position as one of the sport's premier organizations. JGR has contended on a weekly basis and will easily qualify two drivers for the Chase. A transition to Toyota might stagnate progress — but not for long. Its farm club program is the best on the circuit.
5. Dale Earnhardt Inc.: Acquisition of Ginn Racing not only satisfies the organization's expansion goal, the merger elevates DEI in the NASCAR hierarchy. The move will pool some of the sport's top resources and also guarantees rookie Paul Menard will receive the necessary seat time to gain the necessary experience to help him contend in 2008.
6. Penske Racing: At the top of the Dodge pecking order. Two top-10s at Chicagoland shows Penske's advanced with its intermediate program. Alas, those cars will be relics after 2007. The improvements at PR have benefited both teams — which appear to be working closer together than ever. The addition of Kurt Busch's crew chief Pat Tryson provides PR with a true team player.
7. Ganassi Racing: Juan Pablo Montoya's fifth-place finish at Atlanta and eighth-place Texas run were the highlights before his predictable win at Sonoma. The rookie sensation is CGR's only driver in the top 20. Reed Sorenson has two top-10s but is mired by DNFs. David Stremme was the most consistent but has just one top-10. Ganassi has finished in the top 10 in points just once since merging with Felix Sabates in 2001.
8. Petty Enterprises: A nice surprise in the NASCAR landscape. Bobby Labonte has made tremendous gains for the organization and Petty would like to extend the former Cup champ's contract. However, Labonte name is cropping up as a potential candidate for RCR's fourth team. Experimenting with John Andretti and Chad McCumbee has produced positive results.
9. Evernham Motorsports: This cluster is the enigma of the year. How does an organization that shined so brightly with Kasey Kahne crash and burn to the extent Evernham has this season? Scott Riggs isn't even qualifying for races. Even Dr. Eric Warren recently resigned in disgust and with the departure of Dodge as the title sponsor on the Nos. 9 and 19, it's scramble time.
10. Robert Yates Racing: The RYR merger with Carl Haas, Paul Newman and Michael Lanigan is precisely what is needed to move forward. RYR has operated too long with a bare-bones budget and has neglected to do the necessary testing needed to maintain top 20 status. Both drivers are extremely talented and would benefit from the possible addition of J.J. Yeley.
11. Robby Gordon Motorsports: Gordon has plenty of heart, talent and determination. Despite his owner/operator status, Gordon has persevered and dropped out of the top 25 only after a 36th-place finish at Chicago. With a full-time sponsor, Gordon could easily contend in the top 20. A marked improvement has been apparent since the addition of crew chief Gene Nead.
12. Haas-CNC Racing: The Haas relationship with Hendrick and the addition of a 7-post shaker machine has paid technological dividends. However, both cars still remain outside the top 30. Despite naming Joe Custer as the teams' owners at Sonoma, it's been status quo. Johnny Sauter's performances don't mirror the results. If it's bigger than a mile, Jeff Green might as well stay home.