S
stridsberry
Guest
While Ryan Newman still leads the ratings, his lead is down to a scant few points over Tony Stewart. Drivers making large gains were Johnny Benson and Kurt Busch; taking a major hit were Matt Kenseth and Bill Elliott.
1. (1) RYAN NEWMAN 151.7
The brakes were fading late, but Ryan still managed to get a decent finish and remain on the fringe of the title chase.
2. (2) TONY STEWART 148.8
The car was awesome early, but a late backslide cost him precious positions – and points.
3. (3) JIMMIE JOHNSON 131.3
Probably is the most legitimate threat to Tony’s title quest – even with Mark lurking in the shadows.
4. (9) KURT BUSCH 129.8
Recovered from an early spin to bookend the short-track races of the season. And to think that last year, he didn’t have a single top-10 finish on a short-track.
5. (4) DALE EARNHARDT JR. 128.4
Ever since Dale came clean about his injuries, he’s been hot to trot. Rusty and Ricky C., among others, would beg to differ.
6. (5) RUSTY WALLACE 123.2
Rusty was the guy who suggested grinding the track. And it still didn’t help him snap out of his 2-year short-track funk.
7. (8) DALE JARRETT 120.4
Dale’s just kept hammering away, and he’s finally gotten up to the top-10 in points.
8. (7) MARK MARTIN 115.5
Let me get this straight – Mark finished ahead of Tony, but actually LOST one point to him. Can anyone tell me how that’s fair?
9. (10) RICKY RUDD 114.4
It wasn’t the 2 lost laps that kept Ricky from challenging for the win; it was constantly getting boxed into his pit stall that did him in.
10. (6) MATT KENSETH 113
These last two weeks have been murder on Matt’s point position. Now it looks like he won’t even make it to the top-5, never mind the championship.
11. (12) MICHAEL WALTRIP 108.4
Steady-but-unspectacular day that nonetheless kept him in 15th in points.
12. (14) MARLIN/McMURRAY/BLISS 107.4
And up to bat is Mike Bliss, the latest pinch-hitter…and he lines a sharp grounder to the gap in right! A 14th for pinch-hitter Bliss!
13. (11) JEFF GORDON 106.9
In a typical Martinsville race, you can be three laps down and still end up around 25th. But this wasn’t a typical race. Say good-bye to the title.
14. (15) JEFF BURTON 101.4
I don’t think that other Jeff is too keen on you, Jeff. How do you explain away a wall-banger?
15. (17) BOBBY LABONTE 100.9
Fact: of Bobby’s six top-10 finishes this season, only one has been at a superspeedway (over one mile) (Charlotte). Odd? You bet.
16. (13) JEFF GREEN 97.4
How lonely it must have been, at the halfway mark and still one of only 2 or 3 lapped cars. It got a little better, though.
17. (24) JOHNNY BENSON 95.3
Johnny, did you hear what Kurt said? He said you’re a real professional! How are we going to get your head back in the racecar?
18. (21) RICKY CRAVEN 94.7
During the middle stages of the race, it looked like nobody could touch Ricky. But the handling went south big-time at the end. On the upside, it’s a new career high for top-10s.
19. (19) ROBBY GORDON 94.1
Ol’ Rubby didn’t do too bad on the ol’ short track. And he didn’t do anything to get in hot water with NASCAR either. Astounding!
20. (16) BILL ELLIOTT 92.6
It looked like Bill would have at least a top-10 finish. But with one spin to the wall, he’s no longer even in the top-10 in points.
21. (18) KEVIN HARVICK 92.1
I guess Kevin was still a little rusty from not having run this race in the spring.
22. (20) DAVE BLANEY 86.5
Just another top-20. Nothing more, nothing less. But guess what – we’re going to ATLANTA!
23. (22) JEREMY MAYFIELD 83.7
Off the straight and into the turn! Jeremy’s getting’ nailed by Dale Jr.!
24. (26) JOHN ANDRETTI 83.2
It was a very good race, considering how poorly he started. And double-digit top-20s for the season!
25. (23) KYLE PETTY 79.1
Got lapped early…got it back and got into the top-20…ended up going three laps down. All too reminiscent of 2001.
26. (27) WARD BURTON 79
This was Ward’s first non-victory top-5 of the season. He would have gained more ratings spots, but there’s this whole issue of a points penalty…
27. (25) STEVE PARK 76.9
Amazing! Three straight top-20 finishes! I bet Steve is finally having fun again behind the wheel.
28. (30) JIMMY SPENCER 69.5
Used pit strategy to run up front for a while, then sunk like an anchor at the end. And he still managed to irritate Kurt.
29. (32) TERRY LABONTE 69.3
A solid, solid finish. Not up to the lap-leading, 6th place performance of the spring, but it will do.
30. (28) ELLIOTT SADLER 68.6
What can I say? H’s done nothing of late, and it’s making me question how he’ll perform with Yates.
31. (29) KEN SCHRADER 68.5
You know where Kenny has his best finish of the 2000’s? That’s right, Atlanta (8th, 3/01). It gives reason to hope for this next weekend.
32. (33) MIKE WALLACE 59.5
It looked like Mike had a reasonably strong car. But the tires chose not to play nice this time.
33. (31) TODD BODINE 57.2
Todd must have decided to take the day off from p.o.’ing people. Either that, or he paid off his brothers to do so.
34. (34) MIKE SKINNER 56.9
It looks like Mike has got the qualifying thing down pat. Now, about the actual races…
35. (36) JOE NEMECHEK 54.3
Anyone remember hearing about Joe during the (MRN) broadcast? Neither do I. Must have been another bad day.
36. (37) JERRY NADEAU 52.5
Jerry, I thought you were too old to be playing around in go-karts. Right? Right??!!! Turn that thing off and take off the helmet!!
37. (39) BOBBY HAMILTON/GREG BIFFLE 51.3
Wasn’t what I expected of Bobby, considering his highly successful history at the flat tracks.
38. (38) CASEY ATWOOD 51
“I finished 21st and beat Bill. Does that help, Mr. Evernham?” “Of course not; you only beat Bill because he crashed.”
39. (35) KENNY WALLACE 50.3
Well, now the Busch Series won’t be keeping Kenny out of anymore Cup races.
40. (40) BRETT BODINE 42.9
Yes, Virginia, Brett CAN make a race on speed. And he can also hit people. You happy yet, woman?
1. (1) RYAN NEWMAN 151.7
The brakes were fading late, but Ryan still managed to get a decent finish and remain on the fringe of the title chase.
2. (2) TONY STEWART 148.8
The car was awesome early, but a late backslide cost him precious positions – and points.
3. (3) JIMMIE JOHNSON 131.3
Probably is the most legitimate threat to Tony’s title quest – even with Mark lurking in the shadows.
4. (9) KURT BUSCH 129.8
Recovered from an early spin to bookend the short-track races of the season. And to think that last year, he didn’t have a single top-10 finish on a short-track.
5. (4) DALE EARNHARDT JR. 128.4
Ever since Dale came clean about his injuries, he’s been hot to trot. Rusty and Ricky C., among others, would beg to differ.
6. (5) RUSTY WALLACE 123.2
Rusty was the guy who suggested grinding the track. And it still didn’t help him snap out of his 2-year short-track funk.
7. (8) DALE JARRETT 120.4
Dale’s just kept hammering away, and he’s finally gotten up to the top-10 in points.
8. (7) MARK MARTIN 115.5
Let me get this straight – Mark finished ahead of Tony, but actually LOST one point to him. Can anyone tell me how that’s fair?
9. (10) RICKY RUDD 114.4
It wasn’t the 2 lost laps that kept Ricky from challenging for the win; it was constantly getting boxed into his pit stall that did him in.
10. (6) MATT KENSETH 113
These last two weeks have been murder on Matt’s point position. Now it looks like he won’t even make it to the top-5, never mind the championship.
11. (12) MICHAEL WALTRIP 108.4
Steady-but-unspectacular day that nonetheless kept him in 15th in points.
12. (14) MARLIN/McMURRAY/BLISS 107.4
And up to bat is Mike Bliss, the latest pinch-hitter…and he lines a sharp grounder to the gap in right! A 14th for pinch-hitter Bliss!
13. (11) JEFF GORDON 106.9
In a typical Martinsville race, you can be three laps down and still end up around 25th. But this wasn’t a typical race. Say good-bye to the title.
14. (15) JEFF BURTON 101.4
I don’t think that other Jeff is too keen on you, Jeff. How do you explain away a wall-banger?
15. (17) BOBBY LABONTE 100.9
Fact: of Bobby’s six top-10 finishes this season, only one has been at a superspeedway (over one mile) (Charlotte). Odd? You bet.
16. (13) JEFF GREEN 97.4
How lonely it must have been, at the halfway mark and still one of only 2 or 3 lapped cars. It got a little better, though.
17. (24) JOHNNY BENSON 95.3
Johnny, did you hear what Kurt said? He said you’re a real professional! How are we going to get your head back in the racecar?
18. (21) RICKY CRAVEN 94.7
During the middle stages of the race, it looked like nobody could touch Ricky. But the handling went south big-time at the end. On the upside, it’s a new career high for top-10s.
19. (19) ROBBY GORDON 94.1
Ol’ Rubby didn’t do too bad on the ol’ short track. And he didn’t do anything to get in hot water with NASCAR either. Astounding!
20. (16) BILL ELLIOTT 92.6
It looked like Bill would have at least a top-10 finish. But with one spin to the wall, he’s no longer even in the top-10 in points.
21. (18) KEVIN HARVICK 92.1
I guess Kevin was still a little rusty from not having run this race in the spring.
22. (20) DAVE BLANEY 86.5
Just another top-20. Nothing more, nothing less. But guess what – we’re going to ATLANTA!
23. (22) JEREMY MAYFIELD 83.7
Off the straight and into the turn! Jeremy’s getting’ nailed by Dale Jr.!
24. (26) JOHN ANDRETTI 83.2
It was a very good race, considering how poorly he started. And double-digit top-20s for the season!
25. (23) KYLE PETTY 79.1
Got lapped early…got it back and got into the top-20…ended up going three laps down. All too reminiscent of 2001.
26. (27) WARD BURTON 79
This was Ward’s first non-victory top-5 of the season. He would have gained more ratings spots, but there’s this whole issue of a points penalty…
27. (25) STEVE PARK 76.9
Amazing! Three straight top-20 finishes! I bet Steve is finally having fun again behind the wheel.
28. (30) JIMMY SPENCER 69.5
Used pit strategy to run up front for a while, then sunk like an anchor at the end. And he still managed to irritate Kurt.
29. (32) TERRY LABONTE 69.3
A solid, solid finish. Not up to the lap-leading, 6th place performance of the spring, but it will do.
30. (28) ELLIOTT SADLER 68.6
What can I say? H’s done nothing of late, and it’s making me question how he’ll perform with Yates.
31. (29) KEN SCHRADER 68.5
You know where Kenny has his best finish of the 2000’s? That’s right, Atlanta (8th, 3/01). It gives reason to hope for this next weekend.
32. (33) MIKE WALLACE 59.5
It looked like Mike had a reasonably strong car. But the tires chose not to play nice this time.
33. (31) TODD BODINE 57.2
Todd must have decided to take the day off from p.o.’ing people. Either that, or he paid off his brothers to do so.
34. (34) MIKE SKINNER 56.9
It looks like Mike has got the qualifying thing down pat. Now, about the actual races…
35. (36) JOE NEMECHEK 54.3
Anyone remember hearing about Joe during the (MRN) broadcast? Neither do I. Must have been another bad day.
36. (37) JERRY NADEAU 52.5
Jerry, I thought you were too old to be playing around in go-karts. Right? Right??!!! Turn that thing off and take off the helmet!!
37. (39) BOBBY HAMILTON/GREG BIFFLE 51.3
Wasn’t what I expected of Bobby, considering his highly successful history at the flat tracks.
38. (38) CASEY ATWOOD 51
“I finished 21st and beat Bill. Does that help, Mr. Evernham?” “Of course not; you only beat Bill because he crashed.”
39. (35) KENNY WALLACE 50.3
Well, now the Busch Series won’t be keeping Kenny out of anymore Cup races.
40. (40) BRETT BODINE 42.9
Yes, Virginia, Brett CAN make a race on speed. And he can also hit people. You happy yet, woman?
