NASCAR changes its points system!

[twomanymontes]

LOL! Like your back in school, when your worst test score was dropped.

[twomanymontes]

latest standings

Rank Driver Points
1 CARL EDWARDS 256
2 KYLE BUSCH 247
3 MATT KENSETH 243
4 JIMMIE JOHNSON 243
5 KURT BUSCH 240
6 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 235
7 RYAN NEWMAN 233
8 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 232
9 KEVIN HARVICK 228
10 TONY STEWART 213
11 PAUL MENARD 209
12 CLINT BOWYER 201
13 A J ALLMENDINGER 193
14 JEFF GORDON 192
15 MARK MARTIN 189
16 KASEY KAHNE 186
17 DAVID RAGAN 185
18 GREG BIFFLE 183
19 MARCOS AMBROSE 175
20 DENNY HAMLIN 174
21 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 160
22 BRAD KESELOWSKI 159
23 BOBBY LABONTE 157
24 JAMIE MCMURRAY 157
25 JEFF BURTON 156
26 BRIAN VICKERS 149
27 DAVID REUTIMANN 144
28 JOEY LOGANO 144
29 DAVID GILLILAND 114
30 REGAN SMITH 112
31 ROBBY GORDON 104
32 CASEY MEARS 93
33 DAVE BLANEY 87
34 BILL ELLIOTT 82
35 TONY RAINES 81
36 ANDY LALLY 73
37 KEN SCHRADER 44
38 TERRY LABONTE 30
39 J J YELEY 26
40 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 25
41 MICHAEL WALTRIP 4
42 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
43 TREVOR BAYNE(i) 0
44 STEVE WALLACE(i) 0
45 LANDON CASSILL(i) 0
46 MIKE SKINNER(i) 0
47 TRAVIS KVAPIL(i) 0
48 HERMIE SADLER III(i) 0
49 ROBERT RICHARDSON JR.(i) 0
50 DENNIS SETZER(i) 0
51 DAVID STARR(i) 0
52 JOE NEMECHEK(i) 0
53 TODD BODINE(i) 0
54 DERRIKE COPE(i) 0
55 KEVIN CONWAY(i) 0

[twomanymontes]

the latest rankings. Surprised to see Jr. in 3rd!

Rank Driver Points
1 CARL EDWARDS 295
2 JIMMIE JOHNSON 290
3 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 276
4 KEVIN HARVICK 268
5 KURT BUSCH 267
6 KYLE BUSCH 257
7 RYAN NEWMAN 253
8 MATT KENSETH 252
9 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 246
10 CLINT BOWYER 245
11 PAUL MENARD 242
12 TONY STEWART 240
13 JEFF GORDON 234
14 MARK MARTIN 226
15 A J ALLMENDINGER 226
16 GREG BIFFLE 221
17 DENNY HAMLIN 195
18 KASEY KAHNE 194
19 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 192
20 DAVID RAGAN 191
21 MARCOS AMBROSE 188
22 JEFF BURTON 185
23 JAMIE MCMURRAY 181
24 JOEY LOGANO 179
25 BOBBY LABONTE 178
26 DAVID REUTIMANN 174
27 BRAD KESELOWSKI 171
28 BRIAN VICKERS 155
29 DAVID GILLILAND 149
30 REGAN SMITH 142
31 ROBBY GORDON 128
32 CASEY MEARS 116
33 DAVE BLANEY 105
34 BILL ELLIOTT 100
35 ANDY LALLY 98
36 TONY RAINES 81
37 KEN SCHRADER 44
38 TERRY LABONTE 40
39 J J YELEY 26
40 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 25
41 MICHAEL WALTRIP 20
42 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
43 STEVE PARK 2
44 TREVOR BAYNE(i) 0
45 STEVE WALLACE(i) 0
46 LANDON CASSILL(i) 0
47 MIKE SKINNER(i) 0
48 TRAVIS KVAPIL(i) 0
49 HERMIE SADLER III(i) 0
50 ROBERT RICHARDSON JR.(i) 0
51 DENNIS SETZER(i) 0
52 DAVID STARR(i) 0
53 JOE NEMECHEK(i) 0
54 TODD BODINE(i) 0
55 KEVIN CONWAY(i) 0
56 DERRIKE COPE(i) 0

[twomanymontes]

the latest in the standings


Rank Driver Points
1 CARL EDWARDS 335
2 JIMMIE JOHNSON 326
3 KYLE BUSCH 305
4 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 301
5 KEVIN HARVICK 300
6 KURT BUSCH 289
7 CLINT BOWYER 284
8 RYAN NEWMAN 277
9 MATT KENSETH 276
10 TONY STEWART 275
11 A J ALLMENDINGER 263
12 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 262
13 MARK MARTIN 256
14 GREG BIFFLE 250
15 PAUL MENARD 249
16 JEFF GORDON 240
17 DENNY HAMLIN 238
18 KASEY KAHNE 236
19 DAVID RAGAN 231
20 JEFF BURTON 214
21 JOEY LOGANO 212
22 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 210
23 MARCOS AMBROSE 209
24 JAMIE MCMURRAY 207
25 BOBBY LABONTE 198
26 BRIAN VICKERS 189
27 DAVID REUTIMANN 187
28 BRAD KESELOWSKI 179
29 REGAN SMITH 169
30 DAVID GILLILAND 168
31 ROBBY GORDON 137
32 DAVE BLANEY 136
33 CASEY MEARS 132
34 ANDY LALLY 116
35 BILL ELLIOTT 100
36 TONY RAINES 92
37 KEN SCHRADER 56
38 TERRY LABONTE 40
39 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 29
40 J J YELEY 27
41 MICHAEL WALTRIP 20
42 DAVID STREMME 10
43 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
44 STEVE PARK 2

[twomanymontes]

latest standings as of yesterdays race

Rank Driver Points
1 CARL EDWARDS 445
2 KEVIN HARVICK 409
3 JIMMIE JOHNSON 408
4 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 402
5 KYLE BUSCH 392
6 KURT BUSCH 377
7 MATT KENSETH 374
8 CLINT BOWYER 365
9 TONY STEWART 356
10 RYAN NEWMAN 353
11 GREG BIFFLE 343
12 DENNY HAMLIN 339
13 A J ALLMENDINGER 335
14 MARK MARTIN 334
15 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 329
16 JEFF GORDON 324
17 MARCOS AMBROSE 320
18 DAVID RAGAN 313
19 KASEY KAHNE 309
20 PAUL MENARD 306
21 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 300
22 JEFF BURTON 282
23 JOEY LOGANO 279
24 DAVID REUTIMANN 279
25 BRAD KESELOWSKI 277
26 JAMIE MCMURRAY 275
27 BOBBY LABONTE 271
28 BRIAN VICKERS 264
29 REGAN SMITH 262
30 DAVID GILLILAND 213
31 DAVE BLANEY 191
32 CASEY MEARS 190
33 ROBBY GORDON 150
34 ANDY LALLY 127
35 TONY RAINES 109
36 BILL ELLIOTT 100
37 KEN SCHRADER 73
38 TERRY LABONTE 40
39 J J YELEY 38
40 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 37
41 MICHAEL WALTRIP 20
42 DAVID STREMME 19
43 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
44 STEVE PARK 2

[85t5mcss]

Pos 44, who's that? Lol, he had a good ride about 10 years ago

[twomanymontes]

Yeah, I remember him running the Pennzoil car years and years ago! I wonder what he does now? Obviously not racing in Sprint Cup, LOL!

[twomanymontes]

Ben a while since I updated the standings so here they are.

Rank Driver Points Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Money Won

1 CARL EDWARDS 532
2 KEVIN HARVICK 512
3 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 505
4 KYLE BUSCH 503
5 JIMMIE JOHNSON 503
6 MATT KENSETH 491
7 KURT BUSCH 491
8 RYAN NEWMAN 456
9 DENNY HAMLIN 455
10 CLINT BOWYER 455
11 TONY STEWART 454
12 JEFF GORDON 438
13 GREG BIFFLE 425
14 MARK MARTIN 418
15 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 409
16 PAUL MENARD 402
17 A J ALLMENDINGER 402
18 DAVID RAGAN 395
19 KASEY KAHNE 387
20 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 376
21 MARCOS AMBROSE 369
22 BRAD KESELOWSKI 364
23 JOEY LOGANO 359
24 BRIAN VICKERS 348
25 JEFF BURTON 345
26 DAVID REUTIMANN 341
27 BOBBY LABONTE 326
28 JAMIE MCMURRAY 326
29 REGAN SMITH 322
30 DAVID GILLILAND 254
31 DAVE BLANEY 231
32 CASEY MEARS 219
33 ANDY LALLY 160
34 ROBBY GORDON 157
35 TONY RAINES 117
36 BILL ELLIOTT 100
37 KEN SCHRADER 73
38 J J YELEY 51
39 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 45
40 TERRY LABONTE 40
41 DAVID STREMME 27
42 MICHAEL WALTRIP 20
43 T J BELL 5
44 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
45 STEVE PARK 2

Hate to say it, but it looks like Carl Edwards might be the top contender to knock off JJ this year

[85t5mcss]

Nope, Stewart and Newman and on the verge of being unstoppable. They finally have everything going their way. The teams are communicating, things are going to happen. I'd like to see Newman pull it off. He doesn't seem to be as arrogant in interviews as others.

Or let Gordon reign supreme and let the 2 of them argue about how he cheated. Sometimes it's funny watching twins fight. *Did I say that out loud?*

[twomanymontes]

LMAO!! I'd love to see Newman or Stewart win! Watching Gordon and Johnson fighting would be worth it. I wonder why Hendrick didn't put Knaus to Gordon's team, or even Junior's? You would think it would be more benificial to put a better crew chief to another driver that needs to be boosted. JJ already knows how to win [sadly]

[85t5mcss]

Thats a real good question. RCR did it, mixed results. But, redid things until a suitable team for everyone was found. If u have 1 winner and 3 non winners, mix it up, maybe get 2 or 3 competitive teams.

[twomanymontes]

My thoughts exactly. RCR is really doing well, this year, top 5 finishes and 2 wins.

On a sad note, it was announced yesterday that Red Bull is pulling out of NASCAR. Kasey Kahne already has a ride for next season, but that leaves Vickers and a whole lot of crew members out of work. Hopefully someone will be able to step in and keep the team going. I know they haven't won this year and really haven't been consistant, but really hard to see teams fold.

[85t5mcss]

That sux to hear. They even had some poles and results IIRC.

[twomanymontes]

Yeah and Saturday Kahne's 4th place with both Kahne and Vickers sharing the lead was impressive.

[twomanymontes]

Somehow I knew this was going to happen. And I didn't even watch the race!

Jimmie Johnson is about as mild-mannered as a racer can be, but he wasn't about to take any lip from Kurt Busch.

The two drivers had a confrontation at last week's NASCAR Cup at Pocono after slamming into each other on the final lap. Johnson accused Busch of trying to run him down, while Busch contended Johnson made the first move. Busch finished third, one spot ahead of Johnson.

Johnson said at a news conference at Watkins Glen International on Friday that he was angered by Busch's remarks after their argument in the pits.

''When he got out of the car, we're talking, and the crowd started to build and his bravery started to build,'' Johnson said. ''I walk away and he keeps talking. That's the part that frustrates me. That's when you saw me engage like that. If you're going to say something, say it to a man's face.

''I don't know about you, but that really makes me mad. He just started running his mouth.''

Johnson said there were two parts to the altercation - what happened on the track and then on pit road.

''We come off turn one and Kurt gets to me side drafting,'' Johnson said. ''I tried to break the side draft, and from there he felt it was necessary to run into the side of my car and tear my car up. I was mad at that point. I never touched him.''

It wasn't the first dustup between the five-time Cup champion and Busch.

Ever since Busch chanted ''anyone but the 48'' after Johnson drove his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy past Busch to win at Bristol last season, the two have had issues.

When Busch bumped Johnson out of the way to take the lead in the closing laps at New Hampshire in June a year ago, Johnson caught Busch, put a little bump on his Penske Racing Dodge and slipped his No. 48 underneath with two laps to go and won.

''I don't want people to think, 'Oh, I can knock the 48 out of the way because he's not going to wreck me,''' Johnson said after the race.



Shake things up
Both had eventful Pocono races. Did either take the lead? NASCAR Power Rankings.
Then at Pocono it got worse when Johnson caused a stunning late-race crash that collected Elliott Sadler, Clint Bowyer and Busch. Replays showed the 48 appearing to hit Busch from behind. Busch's car swerved in front of Bowyer's Chevy before slipping sideways into the infield grass and smashing into the infield barrier.

Busch walked away, the race was halted for 20-plus minutes while workers cleaned up extensive debris and welded the barrier back together. After getting checked out by medics, Busch pointed blame straight at No. 48.

''I wrecked on the straightaway. Jimmie Johnson drove straight through us,'' he said.

Johnson called Busch the next day to talk, and the two said they'd put their problems in the rearview mirror.

The latest still simmers.

''There's no secret about it that there's no love lost between the two of us,'' Johnson said. ''We can deal with it. We have done it. We didn't have wrecked race cars at the end of Pocono. I could have easily gone down into the Tunnel Turn and done something stupid. The stuff on the track, yeah, it makes me mad.

''When you look over the years and what his mouth has done for him - he got my biggest fan (former Cup driver) Jimmy Spencer to punch him,'' Johnson said. ''It's led to issues with the NASCAR officials on pit road. I think we all tune in weekly and wonder, 'What's he going to say to his crew guys?'

''Look at what he said about Roger Penske, his car owner. That aspect is the part that really got me mad. At the end of the day, I'm not going to let him run his mouth.''

Busch has a bad habit of doing that, even though he's worked hard to improve his image since he won the Cup title in 2004. That's when he beat Johnson by just eight points in the closest championship in series history.

During the night race at Richmond in late April, Busch, angry because his car wasn't competitive, yelled at his crew during the early portion of the race and blamed Penske Racing's shortcomings on technical director Tom German over a radio frequency available to the public.

Busch has since rebounded and sits a solid fourth in the Cup standings, two spots behind Johnson, as the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship looms in five races.

''Issues that develop through the course of the year, some last longer,'' Johnson said. ''You've just got to take it as it is. The way that things are handled on the track sets the tone. If it turns into wrecking cars, man, that's the worst situation you can have going into the Chase.''

Busch will hold his press conference on Saturday, and he'll likely will be asked about the situation with Johnson.

At least one driver likes the prospect of an ongoing feud.

''If it carries over for those guys all throughout the last 15 races of the year, it wouldn't bother me a bit,'' said younger brother Kyle Busch, who is third in the standings. ''But I certainly wouldn't want any part of it.

''It's something that they've kind of had going on for the past few years, I guess. Whatever it is, it's not my beef, not my problem.''

[85t5mcss]

Aug 12, 2011 20:46:35 GMT -5 twomanymontes said:

Whatever it is, it's not my beef, not my problem.''

I like that quote from Kyle Busch. Pretty much sums it up.

[twomanymontes]

Yeah and considering how much trouble he has caused this year, he'd be wise to stay out of it.

And I wasn't all that suprised to hear Marcos Ambrose won the race at Watkins Glen. Just glad he did! And that makes what the 4th or 5th first time winner this year? Thats great!! I'm sick of seeing the same guy win every week!

[85t5mcss]

I think its 5. And I am glad its not the same guys. I do not like NASCAR being a spec series, but it does make the racing better to a certain degree.

[twomanymontes]

Agreed, I totally missed the last race and I'm glad I did, Busch won and I really can't stand him!

[twomanymontes]

Well, here are the latest points totals, sad part is I only like 1 driver in the top 5!

Rank Driver Points
1 KYLE BUSCH 799
2 JIMMIE JOHNSON 789
3 KEVIN HARVICK 760
4 CARL EDWARDS 760
5 MATT KENSETH 759
6 JEFF GORDON 739
7 RYAN NEWMAN 725
8 KURT BUSCH 722
9 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 700
10 TONY STEWART 694
11 CLINT BOWYER 670
12 BRAD KESELOWSKI 642
13 GREG BIFFLE 636
14 DENNY HAMLIN 635
15 A J ALLMENDINGER 632
16 MARK MARTIN 627
17 KASEY KAHNE 623
18 PAUL MENARD 617
19 JOEY LOGANO 610
20 DAVID RAGAN 604
21 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 602
22 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 596
23 MARCOS AMBROSE 593
24 JEFF BURTON 543
25 REGAN SMITH 526
26 DAVID REUTIMANN 517
27 JAMIE MCMURRAY 511
28 BRIAN VICKERS 504
29 BOBBY LABONTE 499
30 DAVID GILLILAND 402
31 CASEY MEARS 323
32 DAVE BLANEY 314
33 ANDY LALLY 287
34 ROBBY GORDON 223
35 TONY RAINES 129
36 BILL ELLIOTT 100
37 KEN SCHRADER 87
38 TERRY LABONTE 81
39 J J YELEY 81
40 MICHAEL MCDOWELL 78
41 BORIS SAID 38
42 DAVID STREMME 37
43 MICHAEL WALTRIP 20
44 ANDY PILGRIM 18
45 CHRIS COOK 17
46 T J BELL 14
47 BRIAN SIMO 11
48 GEOFFREY BODINE 6
49 BRIAN KESELOWSKI 3
50 ERIK DARNELL 2
51 STEVE PARK 2

[85t5mcss]

15 A J ALLMENDINGER 632
16 MARK MARTIN 627

I would like to see these 2 in the Chase. They are close.

[twomanymontes]

You know I want to see Mark Martin in the chase!!

[twomanymontes]

LOL! Another "Waaa, I can't drive in the rain weekend"

[85t5mcss]

Haha, not even sure where they were this weekend.

[twomanymontes]

Neither do I, But They did run on Tuesday and Jeff Gordon won.

Tonight they are in Richmond. Been a crashfest! Jr. is wrecking just about everything! First 7 cautions and he was involved in 4 of them. Oh well, last race to the chase, be cool to see if Tony Stewart and Jr. remain as the wild cards