Horsepower Rankings: Daytona

1. Ryan Newman  So much for that 81-race winless streak. Wonder what Sprint thought of an Alltel-sponsored car winning their crown jewel?

2. Kyle Busch  As we know, the fastest car does not always win. Neither does an impatient driver.

3. Tony Stewart  We were rooting for you Tony, because that hair has to go.

4. Kurt Busch  Overcomes the flu, a busted nose, two wrecked cars, a pit road speeding violation and a run through the grass at 190 to finish second in the Feature.

5. Reed Sorenson  Fifth in the Shootout, second in his Duel and fifth in the 500. I’m not ready to annoint him as this season’s Clint Bowyer just yet, but he’s off to a flying start.

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.  You boys had five opportunitites to pit in the last 40 laps. With all the collective brainpower on the war wagon you’d have thought someone would suggest putting tires on the car.

7. Greg Biffle  Biffle was the highest finishing Ford in 10th. Now we know Kenseth was good until he got wrecked, but Jack Roush is better than this. He has to be.

8. Elliott Sadler  Sadler quietly led a Gillett Evernham trio to sixth,- seventh- and eight-place showings. When he keeps all four wheels on the ground, he typically finishes well at Daytona.

9. Kasey Kahne  Kahne’s seventh-place finish was his second straight such run in the Daytona 500. Actually, he and Sadler are the only two drivers to finish top 10 in the last two 500s.

10. Robby Gordon  Amazing what teammates will do for ya, Rob.

11. Bobby Labonte  Never a force, but Labonte kept the 43 in the top 15 most of the day. You wonder why runs like that don’t translate to Kyle’s car.

12. Jeff Burton  From first to 13th in the final three laps. Ouch. By the way, did you have that car in reverse on that final restart?

13. Brian Vickers  When this team actually qualifies, they usually run well. Such was the case in Daytona, where Vickers ran a respectable 12th.

14. Kevin Harvick  Harvick needed all those late cautions to stay in the top 15 because these guys were junk early on.

15. Sam Hornish Jr.  Every bit as impressive as his teammates, Hornish bagged a 15th in his first 500 start.

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