Horsepower Rankings: Loudon

1. Jimmie Johnson  Two wins and a runner-up finish in the last three point to Team Lowe’s as your new favorite to win this thing.

2. Carl Edwards  Hanging tough with seven finishes of ninth or better (three wins) in the last nine. Can they continue to hang with Johnson, Knaus & Co.? Time to loosen those oil reservoir box lids, fellas.

3. Kyle Busch  If you think the 34th at Loudon will derail Kyle, think again. However, he can’t afford another stinker … or to try and make up all 74 points in one race.

4. Kevin Harvick  Still finishing top 10 every week. Still needs a win or two to be legit.

5. Denny Hamlin  Ninth at Loudon follows three consecutive third-place finishes. He’s thiiiiiis close to leap-frogging Kevin and joining the big boys.

6. Tony Stewart  Three runner-up runs and two eighth-place showings in the last seven. Close, but still no wins for this frustrated crew.

7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  A fifth at Loudon was another positive sign for the 88. Don’t get down, Junior, you can still top-5 ‘em to death. That is, unless someone is sabotaging your tires.

8. Greg Biffle  Hitting stride at just the right time: Top 15s in each of the last five, three of which were runs of fourth or better. Can this darkhorse darling become a genuine contender at Dover? Quite possibly ...

9. Matt Kenseth  Tough break at Loudon, but these guys believe they are very close to being ‘on.’ Kenseth can’t make up the difference at Dover, but he can run top 5 and at least catch the tail end of the Chase draft.

10. Mark Martin  The man loves racing at Dover, where he boasts 20 top 5s. Yes, that’s an all-time mark. He’s been eighth or better in his last three Cup starts, too.

11. Jeff Burton  Fourth at NHMS follows sixth at RIR. Have these guys found something?

12. Jeff Gordon  His finishes aren’t nearly as detestable as some would have you believe. Still, he’s far from championship material at this point.

13. Clint Bowyer  Had a better car than the 12th-place finish would attest at NHMS. Has to capitalize on days like those.

14. David Reutimann  Yes, David Reutimann. Dude’s got two ninths and a 15th in the last three races. Get that boy a full-time sponsor for 2009, please.

15. David Ragan  Got a hunch this kid has a win in him on a 1.5-miler before ‘08 is all said and done.

Just off the lead pack: Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex, Jr. and Brian Vickers.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds