1. Kyle Busch  I said last week that Busch’s season was mirroring Jeff Gordon’s 13-win 1998 campaign. I’m changing that to Richard Petty’s 1967 27-win season.

2. Carl Edwards  One of three Roush cars that looked to be in line for a win until fluke problems arose at Chicago.

3. Matt Kenseth  Another was Kenseth, of course, whose flat tire kept him from showing his true might.

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  Hadn’t looked nearly as strong since that win at Michigan. What gives?

5. Jeff Burton  With Caterpillar coming on board next year, Burton weaning himself from phrases like, “Scott, this car drives like a dump truck.”

6. Jimmie Johnson  Johnson/Busch battle at Chicago looked eerily similar to Johnson/Kenseth at Texas last season. Except, of course, that Jimmie didn’t win this one, which has been the story for this bunch this year.

7. Tony Stewart  “Zippy, run for your life! You have a rookie to deal with next year!”

8. Jeff Gordon  For the 12th week in a row Gordon overcomes the junk that was the 24 car early in the race and somehow bags a respectable finish.

9. Kasey Kahne  News flash: Kahne ranks second on circuit in number of quality passes. Whatever the hell that means.

10. Kevin Harvick  Third at Chicago his best finish since Bristol in March. Somehow continues to hang in at ninth in the standings.

11. Brian Vickers  At least NASCAR didn’t screw up and place Vickers behind Mark Martin for the final restart again. That’d have meant he would’ve finished 18th and not sixth.

12. David Ragan  With every new and unproven driver Jack throws his way, Jimmy Fennig gets that much closer to Hall of Fame status.

13. Mark Martin  “Honey, pack the sunscreen, sandles and dumbbells … It’s vacation time!”

14. Martin Truex, Jr.  C’mon Martin, Penske is a lateral move. Talk Tony into opening up a third seat over there.

15. Ryan Newman  Can you imagine Stewart and Newman as teammates at Daytona with Hendrick horsepower?! That’s a scary thought.

Just off the lead pack: Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Elliott Sadler