Dale Jr. jumps two spots in weekly rankings

Kyle Busch remains No. 1 despite cooling off

DAVID POOLE

The Charlotte Observer

Monday, Jun. 16, 2008

• Slideshow | Sunday at Michigan
• Fumes, caution flags prove to be the winning formula
• Father's Day winner recalls a special battle at Michigan track
• Video | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• Video | Weekend recap
• Rewind | To flag or not to flag? There's your question
• Updated points | Unofficial driver standings after Michigan
• Results | Unofficial finishing order

That's Racin' ranks the top 40 teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. Rankings are based on team performance and potential for success. (Last week's ranking in parentheses):

1. (1) Kyle Busch - car No. 18

This team has cooled a bit from its molten lava start, but that was almost inevitable.

2. (2) Carl Edwards - car No. 99

Seventh at Michigan barely enough to keep three-time race-winner in the No. 2 slot.

3. (5) Dale Earnhardt Jr. - car No. 88

Jumps the 31 after first win. Both have been consistent, but this team had run better.

4. (4) Kasey Kahne - car No. 9

Can't see any way to move this team down after it got a runner-up finish at Michigan.

5. (3) Jeff Burton - car No. 31

A 15th-place finish at Michigan was team's worst finish this year. That's impressive.

6. (8) Jimmie Johnson - car No. 48

Two-time defending champs gaining on it faster than teammate Jeff Gordon's team.

7. (9) Matt Kenseth - car No. 17

He's 14 points outside the Chase right now, having made up more than 200 points.

8. (7) Denny Hamlin - car No. 11

Didn't have great day at Michigan but squeezed out 126 points with a 14th-place run.

9. (6) Greg Biffle - car. No. 16

How many ways can this team shoot itself in the foot? At Michigan, it got air hosed.

10. (10) Tony Stewart - car No. 20

We're calling our shot now. Stewart wins this Sunday on the road course at Infineon.

11. (12) Kevin Harvick - car No. 29 and (13) Clint Bowyer - car No. 07 Hard to separate these Richard Childress Racing teammates. The RCR teams know they need to improve if they want to do anything other than just make the Chase.

13. (11) Jeff Gordon - car No. 24

14. (15) David Ragan - car No. 6

15. (19) Brian Vickers - car No. 83

16. (14) Martin Truex Jr. - car No. 1

17. (18) Mark Martin/Aric Almirola - car No. 8

18. (17) Kurt Busch - car No. 2

19. (16) Ryan Newman - car No. 12

20. (20) Travis Kvapil - car No. 28

21. (22) Jamie McMurray - car No. 26

22. (21) Bobby Labonte - car No. 43

23. (23) Juan Pablo Montoya - car No. 42

24. (28) Paul Menard - car No. 15

25. (31) Elliott Sadler - car No. 19

26. (24) Dave Blaney - car No. 22

27. (25) David Gilliland - car No. 38

28. (26) David Reutimann - car No. 44

29. (27) Casey Mears - car No. 5

30. (30) AJ Allmendinger - car No. 84

31. (32) Sam Hornish Jr. - car No. 77

32. (29) Scott Riggs - car No. 66

33. (33) Robby Gordon - car No. 7

34. (36) Michael Waltrip - car No. 55

35. (34) Reed Sorenson - car No. 41

36. (35) Regan Smith - car No. 01

37. (37) Michael McDowell - car No. 00

38. (38) Dario Franchitti - car No. 40

39. (39) Patrick Carpentier - car No. 10

40. (40) J.J. Yeley - car No. 96

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