Sporting News Power Poll after Dover

Sporting News Power Poll after Dover

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(May 17, 2011)

Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and Marcos Ambrose finished first, second and third, respectively, at Dover, and their strong performances resulted in the biggest gains in this week's Sporting News Power Poll. All three drivers rose seven spots from their ranking following the May 7 race at Darlington, with Kenseth achieving the highest rank (sixth). Kenseth's two wins are also tied for tops in the series with Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. The Sporting News Power Poll is a weekly collaboration of Sporting News, SceneDaily.com, Rowdy.com and NASCAR Illustrated.

1. Carl Edwards (last week: 1st). Frustrating to lead 117 laps and battle for the top spot all day, only to lose the race on pit strategy. Four tires just didn't make a difference.

2. Kyle Busch (2nd). Turned a bad weekend into Shinola with a breathtaking run from 12th to fourth on the final green-flag run.

3. Jimmie Johnson (3rd). It was Jimmie Johnson Day on Sunday in Delaware by state decree. Somebody just forgot to tell Matt Kenseth. Five-time led a race-high 207 laps, but late four-tire call left him ninth at the finish.

4. Clint Bowyer (5th). Led 29 laps and finished sixth after being part of a harrowing wreck in the Nationwide race on Saturday.

5. Kevin Harvick (4th). Started 10th and finished there after he was among those taking four tires at the end. A shame, considering he had the fourth-best average running position in the race.

6. Matt Kenseth (13th). Once known as Mr. Consistency, Kenseth is making headlines for winning races. And he's practically locked up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10th). The top 10s have stopped for the moment, but Junior's consistency has him holding on tight to fourth in the points.

8. Mark Martin (15th). Ageless wonder notched his first top five of the season by staying out late. The runner-up finish helped Martin climb three spots to 11th in the standings.

9. Ryan Newman (7th). Neither he nor teammate Tony Stewart were even close to competitive. Could be a problem when the series returns to Dover during the Chase.

10. Denny Hamlin (9th). Another undistinguished run for the No. 11 team. Though Hamlin climbed to 13th in points, he needs to win, and soon.

11. Greg Biffle (12th). One teammate won the race at Dover, another dominated much of the action … which was why Biffle's 19th was so disappointing.

12. Jeff Gordon (11th). Failed to record a top 10 for the third straight weekend. Gordon better hope one win is enough to grab a wild-card berth for the Chase.

13. Tony Stewart (8th). Evidently, without fuel the car won't go.

14. Kurt Busch (16th). The No. 22 is falling fast and not looking anything like a Chase team.

15. Martin Truex Jr. (20th). Expected to run well at Dover, and the Michael Waltrip Racing driver didn't disappoint, posting his second consecutive top 10.

16. Kasey Kahne (6th). Had another solid run, but this one ended because of a blown engine. A three-time Sprint Cup winner at Charlotte, and the victor of the 2008 all-star race there, Kahne has to be excited for the next two weeks.

17. Marcos Ambrose (24th). Matched his career-best oval finish, but, more significantly, re-entered the top 20 in points.

18. AJ Allmendinger (14th). Fast car … boom. That may have been the sound of AJ's Chase hopes detonating.

19. Jeff Burton (23rd). Finished 11th for the second time this season. Was as high as fourth prior to the final pit stop, and then he, too, didn't benefit from four tires.

20. Juan Pablo Montoya (17th). Perhaps race winner Matt Kenseth should cut Montoya a check. Montoya's spin late in the race set the stage for the final pit strategy. Has a woeful average finish of 28.5 in last four starts.

21. Brad Keselowski (25th). Qualified ninth and finished 13th but had difficulties mid-race with the car's handling. Race trim is still an issue for the Penske Dodges.

22. Brian Vickers (not ranked). So what if pit strategy led to his first top five of the year? When you have had a season like Vickers has had, you take what you can get.

23. Regan Smith (18th). Rode the wave of good vibes from his Darlington win to … a 34th-place finish? Yes, consistency has been a problem.

24. Jamie McMurray (22nd). Another mediocre day as part of a mediocre season.

25. David Ragan (19th). In a race sponsored by FedEx, the UPS driver failed to deliver by finishing five laps off the pace in 28th.