Sporting News Power Poll after Charlotte

Sporting News Power Poll after Charlotte
By the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin are 1-2 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings and 1-2 in this week’s Sporting News Power Poll. They were equally close in Saturday’s race at Charlotte, with Johnson finishing third and Hamlin fourth. Next stop: Martinsville, where the two have combined to win the past eight races. Saturday’s winner, Jamie McMurray, was the biggest mover in the poll, vaulting to fifth after his third win of the season. The weekly poll is a collaboration of Sporting News and Rowdy.com.

1. Jimmie Johnson (Last week: 1st) If Johnson continues at this pace, he will redefine what it takes to win the Chase—again.
2. Denny Hamlin (3rd) Hamlin hung right with Johnson, and more of the same should be expected this week at Martinsville. Can’t wait to see what happens at Talladega.
3. Kevin Harvick (4th) Eighth was good but still not good enough. He’ll likely lose even more ground at Martinsville, where his average finish is 18.1
4. Kyle Busch (11th) Couldn’t hide his frustration Saturday over losing the lead late. Imagine the frustration when he thinks about what might have been without David Reutimann and engine problems.
5. Jamie McMurray (17th) Jamie Mac has fashioned a season that’s as memorable as it is extraordinary. The 11 guys who will lose the Chase can’t say that.
6. Carl Edwards (8th) He could have been a contender—if it hadn’t been for Fontana.
7. Greg Biffle (14th) A fifth-place finish at Charlotte was a nice bounce-back from a blown engine in California.
8. Matt Kenseth (18th) Kenseth finished sixth for his 12th top 10, which matches last year’s disappointing total.
9. Jeff Gordon (5th) Friday was the best day of the week for Gordon, who won the pole at Charlotte. On Saturday, a dead battery and a pit-road speeding penalty left him dead in the water.
10. Tony Stewart (2nd) Two weekends ago, Stewart smoked the field at California. At Charlotte, his Chase went up in smoke.
11. Clint Bowyer (6th) Bowyer told reporters he never had it from the start of the weekend. His luck should improve at Martinsville, where he finished seventh in the spring.
12. Joey Logano (15th) Logano finished seventh; his worst finish in four Cup starts at Charlotte is 13th. Yes, he has this one figured out.
13. Mark Martin (9th) Fast early but faded late to finish 14th. It was his fourth straight top 15, but Martin isn’t about top 15s. And that’s the problem.
14. David Reutimann (19th) Reutimann laid down back-to-back top 10s for just the second time this season.
15. Ryan Newman (7th) Another guy who managed to take himself out with no help from anyone else.
16. Jeff Burton (13th) Burton now has seven finishes of 13th or worse in his past nine races. Seems hard to believe he was contending for wins a lot this year.
17. Juan Pablo Montoya (21st) Montoya finished 11th, his best result in the Chase so far. Last year he had four top fives at the Chase’s halfway point.
18. Kurt Busch (10th) Cue Paul Simon: Slip sliding away, slip sliding away. You know the nearer your destination, the more you’re slip sliding away.
19. AJ Allmendinger (12th) Allmendinger started P3 before engine issues caused him to end his evening a lap down in 25th.
20. David Ragan (NR) We’re probably jumping the gun, but that looks like honest-to-goodness chemistry with new crew chief Drew Blickensderfer.
21. Martin Truex Jr. (23rd) Truex ran 15th in Charlotte, his first top 15 in the past six races.
22. Regan Smith (24th) Smith gets his second and third top 15s of the season in consecutive races. Nice job, Regan.
23. Paul Menard (20th) Has finishes of 22nd and 24th since posting back-to-back top 10s for the first time in his career. Wrong direction, Paul.
24. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (22nd) A decent qualifying effort goes south in the race. About the 10th time we’ve seen that movie this year.
25. Kasey Kahne (16th) Kasey threw up then left his ride to J.J. Yeley. We’re sure brake failure had nothing to do with his intestinal distress.