bigbadbrother
10-10-2016, 04:59 PM
Tom Jensen
Kevin Harvick, 3004 points
Who would have ever guessed that Harvick would suffer an engine failure and begin this round with a 38th-place finish? Not most people, that’s for sure. He may need to win one of the next two races to advance. Remember, though, he was in similar situations in each of the last two years and won races to stave off elimination, so don’t count him out.
11
Joey Logano, 3006
One of several drivers to experience tire failures, Logano is now in a big points hole. Last year, he swept all three races in this round. This time, his Round of 12 is off to an awful start.
10
Chase Elliott, 3009
A heartbreaker for young Elliott, who led 103 laps but got taken out in the day’s big crash between Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon.
9
Austin Dillon, 3009
Late in the race, Dillon gambled on two tires to give him track position. But on the subsequent restart, contact from Martin Truex Jr. knocked him out of the race. He finished 32nd.
8
Denny Hamlin, 3012
The most amazing stat of the day: Hamlin blew an engine in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and finished 30th, but he’s still in the top eight in points.
7
Martin Truex Jr., 3028
The hottest driver in NASCAR triggered a big wreck that took out Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon. After leading 588 miles here in May, Truex finished 13th.
6
Carl Edwards, 3029
By the end of the day, Edwards’ battered Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota looked like a modified because it was so beat up. Still, he soldiered on to finish 12th.
5
Kurt Busch, 3033
Surely, Busch was hoping to finish better than eighth. But with so many Chasers having big problems, he came out of Charlotte just fine.
4
Brad Keselowski, 3034
While he was unable to post his fifth consecutive top five, the 2012 champion did get his seventh straight top 10, a solid outing.
3
Kyle Busch, 3036
After having to make an unscheduled early pit stop for a tire issue, Busch rebounded to finish sixth, which all things considered was pretty good.
2
Matt Kenseth, 3040
A strong runner-up performance at Charlotte moved Kenseth up to second in points. He was the best finisher among the Toyota drivers.
1
Jimmie Johnson, 3045
By winning in his team’s backyard, Johnson broke a 24-race winless streak, the longest of his career. With his ticket punched to the Round of 8, Johnson is now definitely a threat to win his seventh championship.
Kevin Harvick, 3004 points
Who would have ever guessed that Harvick would suffer an engine failure and begin this round with a 38th-place finish? Not most people, that’s for sure. He may need to win one of the next two races to advance. Remember, though, he was in similar situations in each of the last two years and won races to stave off elimination, so don’t count him out.
11
Joey Logano, 3006
One of several drivers to experience tire failures, Logano is now in a big points hole. Last year, he swept all three races in this round. This time, his Round of 12 is off to an awful start.
10
Chase Elliott, 3009
A heartbreaker for young Elliott, who led 103 laps but got taken out in the day’s big crash between Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon.
9
Austin Dillon, 3009
Late in the race, Dillon gambled on two tires to give him track position. But on the subsequent restart, contact from Martin Truex Jr. knocked him out of the race. He finished 32nd.
8
Denny Hamlin, 3012
The most amazing stat of the day: Hamlin blew an engine in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and finished 30th, but he’s still in the top eight in points.
7
Martin Truex Jr., 3028
The hottest driver in NASCAR triggered a big wreck that took out Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon. After leading 588 miles here in May, Truex finished 13th.
6
Carl Edwards, 3029
By the end of the day, Edwards’ battered Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota looked like a modified because it was so beat up. Still, he soldiered on to finish 12th.
5
Kurt Busch, 3033
Surely, Busch was hoping to finish better than eighth. But with so many Chasers having big problems, he came out of Charlotte just fine.
4
Brad Keselowski, 3034
While he was unable to post his fifth consecutive top five, the 2012 champion did get his seventh straight top 10, a solid outing.
3
Kyle Busch, 3036
After having to make an unscheduled early pit stop for a tire issue, Busch rebounded to finish sixth, which all things considered was pretty good.
2
Matt Kenseth, 3040
A strong runner-up performance at Charlotte moved Kenseth up to second in points. He was the best finisher among the Toyota drivers.
1
Jimmie Johnson, 3045
By winning in his team’s backyard, Johnson broke a 24-race winless streak, the longest of his career. With his ticket punched to the Round of 8, Johnson is now definitely a threat to win his seventh championship.