2011 Sprint Cup Points

[Garrett Duke]

Well I was going to wait until later to post the points since they won't be made official until tomorrow, but don't know when I'll have time to be online next. So I decided to post the unofficial points as they stand now. If I see that they change later, I will let y'all know.

Here is the top ten UNOFFICIAL points after Daytona:

1. Carl Edwards

2. David Gilliland

3. Bobby Labonte

4. Kurt Busch

5. Juan Montoya

6. Regan Smith

7. Kyle Busch

8. Paul Menard

9. Mark Martin

10. AJ Allmindinger

PS: In case y'all are wondering why Trevor Bayne is not first or on the top ten list in points, since he won today's race, let me remind you that NASCAR has made a new rule. Each driver has to put down what division they want to run for a championship in (truck, or Nationwide, or Sprint). So drivers like Edwards, Kyle Busch, Stewart, Bayne, and a few others that drive two or three series, has to decide which series they want to run for a championship in...so drivers can drive in the different series, they just won't be included in the points or at least on the top or something like that. They will earn money for racing in the other series, just not points.

[RogerDuke]

They sure like to make things complicated with the points thing don't they?

I suppose there's two sides to every story and there's logic in everything they do. There's also confusion and controversy in everything they do.

It was nice to see the Dodge Charger #22 in the lead awhile!

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah I read in Nascar.com to be.. here list of drivers and points are:

http://www.nascar.com/drivers/list/cup/dps/

for you, both guys. but they will change leader next week if who will win after that. they always change points when get win and 2nd, 3rd to top 5 and top 10 that why they does before chase beginning in fall time before Kansas start.. I hope who will be championship this year not Jimmie no way. please.

[Garrett Duke]

They sure like to make things complicated with the points thing don't they?

I suppose there's two sides to every story and there's logic in everything they do. There's also confusion and controversy in everything they do.

It was nice to see the Dodge Charger #22 in the lead awhile!

Well Roger...don't know if this will help you feel better about NASCAR or not, but the whole idea of changing the point system was to simplify it and make it easier to understand. Though, I do understand the new point system - at least I think I do- I see where it is confusing. Namely the drivers who are in different series and has to pick a series to run in - just read part of a article on how in all three series that the driver that won, didn't get the points due to signing up for another series. Michael Waltrip won the Truck series and he signed up for Sprint Cup points, Tony Stewart won the Nationwide Series race and he's signed up for Cup points, and Trevor Bayne won the Sprint Cup race and he signed up for Nationwide Series points. Y'all confused yet?

I see where NASCAR is coming from, but can't say I agree with it...so yeah, I am sure it will bring controversy...as it always seems to do. That's NASCAR for y'all.

We are off to Phoenix this upcoming Sunday...am looking forward to it, are you?

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten OFFICIAL Sprint Cup points after Sunday's race in Phoenix:

1. Kyle Busch

2. Kurt Busch (bet you're happy, Roger!)

3. Tony Stewart

4. AJ Allmindinger

5. Jeff Gordon (I am very happy...With his win on Sunday and leading the most laps...he has jumped from 28th in points to fifth! Way to go GORDON!)

6. Mark Martin

7. Bobby Labonte (Great to see him in the top ten!)

8. Ryan Newman

9. Juan Pablo Montoya

10. David Gilliand

Well the points are really shaken up after the second race into the series...I for one am not complaining. (As y'all can imagine )Though it is weird or odd not to see Jimmie Johnson's name in the top ten for two weeks in a row. (He is thirteenth in points and Jr is 17th in points.)

Well make sure to check out my race review if you haven't done so as well as the Nationwide Series points page that I just made up.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update Garrett.

You're right, I'm happy about Kurt and his Charger.

Jimmie makes me nervous though. He might not be in the top 10 but he's still the one who makes the leaders look over their shoulders in fear.

Don't forget that last year he didn't start off that well.

(Not that a NASCAR expert like Garrett would forget that)

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the update Garrett.

You're right, I'm happy about Kurt and his Charger.

Jimmie makes me nervous though. He might not be in the top 10 but he's still the one who makes the leaders look over their shoulders in fear.

Don't forget that last year he didn't start off that well.

(Not that a NASCAR expert like Garrett would forget that)

Trust me, Roger, I did NOT forget about Jimmie's year last year and he didn't start out in his normal dominant fashion that we are all accustomed to. (I still find it sad on how fast you were able to ditch him as your favorite driver...) I for one hopes that he will soon turn his season around for the better...I may want Gordon to take home the championship (as always) but do wish Johnson a good finish. Afterall he is my second favorite driver.

At this point of the season we are way too early into it to say who's going to be hot and who's not...though I'd love to say that Gordon's win on Sunday was a great indication of his season. Johnson may only be thirteenth, but I am looking for him to make the chase and to be a threat.

Bet you are hoping that Kurt's start to the season will be an indication to his season, too, huh Roger? You are very welcome...I enjoy writing about the race and the points...and well, anything NASCAR.

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten drivers in the Sprint Cup point standings after Vegas:

1. Tony Stewart

2. Kurt Busch

Tony and Kurt are tied in points. . .

3. Carl Edwards

4. Juan Pablo Montoya

5. Ryan Newman

6. Paul Menard

7. Martin Truex Jr

8. Denny Hamlin

9. AJ Allmindinger

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Am sure there are a lot of happy people at Jr Nation this week to see Junior move into the top ten in points. I am happy for him and so far, the past two weeks he has shown improvements...then again he has Gordon's old crew, his old cars, and his old crew cheif, Steve Letarte. So it shouldn't be surprising to see Jr begin to improve. I just hope for him that he will continue and will sometime soon break his winless streak that is going on 95 races...I think. (I'm also hoping that Gordon will be able to reclimb through the points as he did after Phoenix since he fell down to 19th in points. ) All that is of my own opinion, of course.

And once again...the points have been shaken up from last week. It is interesting to see how the new point system is working.

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top twelve points in the Sprint Cup Series after the Martinsville race:

1. Kyle Busch

2. Carl Edwards

3. Jimmie Johnson

4. Kurt Busch

5. Kevin Haravick

6. Ryan Newman

7. Juan Pablo Montoya

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

9. Matt Kenseth

10. Mark Martin

11. Tony Stewart

12. Jeff Gordon

Well they technically only count the top ten into the chase since the eleventh and twelveth places go for the two drivers with the most wins from eleventh place to twentyth in points...but had to get an excuse to put Gordon in there.

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten spots in points after the Texas race:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Kyle Busch

3. Matt Kenseth

4. Jimmie Johnson

5. Kurt Busch

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr

7. Ryan Newman

8. Juan Pablo Montoya

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Tony Stewart

[DoubleShot]

Thanks Garret for letting me know our Homestate boy Matt Kenseth is in there. I will have fun picking on SleepysRose about Martin not being in there but she likes Kenseth as well so that will make her happy. LOL Thanks again Go Kenseth!!

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks Garret for letting me know our Homestate boy Matt Kenseth is in there. I will have fun picking on SleepysRose about Martin not being in there but she likes Kenseth as well so that will make her happy. LOL Thanks again Go Kenseth!!

You are very welcome. A guy at the grocery store in town here likes Kenseth as well, sure he was happy for him. Great to see drivers end their long endless streaks as Gordon done in Phoenix and Kenseth did last week. Now if only Junior could break his winless streak...

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten in points after the spring Richmond race:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Jimmie Johnson

3. Kyle Busch

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Kurt Busch

7. Clint Bowyer

8. Ryan Newman

9. Matt Kenseth

10. Tony Stewart

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten in points after Dover:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Jimmie Johnson (Ironically, Johnson is 24 points behind Edwards. GO DRIVER 24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

3. Kyle Busch

4. Dale Earndhardt Jr

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Matt Kenseth

7. Ryan Newman

8. Clint Bowyer

9. Kurt Busch

10. Tony Stewart

Well I guess I should be happy since according to NASCAR.com's points where I got all this info at...Gordon managed to climb up three positions and now is fourteenth in points. But sadly, after finishing seventeenth yesterday and hanging around that position for most of the day, don't see how he could have managed that. I guess the obvious scenerio is that the other drivers ahead of him last week had worse finishes than Gordon. I'm just hoping that he will have better restarts,. a faster car, and a much better finish in two weeks at Charolette (the next point race). (Half of the drivers will be racing at Charolette next Saturday for the All Star race which is non points and the drivers all race for a million dollars. The driver's will definately NOT be point racing, but all going for the win...makes for a great night of racing!)

[Garrett Duke]

Well it is Monday...day after the Pocono race and am still on cloud nine after Gordon's win at Pocono...his fifth Pocono win of his career to tie him with another driver (can't think of his name right now) with the most wins at Pocono. Not to mention that was win number 84 of his career to tie him in third in the most wins category...tying him with Darrell Waltrip (DW himself! ) and Bobby Allison.

Not only that...that is win number two for the year for Gordon. Which pretty much locks him into the chase come time for the chase...top ten in points is in the chase, the eleventh and twelveth spots are wild card spots for drivers eleventh - 20th with the most wins. Since Gordon is now eleventh in points and is the only driver outside of the top ten with a win...now two wins, it is shedding some hope to this twenty-four fan. (Though as he sits right now in points, he is eleventh, but only six points behind tenth place driver Ryan Newman!)

Well I apologize for my excitement over the win and Gordon's stats...I just had to write about it. Can't let a good thing go un talked about, right? But I do know I may be the only Gordon fan on the site so perhaps the only one excited about it. I don't know...just had to share some info.

Here is the top ten driver in points after Pocono:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Jimmie Johnson (-6)

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr (-10)

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Kyle Busch

6. Kurt Busch

7. Matt Kenseth

8. Clint Bowyer

9. Tony Stewart

10. Ryan Newman

Well I should put this in the news section, but figure I might as well put it here since I am already posting this. NASCAR penelyzed Kyle Busch and team 18 for a rule infraction (as put on NASCAR.com) after the post race inspection. Crew chief Dave Rogers has been fined twenty-five thousand dollars while Kyle Busch and car owner Joe Gibbs has gotten fined six championship points (For Gibbs) and driver points (for Busch).

$25,000 fine for the cc is normal, but usually it is 25 points. Not just six. Don't understand how NASCAR can inspect their cars before the race, the car pass inspection, then they watch during each pit stop, and yet find something wrong after the race with the car. Unless it was from an incident -I don't know.

Well we are onto Michigan next week...one of Gordon's favorite tracks.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update Garrett. I appreciate it. I've been on the road for three days and have been pretty lost when it comes to current events. I was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike today and saw the Cheerios NASCAR trailor go by heading west traveling away from the Poconos. Uhhh, I'm embarressed but I can't remember who the Cheerios car is.

Thanks again for the update.

[Garrett Duke]

Clint Bowyer! LOL But don't be embarrassed about it...

As for the review this was for the points, but the race review is on the other thread. But you got most of the gist of the race here...

Hope you had a good road trip. (My brother in law saw Kurt Busch's trailer or something on the road last year. Would be soo awesome to see. Perhaps one day I'll see Gordon's or Johnson's. )

[RogerDuke]

Thanks Garrett. I'll check out the race review tomorrow. I haven't even unpacked yet and I'm getting ready to hit the sack so I'm logging out now.

By the way, I was gassing up when Clint's truck and trailor went by so I didn't get a chance to race it. If I was as fast at gassing up as those guys are in the NASCAR pits, I probably could have caught him. I wasn't going all the way to Michigan though!

[Garrett Duke]

LOL Roger! If you hadn't been gassing up, I bet you'd have beat him to Michigan and they'd have fired Clint and put you in the 33 car!

[Garrett Duke]

Well Richmond just got over, meaning that the chase will start next Sunday. Also meaning that the points are now all messed up according to wins. Here is the top twelve chase drivers...

1. Kyle Busch

2. Kevin Harvick

3. Jeff Gordon

4. Matt Kenseth

5. Carl Edwards

6. Jimmie Johnson

7. Kurt Busch

8. Ryan Newman

9. Tony Stewart

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr

(two wild card drivers)

11. Brad Keselowski

12. Denny Hamlin

Personally am excited about the chase to see the momentum on Gordon's side...plus my four top favorite drivers in the chase! (Gordon, Johnson, Jr, and Edwards.)

(Make sure to look at my review under the NASCAR review...)

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah right now Tony stewart leader points by Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch as well..

[Garrett Duke]

yeah right now Tony stewart leader points by Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch as well..

Jeff Gordon is twenty-five points behind Tony Stewart and we still have eight races remaining (counting this Sunday's race...) so he has plenty of time to turn his stuff around to come back for the win. Jimmie Johnson sitting in tenth place...lowest of his career...is looking like he could be out of the championship picture as of now. But I wouldn't count him out of the chase as of yet - he is always strongest in the chase.

Don't want to burst your bubble TRP Coltrane...if Stewart does make it stick, I will be happy for you.

As of right now, I am not giving up hope (nor will I ever...) on Gordon's odds or Johnson's. Or anyones...just too early to tell as of now.

[Capt_Redneck]

#14 or #29 will win the Cup title. They are the only ones who have balls to say and do things.

Kryle is just a choker, will never win a championship. He can't handle it and will blame everyone but himself.

I am NO fan of this pointless fabricated playoff that NASCRAP developed.

I loved NASCAR , grew up with it since I was a little kid but when when SR died and Winston pulled out and Brian France took over , it is not the sport I love. The final straw was taking the Southern 500 on Labor Day from Darlington...

I can go on and on.

I'm gone

Darrell

[RogerDuke]

Since David Ragen is out of it I'm hoping Kurt Busch wins it all!

[Garrett Duke]

Jeff Gordon's on his drive for five...