NASCAR SPRINT CUP AND NATIONWIDE SERIES NEWS, VIEWS AND COMMENTARY

SPRINT CUP SERIES

2009 Power Rankings

( After Phoenix - Race # 35 )

Jimmie Johnson

2009 POWER RANKINGS Champion

The Sprint Cup headed west last weekend to the Phoenix International Raceway for the 2nd race of the year that was held at that track, the Checker Auto Parts 500. It also marked the 9th race in the 2009 Chase to the Championship, with Jimmie Johnson holding a narrow lead in the standings over Mark Martin coming into this race. Many were buzzing about how the Chase has suddenly become a contest after Johnson was taken out of the Texas race on the 3rd lap which allowed Martin to move within eyesite of the leader. Martin had won the spring race at Phoenix but Johnson had won the three previous races at Phoenix so the race could prove to be interesting.

Martin Truex Jr took the pole and would lead the field to the green flag on Sunday. It didn't take too long for Kurt Busch to overtake him and assume the point, giving Busch hope that he may just be able to win two in a row and break the Hendrick strangle hold on victory lane at Phoenix. Well, that hope didn't last too long as Jimmie Johnson would finally edge his way to the lead and well you know the story after that; another Johnson victory, his 7th of the season and his 4th win of the 10 race Chase. After teasing the competition with that Texas race, Johnson once again assume control of the point standings and with that win, eliminated all but one driver (Mark Martin) from Championship contention. All Johnson has to do at Homestead-Miami this weekend is to finish better then 25th to claim an unpresidented 4th straight championship. Still as long as there is a chance, all eyes will be on Johnson and Martin at Homestead this weekend.

The top 5 at the end of the day at Phoenix consisted of Johnson in the winners circle, Jeff Burton was 2nd, Denny Hamlin finished 3rd, Mark Martin was 4th while Martin Truex Jr rounded out the Top 5 in 5th. With his win, Jimmie Johnson has officially clinched the 2009 Power Rankings Top Spot as he has put considerable distance betwen himself and the rest of the field since the Chase started. With that spot conceded, all eyes will be focused on who will have the honor of finsihing 2nd this year as three drivers have a shot. Jeff Gordon leaped into 2nd place this week over Tony Stewart, as Stewart fell to 3rd place. Gordon finished the Phoenix race in 9th place finish while Stewart struggled to another sub-par finish , 25th after being caught up in an accident earlier in the race. Martin has now closed within 20 points of Stewart now as he was able to leave Phoenix with a 4th place finish. Meanwhile Denny Hamlin hung onto his 5th place position in this weeks power rankings.

Kurt Busch stayed in the 6th spot this week with a great 6th place finish that saw him running at the point for much of the early stages of the race. Juan Montoya didn't have all that great of day but he did finish 8th which seems pretty good compared to the last few races for him. Greg Biffle stays in the 8th spot after his 14th place finish while Kyle Busch keeps his hold on the 9th spot after his 12th place finish at Phoenix. Finally Kasey Kahne stays in the 10th spot after finishing 15th in the Checker Auto Parts 500.

No driver joined or dropped out of the Top 10 in the power rankings this week.

The 2009 Power Rankings after the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix are as follows:

Rank	Last	Driver	Make	Points	Bonus	Penalties	Previous	Total
1	1	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	150	55	0	3360	3565
2	3	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	40	20	0	2995	3055
3	2	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	3000	3000
4	4	Mark Martin	Chevrolet	90	20	0	2870	2980
5	5	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	100	20	0	2550	2670
6	6	Kurt Busch	Dodge	70	45	0	2235	2350
7	7	Juan Montoya	Chevrolet	50	20	0	2005	2075
8	8	Greg Biffle	Ford	15	20	0	2000	2035
9	9	Kyle Busch	Toyota	15	20	0	1990	2025
10	10	Kasey Kahne	Dodge	15	20	0	1870	1905
11	11	Ryan Newman	Dodge	0	25	0	1750	1775
12	12	Matt Kenseth	Ford	0	25	0	1730	1755
13	13	Carl Edwards	Ford	0	20	0	1655	1675
14	15	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet	60	20	0	1520	1600
15	14	Brian Vickers	Toyota	0	10	-10	1565	1565
16	16	David Reutimann	Toyota	30	20	0	1420	1470
17	19	Jeff Burton	Chevrolet	120	20	0	1060	1200
18	18	Marcus Ambrose	Ford	15	20	0	1115	1150
19	17	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	1120	1120
20	20	Joey Logano	Toyota	0	10	-10	1015	1015
21	21	Jamie McMurray	Ford	0	20	0	880	900
22	24	Martin Truex Jr.	Chevrolet	85	45	0	685	815
23	22	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	785	785
24	23	Casey Mears	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	725	725
25	25	A.J. Allmendinger	Dodge	15	20	0	645	680
26	26	Sam Hornish Jr.	Dodge	0	20	0	595	615
27	27	Elliott Sadler	Dodge	0	10	-10	575	575
28	28	David Ragan	Ford	0	10	-10	485	485
29	29	Brad Keselowski	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	465	465
30	30	Reed Sorenson	Dodge	0	10	-10	395	395
31	31	Bobby Labonte	Ford	0	10	-10	380	380
32	32	Michael Waltrip	Toyota	0	10	-10	320	320
33	33	Paul Menard	Ford	0	10	-10	265	265
34	34	David Stremme	Dodge	0	0	0	250	250
35	35	Robby Gordon	Dodge	0	10	-10	170	170
35	35	John Andretti	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	170	170
36	36	Scott Speed	Toyota	0	10	-10	90	90
37	37	Bill Elliott	Ford	0	0	0	65	65
38	39	Ron Fellows	Chevrolet	0	0	0	20	20
38	39	Andy Lally	Chevrolet	0	0	0	20	20
39	38	Regan Smith	Chevrolet	0	0	-25	40	15
40	40	Stanton Barrett	Chevrolet	0	0	0	0	0
40	40	Erik Darnell	Toyota	0	10	-10	0	0
40	40	Robert Richardson Jr.	Dodge	0	0	0	0	0
41	41	Terry Labonte	Toyota	0	0	0	-10	-10
42	42	Tony Ave	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-15	-15
43	43	Boris Said	Ford	0	0	0	-20	-20
43	43	J.J. Yeley	Toyota	0	0	0	-20	-20
44	44	Max Papis	Chevrolet	0	10	-10	-25	-25
44	44	Scott Wimmer	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Geoff Bodine	Toyota	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Kirk Shelmerdine	Toyota	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Carl Long	Dodge	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Norm Benning	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Kelly Bires	Dodge	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Tom Hubert	Toyota	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Chris Cook	Dodge	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	44	Todd Christopher	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-25	-25
44	NR	Kevin Conway	Chevrolet	0	0	-25	0	-25
45	45	PJ Jones	Toyota	0	0	0	-30	-30
46	46	Aric Almirola	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-35	-35
47	47	Trevor Boys	Dodge	0	0	0	-45	-45
48	48	Patrick Carpentier	Dodge	0	0	0	-50	-50
48	48	Brian Simo	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-50	-50
49	46	Brandon Ash	Dodge	0	0	-25	-35	-60
49	49	Travis Kvapil	Ford	0	0	0	-60	-60
50	50	David Starr	Dodge	0	0	0	-70	-70
50	50	Mike Garvey	Dodge	0	0	0	-70	-70
51	52	David Gilliland	Ford	0	10	-10	-120	-120
52	53	Scott Riggs	Toyota	0	0	0	-125	-125
53	51	Michael McDowell	Toyota	0	10	-25	-115	-130
54	54	Dexter Bean	Dodge	0	0	0	-135	-135
55	55	Mike Skinner	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-150	-150
56	56	Mike Wallace	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-155	-155
56	56	Jeremy Mayfield	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-155	-155
57	57	Derrike Cope	Dodge	0	0	0	-165	-165
58	58	Mike Bliss	Toyota	0	0	0	-185	-185
58	58	Todd Bodine	Toyota	0	0	0	-185	-185
59	59	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet	0	0	0	-215	-215
60	60	Tony Raines	Chevrolet	0	10	-25	-245	-260
61	61	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	0	10	-25	-405	-420
62	62	Dave Blaney	Toyota	0	10	-25	-475	-490

Team power ratings are based on a different rating system then is used by Nascar. Points are awarded based on a driver's performance on the track and awards points for only Top performances. A top 15, pole or leading the most laps is considered a strong performance and are awarded points based on finish. No points are awarded for anything other then a Top 15 finish and negative points are awarded for drivers that do not finish on the lead lap, fail to finish the race or fail to qualify for the race. Points for rain outs are awarded based on owner points.

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