[accotMask17]

It's been an interesting NASCAR season so far. There's drivers in the top 12 that few could have predicted would be there, and there's drivers outside the top 12 that most figured would be in there at this point. But that happens every year. Still, it provides for good discussion and leaves much to be speculated about what the top 12 will look like after Richmond this fall.

Kasey Kahne has found his way into the top 12 with his Coca Cola 600 victory, and appears to be riding a wave of momentum heading into the second half. Can he do enough to still be there after Richmond? Truthfully, I'd have to say the odds are stacked against him, but I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to rule him out, either. He does, in fact, have 6 top-ten finishes this year, compared to only 1 last year at this point in the season.

Of those in the top 12, only 5 are winless. Junior remains winless, but the other four are actually the bigger suprises: Harvick, Stewart, Gordon, and Biffle are all winless thus far. Stewart isn't terribly surprising, as he's got a history of not really warming up until after the all-star race. You can certainly expect a couple of wins from Stewart by Richmond. But for Gordon, Harvick, and Biffle, failure to reach victory lane - and soon - could prove disastrous when it comes to August.

Consistancy means something. Junior, despite being winless, is secure in the top 3 of the standings, and that's due to intelligent racing and certainly the better equipment he's getting at Hendrick versus DEI is paying off. And even when that team has had equipment issues, they've found ways to overcome - take the Coca Cola for example. This team is still in dire need of a victory, though, lest they be at a serious disadvantage once the Chase rolls around in September. And the Chase aside, this team needs to get that proverbial monkey off their backs as well. There's no doubt the #88 team is tired of the same storyline every week - "Will this be the race that Dale and Tony Eury finally win one??" Fielding those questions has to get irritating at some point. The team is solid though, and I do believe they'll find victory lane. There's a lot of races left that are favorable for this team and driver - Bristol, Richmond, Daytona, Talladega, etc. But until they roll that 88 car into victory lane, expect to continue each race's main headline to somewhere feature that broken-record question of whether or not it's the race that they'll get there. The good thing is that in most races this season, they've been up front and contending. The bad thing is that they always seem to find a way (bad luck or otherwise) to blow it in the final 100 laps. They need to find a way to put a complete race together, to be there at the end.

Notables outside the top 12: Kenseth, Truex Jr, and the Penske drivers (Daytona 500 winner and runner up Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch). Kenseth is slowly climbing back up after putting himself at a major disadvantage early in the season, but what has happened to Team Penske after Daytona?? The two drivers have combined for only 6 top-tens all season, with Busch not having one single top ten finish since Daytona. If they don't get some top-5's, and soon, their hopes of being in the Chase are all but gone. Truex and DEI are really struggling this year, despite the organization's best efforts to prove to the NASCAR community that the team can thrive in the absence of a certain Dale Earnhardt Jr. I think it's interesting to look at the parallels of how well Mark Martin did in his limited Cup schedule last season compared to this season. It only adds fuel to the argument that without Dale Jr, DEI is hurting. They have a lot of work to do to re-establish the prestige that the team once boasted. There's no doubt they're kicking themselves for not being bigger players in the Kyle Busch sweepstakes last season, although I'm reluctant to say that the problem at DEI is in the driver area.

I think that the "Car of Tomorrow" is really proving to be a solid upgrade for NASCAR. There's a lot of parity, and drivers that were once a shoe-in for the Chase are finding themselves struggling to keep up. The playing field has truly been leveled, which is precisely what one of the COT goals was.

Give a shout out to David Ragan in that #6 car. With only 3 top ten finishes, the team has been consistant enough to be in 13th position, only 58 points out of the Chase. Ragan is really growing in the sport and I think we can expect him to only get better. He's quietly running near the front in most of the races, and he's driving smart enough to avoid DNF's (only 1 at Daytona) and poor finishes. In the last 4 races, Ragan has started and finished in the top 13 3 times, so there's much to be confident about for that #6 team.

I'm really excited for the second part of the season. Outside of the top 3, it's almost a crapshoot as to who will be there in September. There's a ton of great storylines for the remainder of the season, and each race is crucial to each of the top-twenty race teams.

Giddy up, Race fans, it's going to be a hell of a summer.

[xiaoselangone]

I see no reason why Gordon nad Jr. won't be getting wins soon. We all know Jr. should have had at least one by now. It's strange that Gordons team struggles, but Jr. and Johnson do well. It's almost like Gordon has been pushed back to the third most important driver in the Hendrick stable. He helped build Hendrick into what it is today.

We all know Stewart will come around, it was starting to happen last weekend. I also think Kenseth will squeek into the top 12 soon.

[annouhMus]

I see no reason why Gordon nad Jr. won't be getting wins soon. We all know Jr. should have had at least one by now. It's strange that Gordons team struggles, but Jr. and Johnson do well. It's almost like Gordon has been pushed back to the third most important driver in the Hendrick stable. He helped build Hendrick into what it is today.

We all know Stewart will come around, it was starting to happen last weekend. I also think Kenseth will squeek into the top 12 soon.

Actually there isn't one race where I can think of that Junior was in line for a victory. You're likely referencing the race where Kyle and Junior got together and wrecked (i refuse to say that Kyle wrecked him, because I believe they were both at fault), but Kyle was going to pass him within the next couple turns anyway. Kyle's car was handling better at that point. Which is precisely Junior's problem, he'll have dominating race cars until the final 50 laps, and his handling always seems to go away. For Junior to win a race this year, him and Tony Eury have to figure out how to make the appropriate pit calls and adjustments for his car to be handling well at the END of the race. So far, they have failed in that category.

As for saying Johnson is running well, he's running mediocre really. He's doing enough to stay in the top 12, but when compared to his previous 2 or 3 seasons, he's definitely not where he was or needs to be.

Gordon's team has had a mix of awful luck and for some reason they have lost the edge they had. I don't know the reason for this, but to think they won't turn it around is foolery. I don't believe one bit that he's been relegated to the 3rd team in the stable. The performance indicates that's where he is, but no way is that a reality in Hendrick's mind.

[Woziwfaq]

Actually there isn't one race where I can think of that Junior was in line for a victory. You're likely referencing the race where Kyle and Junior got together and wrecked (i refuse to say that Kyle wrecked him, because I believe they were both at fault), but Kyle was going to pass him within the next couple turns anyway. Kyle's car was handling better at that point. Which is precisely Junior's problem, he'll have dominating race cars until the final 50 laps, and his handling always seems to go away. For Junior to win a race this year, him and Tony Eury have to figure out how to make the appropriate pit calls and adjustments for his car to be handling well at the END of the race. So far, they have failed in that category.

As for saying Johnson is running well, he's running mediocre really. He's doing enough to stay in the top 12, but when compared to his previous 2 or 3 seasons, he's definitely not where he was or needs to be.

Gordon's team has had a mix of awful luck and for some reason they have lost the edge they had. I don't know the reason for this, but to think they won't turn it around is foolery. I don't believe one bit that he's been relegated to the 3rd team in the stable. The performance indicates that's where he is, but no way is that a reality in Hendrick's mind.

I fell asleep during the race where Jr. was involved in the Busch wreck, so I can't really say for sure. I think he had one of the strongest cars last week, and would have for sure been fighting for the win.

When I say well, I mean he's doing better than most. He isn't doing his regular dominating, but he is doing well enough. Hendrick as a whole isn't doing what they usually do.

It almost seems to me like he has been, it seems that the Hendrick guys don't share the info like they used to. I have seen a few races where Gordon is struggling and the other guys are up near the front. At least Gordon isn't the most hated driver anymore.

[ChicasCams]

I fell asleep during the race where Jr. was involved in the Busch wreck, so I can't really say for sure. I think he had one of the strongest cars last week, and would have for sure been fighting for the win.

When I say well, I mean he's doing better than most. He isn't doing his regular dominating, but he is doing well enough. Hendrick as a whole isn't doing what they usually do.

It almost seems to me like he has been, it seems that the Hendrick guys don't share the info like they used to. I have seen a few races where Gordon is struggling and the other guys are up near the front. At least Gordon isn't the most hated driver anymore.

The 24 and 48 seem to share information well, but they share a garage. And the 88 and 5 share a garage. That's how Hendrick has been set up for a while now.

The reality is, Junior and Mears more often than not will have very similar setups, but Mears' team has been struggling a ton this year. A mix of bad luck and poor adjustments have plagued that team.

[wallyfindme]

Gordon's bound to get a win sometime soon. He's strung together three top 10s and has Dover, Pocono, and Michigan - all three at which he's had success. I think Hendrick is starting to catch up with the COT and they'll start winning like everyone thought they would.

[ticfarentibia]

Gordon's bound to get a win sometime soon. He's strung together three top 10s and has Dover, Pocono, and Michigan - all three at which he's had success. I think Hendrick is starting to catch up with the COT and they'll start winning like everyone thought they would.

Well remember it was Hendrick who first had the COT figured out. Didn't they win like 75% of the COT races last season?

Everyone caught up to THEM. But they're coming back around soon enough.

[Eh085zE7]

Well remember it was Hendrick who first had the COT figured out. Didn't they win like 75% of the COT races last season?

Everyone caught up to THEM. But they're coming back around soon enough.

Yeah that's what I meant. I think they got a little complacent last year after dominating and didn't test as much as they should have.

I think it's going to be JGR and Hendrick at the end of it all. Kahne and Burton are nice stories, but I think that once Tony and the Hendrick bunch get heated up, they're going to be hard to stop. Busch is already on fire, Stewart is going to be (I guess you could contest that he already was in the 600, and just screwed himself with like 4 laps left), and Hamlin will stay hot.

[Sliliashdes]

Gordon's bound to get a win sometime soon. He's strung together three top 10s and has Dover, Pocono, and Michigan - all three at which he's had success. I think Hendrick is starting to catch up with the COT and they'll start winning like everyone thought they would.

No offense, but your last sentence is one of the most uninformed I've read in a while. If you recall, Hendrick was the program to have damn near ALL the success in COT races last season. If the Hendrick boys didn't win the race, the placed damn high.

I can guarantee you Hendrick isn't catching up with anything. If anything, other teams took some very good notes and applied them correctly to their own cars.

Also, Toyota is doing exactly what I figured they'd do. They struggled mightily last season and this season, they're coming on very strong. When one make is winning the others aren't.

[Brewpralgar]

No offense, but your last sentence is one of the most uninformed I've read in a while. If you recall, Hendrick was the program to have damn near ALL the success in COT races last season. If the Hendrick boys didn't win the race, the placed damn high.

I can guarantee you Hendrick isn't catching up with anything. If anything, other teams took some very good notes and applied them correctly to their own cars.

Also, Toyota is doing exactly what I figured they'd do. They struggled mightily last season and this season, they're coming on very strong. When one make is winning the others aren't.

Without Gibbs Toyota would still be struggling. No other team has really shown much other than Gibbs.

[Vulkanevsel]

Without Gibbs Toyota would still be struggling. No other team has really shown much other than Gibbs.

Gibbs is the only team with an appropriate amount of resources running Toyota. Same goes for the other makes. Nobody is winning who doesn't have the resources to field good equipment. The fact is though, that a good team with quality equipment, engineers, and drivers (despite the fact that the drivers are all first rate douchebags) has gone with Toyota and won.

[Aozenee]

No offense, but your last sentence is one of the most uninformed I've read in a while. If you recall, Hendrick was the program to have damn near ALL the success in COT races last season. If the Hendrick boys didn't win the race, the placed damn high.

I can guarantee you Hendrick isn't catching up with anything. If anything, other teams took some very good notes and applied them correctly to their own cars.

Also, Toyota is doing exactly what I figured they'd do. They struggled mightily last season and this season, they're coming on very strong. When one make is winning the others aren't.

I corrected myself earlier, I meant that they'd start catching up this year. They obviously dominated last year, but they've been behind this year, and I think all that money and talent will eventually start to see some wins.

[Teomaderm]

I corrected myself earlier, I meant that they'd start catching up this year. They obviously dominated last year, but they've been behind this year, and I think all that money and talent will eventually start to see some wins.

Just because they aren't winning races, doesn't mean they have to catch up. Hendrick's teams have been quietly some of the most consistent teams in the series. Jimmy and Jr. have combined for 1 win, two poles, 9 top fives, and 13 top tens. That's not too shabby, considering Jr. has finished out of the top 15 only once and that was a 40th place finish at California. Even Jimmy and Jeff have done pretty well considering a few bad deals at a few tracks forcing some bad finishes. They are both in the top ten in points as well.

I will agree though, Hendrick's teams need to tweak their approach a bit as they are so often so close to winning the race almost every week. That being said, I wouldn't mind seeing Jr. win the title with consistency and a win or two like Matt Kenseth did a few years back.