Head to head
If you missed Dustin Long's story in today's paper, here's how it starts:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin are even. For now.Earnhardt's half-second win Saturday at Richmond gave him a 1-1 record against Hamlin, counting exhibition races. Hamlin beat Earnhardt in the Budweiser Shootout in February and finished second to him Saturday. Other than those two times, their battles for a victory have come in racing video games.
The story is less about video games (that's the hook, boys and girls - betcha kept reading) and more about on-track rivalries. Dustin went back to 1999 and looked at how drivers fared against each other in races where they finished 1-2.
Some of the highlights:
Jeff Gordon is 3-2 against past champ Tony Stewart (meaning there have been three Gordon-Stewart finishes to two Stewart-Gordon finishes), 3-4 vs. Bobby Labonte and 2-3 vs. Dale Jarrett.
Jimmie Johnson, meanwhile, is 4-0 against the Busch family. And long-time Busch basher Kevin Harvick is (and this is my favorite match-up stat) is 0-2 vs. Kurt.
More matchups courtesy of Dustin after the jump ...
JIMMIE JOHNSON
4-0 vs. Mark Martin
2-0 vs. Kyle Busch
2-0 vs. Kurt Busch
2-0 vs. Bobby Labonte
1-1 vs. Matt Kenseth
1-1 vs. Tony Stewart
1-3 vs. Jeff Gordon
0-2 vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
0-2 vs. Greg Biffle
MATT KENSETH
2-1 vs. Kasey Kahne
1-1 vs. Bobby Labonte
1-1 vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1-1 vs. Jimmie Johnson
0-3 vs. Kurt Busch
KURT BUSCH
3-0 vs. Matt Kenseth
2-0 vs. Bobby Labonte
2-0 vs. Kevin Harvick
2-0 vs. Joe Nemechek
1-1 vs. Jeff Gordon
0-1 vs. Tony Stewart
0-2 vs. Jimmie Johnson
0-2 vs. Ryan Newman
JEFF GORDON
1-0 vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3-1 vs. Ryan Newman
3-1 vs. Jimmie Johnson
3-2 vs. Tony Stewart
1-1 vs. Kurt Busch
3-4 vs. Bobby Labonte
2-3 vs Dale Jarrett
0-2 vs. Kevin Harvick
TONY STEWART
3-2 vs. Ryan Newman
2-0 vs. Robby Gordon
1-0 vs. Kurt Busch
2-2 vs. Mark Martin
1-1 vs. Jimmie Johnson
1-1 vs. Kasey Kahne
2-3 vs. Jeff Gordon
1-3 vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
0-2 vs. Dale Jarrett
DALE EARNAHRDT JR.
3-1 vs. Tony Stewart
2-0 vs. Kevin Harvick
2-0 vs. Jimmie Johnson
2-1 vs. Ryan Newman
2-2 vs. Michael Waltrip
1-1 vs. Matt Kenseth
Note: The records shown here are from 1999 season to today.