Small Team Standings: Going to Indy
The last time we checked in on the Small Team Standings, your leader was Travis Kvapil. But that was about six weeks and six races ago, and in the interim Kvapil remember who he was and that he drives for Yates and has dropped way down in the rankings.
The Spotter also would like to welcome what's left of Ganassi Racing to the Small Team Rankings. By closing Dario Franchitti's No. 40 team, Ganassi not only added one more open wheeler to the list of NASCAR failures, but also dropped from three teams to two and is now eligible to be included among the Small Teams.
But it's not all unicorns and rainbows for Ganassi: JPM enters the rankings in third, and Reed Sorenson is 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th ... no, 8th! Man, that's bad. I'm guessing we won't see much of him next season. Never mind that we haven't seen much of him this season.
The developing story is STS leader Brian Vickers, who's threatening to become the first Small Team driver to crack the Chase. Yeah, I know, he's 97 points out of 12th, and he has Clint Bowyer between him and the final Chase spot. But since tanking at LMS on Memorial Day, Vickers hasn't finished worse than 16th. I'd be stunned to see the 83 in the Chase, but he's not out of it, which is more than anyone can say for every other Small Team driver.
This week's STS after the jump ...
Rank/Driver/Pts/Behind
1. Brian Vickers ... 2,188 ... 0
2. Bobby Labonte ... 1,905 ... -283
3. Juan Montoya ... 1,863 ... -325
4. Travis Kvapil ... 1,841 ... -347
5. David Gilliland ... 1,772 ... -416
6. Robby Gordon ... 1,572 ... -616
7. Dave Blaney ... 1,563 ... -625
8. Reed Sorenson ... 1,496 ... -692
9. Scott Riggs ... 1,314 ... -874
10. J.J. Yeley ... 1,138 ... lots and lots
Comments (2)
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I must say that I truely think it is sad that all of these small teams struggle so badly in the sport that was founded by those very same teams. It is now a money race, and who can spend the most. But again, only the strong survive and the ones that perform the best are the ones that stay on top. For some reason all along I have wanted to pull for Brian Vickers and want to see him do well, so I stick to that and hope to see his name in the middle of the mix when it comes down to the chase.
Posted on July 22, 2008 10:44 PM
After the 3rd competition caution I decided to cut my grass.
Posted on July 27, 2008 9:00 PM