Pit Road Week 12

Charlotte Motor Speedway: Coca-Cola 600

This is not only a late Pit Road article for Nascar Behind the Wall but also will be a short one. I am going to skip right to the updated Power Rankings. Reason behind that is I was out of town with friends and family for Memorial weekend and only caught about 50 laps of the Coca-Cola 600. Instead of writing up some BS about the Rising, Coasting, and Falling drivers I am going to just update the Rankings bye the articles I have read and how the drivers final results were. So on to the rankings and on to the Monster Mile this week! Check out the Coca-Cola 600 Results here.

**Keep in mind these Rankings only include points races so their is no consideration from the All-Star Race**


Pit Road (Week 12 Power Rankings)

1. Matt Kenseth (LW-1)- He did finish the night in 15th, but he also led 112 laps on the night. Between him or Jimmie Johnson I will stay with last weeks number one.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW-2)- Late race wreak that had him spinning off the track sent him back to a 22nd place finish. He was having a solid night before that happened. He has been unstoppable at the Monster Mile so he may climb back to number 1 soon.
3. Carl Edwards (LW-3)- Carl has been a mainstay at the top of the Power rankings. He didn't do enough to move past the bad finishes of Kenseth or JJ but his 11th place finish also didn't move him down. The top 3 guys in the Power Rankings all have a good track record at Dover in the last 10 races.
4. Kevin Harvick (LW-7)- Harvick has been hot as of late and is having a pretty solid season. He is now up to 7th in the Points Standings with 2 wins in 2013
5. Clint Bowyer (LW-5)- Clint stays put after notching another top 10 finish (8th). He sits 4th in the points and has 6 top 10's this year.
6. Kasey Kahn (LW-8)- Kahne comes up as the Brides Maid again at a 1.5 mile track. He has been good but just not good enough to squeak out the wins at those tracks this year. He has 5 top 5's which ties him with Kyle Busch for the second most on the season.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-4)- Well Jr makes a fall this week due to trouble at Charlotte, but mostly because other drivers around him got hot. Its just a tough 3 through 7 but he may stay down this way with Dover not being kind to him in the last 10 races there.
8. Denny Hamlin (LW-NR)- After being out with his injury, Denny has made a strong run back with 3 straight top 10's (2 of the top 5's). He also makes his way back on the Power Rankings with slumping drivers all around.
9. Kyle Busch (LW-8)- Caught up with a camera hitting his car and then having engine problems (nothing to do with the camera problem) Kyle had another weekend where he can not wait to leave.
10. Kurt Busch (LW-NR)- Well Kurt has found himself back on the Power Rankings in 2013 with a 3rd place finish at Charlotte. That would be two top 5's in a row and three top 10's in his last 5 races. Every race that goes bye the Furniture Row team gets better and looks more and more like they will find a win (which could mean a Wild Card spot).
11. Martin Truex Jr (LW-12)- Who hung on with all the newcomers taking up spots? Truex did with his 9th place finish. He actually has made a case to be higher on this list but its tough going. Another solid finish at the Monster Mile and he will make a dramatic jump. He is still 9th in points and has 5 top 5's in 2013
12. Ryan Newman (LW-NR)- Well Newman marks the 3rd driver who wasn't ranked after out last race that made this weeks Rankings. That is how bad the slumping (and crashes) seemed to have affected the guys down here on the bubble. Newman the only halfway bright spot this season at Stewart-Hass finished 6th at Charlotte.

Dropped Out: Brad Keselowski (6th), Jeff Gordon (10th), and Aric Almirola (11th).
Just Missed: Joey Logano

Well onto the Monster Mile where many drivers will be looking to get back on track while getting pushed all around the track.