Pit Road Week 12: Charlotte

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Week 12

By Richard Tix

After 12 races (11 regular season races and 1 All-Star Race) Jimmie Johnson finally broke the curse. No, not his win less streak, but MY win less streak. It is the first time in 12 races that I predicted the race winner. Ok, ok, Jimmie Johnson also finally won a race in 2014, I guess that is news as well...

The review of the Coca-Cola 600 this week will be short. I tend to keep the reviews short when I didn't catch most of the race. This week I was in Southern, MN camping with family. This is typically a small family reunion at a camp ground (about 30-35 friends and family all together). Typically we make a run into town at a small local bar to catch some of the race. Sometimes when we get back we will catch a bit more at the camp ground (sometimes a family member will get a site with cable).

This year I did neither, but I did catch some of the action on Twitter from time to time. So, I am basing most of my rankings on media and teams twitter feeds and the full race results. Also included in the rankings will be consideration after looking at some race loop data which is always handy. (Full Coca-Cola 600 race results)

Pit Road: Power Rankings Week 12 (Week 11)

*Does not include the All-Star Race into the Rankings*

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Havick takes the top spot from Gordon, but this was a tough one. Gordon had a good 600, but Harvick once again had a great car and led 100 laps on Sunday. Kevin just didn't have enough to get to JJ in the end.
2. Jeff Gordon (LW-1)- Jeff Gordon still holds NASCAR's points lead after 12 races and he and he put himself in the Chase after his Kansas win. Now all the 24 team needs to do is keep it locked in and they could make a Championship run.
3. Matt Kenseth (LW-3)- Tough company at the top. Kenseth has a good night on Sunday as he led 33 laps and spent a lot of time up front. He actually ran the race on average in 5th position and spent 99.8% of the race in the top 15. He eventually came home in 3rd place and is still 2nd in points without a win. 
4. Kyle Busch (LW-5)- Kyle didn't have the greatest race, but he brought it home 9th. I feel like that is how a lot of the season has gone, not a great race but a pretty good finish. He has only had 7 races of the 12 that he has been in the top 15 for more than 55% of the time. Watch out if the 18 team does get it fully together though.
5. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- Another average race for Carl, yet he finished 4th Sunday night. Can this team break out? Will this be his last year at Roush? All of these are questions Carl does not want to hear, but he better get used to it.
6. Jimmie Johnson (LW-12)- 11 races into the 2014 season and Jimmie Johnson did not have a win. Well, he got his first and he has a great shot at picking up #2 this week at Dover. Watch out, JJ could be back in the top 5 very soon.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-4)- The 600 itself wasn't a terrible race for Jr as he spent most of the night in the top 10, but Dale Jr did finish the night 19th. After his bad finish at Dega, he had struggled (finish position) in the last 3 races. 
8. Joey Logano (LW-6)- JoLo spent most of the night in the top 15 and also ran the night on average around 8th, but the competition on top is heated and his 12th place finish dropped him a few spots. Not to worry, he and his Penske teammate have still been fast the last few races, they just have to finish.
9. Brian Vickers (LW-11)- I did predict Vickers (and AJ Allmendinger) as my surprise drivers this season, but even past that this is a great story. Vickers finished the 600 6th and picked up his 5th top 10 of the season. The bigger story is he doesn't have very many bad runs on the season and is 8th in points.
10. Kasey Kahne (LW-10)- Here is where the rankings get shaky. You could make a case for a lot of guys in the bottom spots. Kahne had a disappointing Charlotte run after finishing 14th, but his previous two finishes were 3rd and 8th.
11. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menards finished in the top 10 (8th) at Charlotte after not spending much time up front all night (34% of the race in the top 15, average running position of 18th). Even though it wasn't a great race it was still a good finish and his 2nd top 10 in the last 3 races.
12. Brad Keselowski (LW-NR)- After a good start BK has cooled off as of late. He and the #2 team has started piecing it back together in the last 4 races though (Dega he was taken out early and finished 38th). His other 3 finishes in the last 4 are 10th, 13th, and 4th. 

Dropped Out: Greg Biffle and Kyle Larson

Just Missed: Ryan Newman and Aric Almirola

Honorable Mention: Jamie McMurray

Week 12 brought us a new winner in 2014 (Jimmie Johnson) but as week head to Dover there are still some big names out there win less. Clint Bowyer is still riding a 53 race win less streak that dates back to the Charlotte Chase race in 2012. Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, and Ryan Newman are all looking for a win in 2014 as well. But will it be Jimmie Johnson's race to lose at Dover? 

I finally predicted a race winner in 2014 after a few close calls and a few terrible underdog picks, but I wasn't alone. Matt Aleza (@MattAleza1 and of ThisSportz) also let me know before the race on Twitter that Jimmie Johnson was going to win. 

Onto race 13 of the 2014 season. I have a pretty busy week this week after a long weekend, but I will have the preview up tomorrow and at least one extra Dover article this week.