NASCAR Power Rankings: Dover

(Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson completed the season sweep at Dover, leading 271 of 400 laps on his way to victory in the AAA 400. Johnson trimmed 25 points off of Mark Martin's points lead and trails his Hendrick teammate by only 10.

"That's two races in Dover," Johnson said, "and two wins for the sweep. The No. 48 was exceptional. If you listened closely, you could hear the purr of the engine say 'V-room, b-room!'"

"But I'm not one to count my Cups before they're snatched. But I can take comfort in knowing that my win sent a message that I'll have a say in the championship. As if they needed proof. Haven't the last three years shown everyone that with the Lowe's come the 'highs?'"

2. Mark Martin — Martin finished second in Dover to Jimmie Johnson, who was so dominant in the AAA 400 that Martin compared him to Superman. Martin still leads the points, with a 10-point advantage over Johnson.

"If Jimmie's 'Superman,'" Martin said, "and Jeff Gordon was known as 'Boy Wonder,' then what does that make me? Well, I'm 50, so you could call me 'Captain Numerical.' And, since Jimmie and I seem to be the only two drivers with a chance to win the Cup, does that make us members of the 'Just Us League?'"

3. Juan Montoya — Montoya came home fourth in Dover, his second-consecutive top-five finish and only his third of the year. He moved up one spot in the standings to third, and trails Mark Martin by 65 points.

"I didn't finish the race directly behind Mark Martin," says Montoya, "but I was close enough to get a glimpse of his Yosemite Sam 'Back Off!' mud flaps."

"As you probably noticed, I was in the No. 42 car with the special Polaroid sponsorship and paint scheme. And I hope my finish let Martin and Johnson know that I plan to be on their tails throughout the duration of the Chase. I would have told them to their face, but I figure a 'picture' is worth a thousand words."

4. Kurt Busch — Busch led 99 laps in the AAA 400, second to Jimmie Johnson's 271, and finished fifth, recording his eighth top-five of the year. Busch remained fourth in the points, and now trails Mark Martin by 75 points.

"Maybe Pat Tryson should announce his departure more often," Busch said. "It seems the less I see of him, the better off I am."

"Besides Jimmie Johnson, I'm the highest ranked former Cup champion in the Chase. I feel like I'm still in the running, so let's end this premature infatuation with Johnson as champion. I've still got a chance, so at least give me that common 'Kurt-esy.' If I'm wrong, and Jimmie wins his fourth Cup, I'll graciously 'Kurt-sy' before him as a loyal subject."

5. Jeff Gordon — Gordon had a potential runner-up finish foiled when an air gun broke on a late pit stop, costing him several positions on the way to an eventual sixth in the AAA 400 in Dover.

Gordon also battled handling conditions throughout the race, at one point radioing his crew that it felt like he was "driving on ice." He rose two spots in the point standings to eighth, but is 122 behind Mark Martin.

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