Top Ten Drivers That Will Be Non-Factors in Sunday's Brickyard 400

This is a list of the top ten drivers that won't be competing for a win in Sunday's Brickyard 400.  I'm not taking the easy way out by picking Michael McDowell, Joe Nemechek, or J.J. Yeley.  I'm making a few bold picks and explaining why they won't be in the hunt for a win in the 18th annual Brickyard 400.

10. Ryan Newman

This one is very bold, considering Newman is the most recent winner in the Sprint Cup Series.  That's why I put him in at number 10 and not closer to the top.

Newman is from Indiana and he's a teammate of Tony Stewart's.  Both of these drivers have a great passion for the Speedway.

The difference between the two is that Newman has no luck at all in the Brickyard.

Newman has only one top ten finish in his ten career starts at Indy and that was back in 2002.

His finishes are as follows at Indy:

2010- 17th

2009- 14th

2008- 13th

2007- 42nd

2006- 13th

2005- 34th

2004- 31st

2003- 11th

2002- 4th

2001- 31st

With those finishes, don't be surprised if Newman has another disappointing day.

9. David Ragan

David Ragan has been on a tear this month.  He won his first career Sprint Cup race in Daytona earlier in the month, and has been fighting hard for a wild card spot in the Chase.  The only problem is Ragan hasn't finished well at Indy.

In his four starts at the Brickyard, he has never run in the top ten.  His best finish is 14th in 2008.

Once thing Ragan can say is that he has completed every lap in every Brickyard 400, but with his history of sub-par finishes, don't expect him to be knocking on the door for a win Sunday.

8. Kyle Busch

Don't be surprised if Kyle Busch's car looks like the one in the picture Sunday.

Busch has never really performed well at Indy, and finds himself in trouble most of the time.

In his six starts he has only one top-five finish.  He had a good drive last year after a first lap wreck, but his driving style will never get him a win at Indy.

Lets hope for the sake of the race he doesn't go to victory lane.

7. Clint Bowyer

Clint Bowyer hasn't had much luck at the Speedway either.  In five career starts he's finished in the top five twice.  Both times, it was a fourth place finish.  He's other three starts he finished 13th, 18th, and 19th.

Bowyer will have a great shot this year in that Childress cars always run well at Indy, but I just don't think this will be his year to be a factor.

6. Kurt Busch

In ten career Brickyard starts, Kurt Busch has just one top-five finish, and that was 10 years ago.  He also has only four top-ten finishes.

He hasn't had a finish better than tenth since 2003.

Kurt has led only three total laps in his Brickyard career, so don't expect him to lead any more than that this Sunday.

5. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin has made five career starts in the Brickyard 400 and has only one top-five and two top-tens.

He seems to have bad luck at Indy, and I don't think his luck will change this year.

With finishes of 15th, 34th, 3rd, 22nd, and 10th in his career at Indy, he won't be a very big factor this Sunday.

Denny has led in only one race at the Brickyard, and that was for 26 laps.

4. Paul Menard

In his first year with Childress, Menard should have his best shot at a top ten in Indy.

The problem is his best finish at the Brickyard is 14th.  In four starts he has only finished on the lead lap twice.  He has finishes of 14th, 29th, 41st, and 20th in the race.

Don't expect much from Menard on Sunday.

3. Bobby Labonte

Bobby Labonte was once one of the most consistent drivers in the Brickyard.  He is the 2000 Brickyard 400 Champion and has started in every Brickyard 400 to date.

From 1997-2000 his worst finish was third in the Brickyard.  So why would I say he will be a non factor?  His finishes since 2000 are 15h, 11th, 22nd, 15th, 40th, 40th, 19th, 16th, 23rd, and a 31st last year.

Running for JTG-Daughtery Racing will put a hamper on his chances as well.

2. David Reutimann

Michael Waltrip Racing's drivers haven't fared well at Indy.  Reutimann has made four starts an the Brickyard, and has only one top-ten and no top-fives.

Reutimann has a best finish of eighth in Indy.  His career finishes are 28th, eighth, 30th, and 38th in the Brickyard.

Reutimann has never led at Indy, and don't expect that to change this year.

1. Martin Truex Jr.

Martin Truex Jr. has had a very disappointing career at Indy.  This is one track that he doesn't run well on.  Truex Jr. has made six starts at Indy with no career top-five or top-ten finishes.  His best finish is 12th.

His career finishes at Indy are 26th, 17th, 24th, 12th, 19th, and 42nd.  With those kind of finishes, I don't expect him to be a factor at all on Sunday.