NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Power Rankings: Who Are The Fans Rooting For?
The 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup is already half-way over, with drivers rising to the occasion of the intense pressure and others coming up short, the championship picture is starting to become more and more clear.
Heading into the legendary track of Martinsville for this Sunday's TUMS Fast Relief 500, these are the top 10 drivers in the series based on fan support and on-track performance.
No. 10: Jamie McMurray
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Ah, what a win will do for you... As McMurray's 2010 dream season continues with another victory Saturday night at Charlotte, he has emerged as the 13th driver in the points standings and is primed to take home the $1 million bonus at season's end.
No. 9: Carl Edwards
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Just two weeks ago, Edwards would have easily graced the top five of the power rankings, but with his ride of momentum heading into the chase seemingly fizzling out and some of his best chances to win behind him, cousin Carl has slipped back to the rear.
No. 8: Kevin Harvick
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Happy dominated the points for almost the entire regular season, but has been playing second fiddle since the Chase started a month ago. To no surprise, Kevin has continued his streak of consistent finishes during the postseason and is third in points, just 77 markers out of the lead.
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No. 7: Greg Biffle
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Biffle's championship hopes for this season may seem o be out the window, but he is still leading the Roush Fenway charge as the only driver on the team to find victory lane this season.
Eighth in points is a long way back, but if he comes out of Talladega next week in one piece and others being swept up in the big wreck, the championship might fall right into his lap.
No. 6: Kyle Busch
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If it weren't for the late race caution Saturday night at Charlotte, Kyle Busch would have won the race.
Many fans called Kyle Busch a championship dark horse, but he has come out a bit stale in the postseason and is now a middle of the pack chase driver holding down the fifth spot in the points standings.
No. 5: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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The 2010 Sprint Cup season for Dale Jr can be summed up in one word: Disappointment.
Another lackluster season with a few flashes of brilliance has caused him to miss the chase once again. However, looking at the bight side, Junior's fan base is the largest in the sport, which is why he is ranked so high.
No. 4: Tony Stewart
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Stewart's win at California a few weeks ago resurrected his title hopes after starting the chase off poorly, but with another poor finish at Charlotte, they may have just fizzled out again—this time for good.
No. 3: Jeff Gordon
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After snagging the pole during Friday night's qualifying at Charlotte, Gordon appeared to be primed to finally get that all important win that has eluded him the entire season.
Again, Jeff and his team came up short, but have a lot to look forward to at Martinsville, where he has seven wins.
No. 2: Denny Hamlin
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Hamlin has continued to live up to the preseason championship hype and has finished very close to points leader Jimmie Johnson almost every week in the chase.
With an old fashioned shootout at Martinsville between he and Johnson set to take place at Martinsville, Denny looks to sweep the track's two Sprint Cup dates and possibly take over the points lead.
No. 1: Jimmie Johnson
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Although not dominating the chase like he has in season's past, Johnson has silenced the skeptics by being the most consistent driver during the postseason and has a 41-point lead over Denny Hamlin.
No driver may be more happy to be heading to Martinsville than Jimmie, who has seven career wins at the track and a series high average finish of fifth.
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