Brickyard 400 power rankings
From the 'is it a coincidence' file: When Tony Stewart won the Brickyard 400 in 2005, he went on to win the Nextel Cup title. On Sunday, he won the Brickyard 400 for the second time and became only the third driver with multiple wins in 2007.
We know anything can happen with the new Chase format, but Stewart's already won under the Chase once before. Six to go until the run to the 2007 title starts.
Here are the latest power rankings after the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
1. Jeff Gordon: Ho-hum. Another day, the 13th top-5 of 2007 for the 24.
2. Matt Kenseth: Mr. Consistency delivers again in top 10. But can he get another win before the Chase?
3. Denny Hamlin: Problems with late pit stop ruined promising day.
4. Tony Stewart: Two wins in a row leaving competition looking nervously in rear-view mirrors.
5. Jeff Burton: You know him: He's that other orange car in the field every week - and he's just as good.
6. Carl Edwards: Dodged early wreck, rallied from 35th at the start to 18th.
7. Martin Truex, Jr.: New face of DEI holding his own.
8. Clint Bowyer: Will be among Chasers, but needs a win soon.
9. Kevin Harvick: Faded late after Stewart's tap, finished seventh.
10. Kyle Busch: Fourth-place run moved him up a spot in standings.
11. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Barely holding on to last Chase spot after blown engine.
12. Jimmie Johnson: Two bad weeks have hurt defending champ's momentum, but his four wins will help come Chase time.
On the way up: Juan Pablo Montoya (runner-up at Indy. Any questions of him belonging in NASCAR can officially die a painful death), Kurt Busch ('04 Cup champ is only 13 points off of Chase spot).
On the way out: Ryan Newman (wrecked early, finished 42nd), Casey Mears (had same fate, lost two spots)
Pocono track fact: On June 10, Jeff Gordon won the track's first rain-shortened race (106 of a scheduled 200 laps were run) since 1991. If he can complete the sweep, he would become the third driver in four years to pull off the feat (Denny Hamlin, Jimme Johnson).
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