2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Power Rankings: Top 15 Drivers Ratings and Poll(UPDATED 3/30/2011): The NASCAR Nationwide Series Power Rankings are based on the same formula as the NASCAR Cup Series rankings, but the total points for each driver are as a category omitted from the calculations. The new NASCAR rules that prevent drivers from earning points in multiple series means that several of the best drivers in the Nationwide Series aren’t earning points because they have opted to receive Cup Series points. In order to prevent this rule from affecting the rankings, total points are not factored in.
1. Kyle Busch (3.45): Coming off a year when he set a series record for total wins, Busch has already grabbed wins in three of the five races in 2011. He is flat out dominating the competition like no driver ever has, and bettors need to throw some money his way every week as a safety net.
2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (5.55): The sudden favorite to win the series title, Stenhouse Jr. has built a six-point lead in the standings thanks to four top-10 finishes in the first five races. This was a young driver that was almost fired last season and could end up as champ by the end of this year. It seems like a foregone conclusion that he will win a race at some point in 2011.
3. Carl Edwards (6.43): Despite a pair of poles in 2011, Edwards has yet to get to Victory Lane. He does have four top-10s in the first races, and he has been a serious contender for wins in three of the five races. Bettors shouldn’t be concerned about his lack of wins to this point. He is a lock to grab multiple wins before the end of the year.
4. Kevin Harvick (7.30): He has been his normally solid self in his four starts, notching three top-10s and two top-five finishes. Harvick remains one of the top drivers in the series, but he just doesn’t win at the pace he used to since the emergence of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards the past few years.
5. Joey Logano (8.15): Logano has managed three top-10s in his four starts, but he has just one top-five to this point. He was a dominant force in the series last year, but his struggles in the Cup Series seem to be carrying over to his Nationwide ride. Bettors may want to wait until he catches fire to back Logano.
6. Brad Keselowski (8.50): Last year’s series champ has three top-10s and one top-five through five races this year, but all the breaks that went in his favor last season, haven’t been falling his way in 2011. Cut tires and wrecks have derailed his chances at a few wins, but he will get his share before the end of the year.
7. Clint Bowyer (9.38): Bowyer has only made one start this year, but it was an impressive one. He won the pole at Daytona and ran up front most of the afternoon before ultimately finishing second to Tony Stewart by a few inches. Bowyer won’t race often, but he is definitely worth a look from bettors if he is in the field at a restrictor-plate track.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (9.48): Junior has done everything but win in his two Nationwide starts this season. He has a pair of top-five finishes, compiling a 3.5 average finish. He is another driver that usually doesn’t make many starts in the series, but if he keeps up his current pace, he is going to grab a win or to.
9. Trevor Bayne (10.45): His season is going to be remembered for his stunning victory in the Daytona 500, but he has been solid in the Nationwide Series as well. Despite being plagued by a few cut tires, Bayne has managed three top-10s in five starts and is getting stronger as the year goes on.
10. Denny Hamlin (10.66): He made his only start of the year at Las Vegas with his eyes set on a win. He looked like a contender early one, but he came up on the short end of a fuel mileage finish. Hamlin has the potential to win whenever he takes the track in the Nationwide Series, but the problem for bettors is that he doesn’t make many starts.
11. Tony Stewart (11.16): Bettors need to write Stewart’s begging him to run more Nationwide events. He went to Victory Lane in his only start of the year, but he may not run another race. It has been a theme for Stewart in recent years. He is one of the toughest competitors in the field, but he just doesn’t run that often.
12. Kasey Kahne (12.33): Running a part-time schedule for Turner Motorsports could pay dividends for Kahne and for bettors. After finishing 11th in the season opener, Kahne nearly won in his second start at Bristol. There is a good chance he will grab at least one win in his remaining starts.
13. Jason Leffler (12.98): Leffler has been strong out of the box, and he is a serious contender for the series title. He is just six points back of leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Leffler has a major edge in experience. He has three top-10s in his five starts, and he has yet to finish worse than 11th. If he keeps running up front, he could steal a win before the 2011 season ends.
14. Aric Almirola (13.54): Big things were expected out of Almirola in 2011 after stepping behind the wheel of the JR Motorsports No. 88. After a somewhat slow start, he has finished in the top-10 in his most recent two starts. If he continues to improve over the course of the year, he could still meet expectations and be useful to bettors.
15. Elliot Sadler (13.58): Another slow starter, Sadler has been coming on strong lately. He has back-to-back top-five finishes, and he is up to seventh in the standings after wrecking in the season opener. Sadler is a proven winner at the Cup level, and he should be winning races in the Nationwide Series by the end of the year.
Check out the latest 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Power Rankings Poll from NSAwins.com.
| 3 EASY STEPS to BET on NASCAR! STEP 1: CLICK HERE to OPEN BetUS Account STEP 2: In the Referall Section choose “Website” and type in “NSAWINS.COM” in details field. STEP 3: Deposit with Credit Card and get a 55% BONUS instantly or Deposit by Check and get a 55% BONUS instantly plus an EXTRA 45% BONUS by emailing your account # to [email protected] with “BetUS 100% BONUS” in the subject line. |