2013 NASCAR Picks: Sprint Cup Series Power Rankings – Top 10 Championship Contenders

2013 NASCAR Picks: Sprint Cup Series Power Rankings – Top 10 Championship Contenders: The 2013 Sprint Cup season is officially halfway in the books, and before the second half of the year begins, it is time to revisit how the top contenders for the championship stack up. As usual, the summer months are beginning to separate the men from the boys so to speak, and while some younger drivers that got off to fast starts have begun to fade, some big names are beginning to creep back into the picture. With that in mind here is the latest look at the top contenders for the Sprint Cup Series title.

1.      Jimmie Johnson: He is tied for the series lead with four wins and eight top-five finishes, and he has amassed a massive 49-point lead thanks to a series-leading 8.9 average finish. Meanwhile, he also leads the series average running position, laps spent in the top 15, laps led and driver rating. Take away a couple of bad restarts, and Johnson has seven wins already this season. Even with the mistakes, he has still been in a class by himself in the first half of 2013.

2.      Matt Kenseth: Kenseth is tied for the series lead with four victories this season, and he has consistently shown plenty of muscle at almost every track. He ranks second in driver rating and average running position and has also led the third-most laps of any driver. Nagging equipment issues appear to be the only thing standing between Kenseth and a run at a championship.

3.      Clint Bowyer: Although he hasn’t won a race yet, Bowyer has climbed to second in the standings thanks to his week-to-week consistency. He is tied for second with 11 top-10s and his seven top-five finishes are the third most of any driver. Bowyer is currently riding a streak of eighth straight top-15 finishes, and he has finished seventh or better in the last four races. If Bowyer continues his recent trend of improvement while holding on to his consistency, he will be a serious factor for the title.

4.      Kyle Busch: His eight top-five finishes are tied for the most in the series, and Busch is also one of just four drivers with multiple wins in 2013. Meanwhile, his 984 laps led are the second most in the series, and he also ranks inside the top five in driver rating, average running position and fastest laps run. Equipment issues and occasional mistakes remain potential hurdles, but at his best, he can definitely win a championship.

5.      Kasey Kahne: Despite being 12th in points, cut tires and other issues have frequently masked his true strength. For starters, he leads the series in fastest laps run. He also ranks in the top five in driver rating, laps spend in the top 15, green flag speed and laps led. In other words, Kahne has the speed to string together the elite finishes that it takes to win a title. However, he needs to figure out how to seal the deal late in races.

6.      Kevin Harvick: While he never dominates races, he might be the best in the business at finding a way to be near the front at the end of races. In fact, he is one of only four drivers with multiple wins this season despite leading just 34 laps. More importantly, Harvick has finished inside the top 15 in 16 of the 18 races this season and has finished in the top 10 in his last eight starts. If some of the stronger contenders have a bad race or two during the Chase, Harvick is the type of driver that can reel of 10 straight quality finishes and steal the title.

7.      Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior is a tough driver to evaluate. He should certainly perform much better than he does given the equipment he has at his disposal, but even though he underachieves, he still ranks in the top 10 in most major statistical categories. Meanwhile, his 10 top-10 finishes are tied for the third most in the series this season. Junior’s inability to win races and pile up top-five finishes will likely keep him from winning a title, but if some of the frontrunners have unexpected trouble in the Chase, he could back his way into a championship with 10 solid races.

8.      Carl Edwards: After a hot start to the year, Edwards has been cooling of recently. He is still third in points, but he is a distant 71 points out of the top spot. More concerning is the fact that he has managed just three top-10s and only one top-five finish in the last eight races. Perhaps the most-telling statistics about Edwards are that he only ranks ninth in driver rating and doesn’t crack the top 10 in terms of fastest laps run or green flag speed. He is going to cruise into the Chase, but he just doesn’t seem to have the overall muscle needed to actually win a title right now.

9.      Brad Keselowski: It’s time for the defending series champ to hit the panic button. After opening the year four straight top-five finishes and seven top-10s in the first eight races, he has plummeted outside the top 10 in points during a 10-race slump. He has managed just one top-10 during the stretch, posting a dismal 22.4 average finish. Keselowski can’t be counted out completely, but with zero wins on the year, he has to right the ship soon just to make the playoffs.

10.  Kurt Busch: Busch is the emerging wild card in the championship picture. He has reeled of seven top-15 finishes in the last eight races to climb into the top 10 in points. More importantly, he also ranks in the top 10 in laps led, driver rating and green flag speed and in the top five in fastest laps run. Plain and simple, his Furniture Row Racing team has been fielding strong enough cars for Busch to be a legit title contender. The question is whether the single-car team based out of Colorado can compete with the powerhouse organization come Chase time.

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