Biggest Suprise So Far?

Lars · 31 Mar 2002, 01:46 (Ref:247758)

Winston Cup point standings
Through Sunday's race at Bristol
Rank Driver Points Wins Top 5 Top 10
1 Sterling Marlin 931 2 3 5
2 Matt Kenseth 832 1 2 4
3 Rusty Wallace 815 0 0 4
4 Jimmie Johnson 813 0 1 4
5 Kurt Busch 794 1 2 2
6 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 791 0 3 3
7 Ryan Newman 778 0 2 4
8 Mark Martin 768 0 1 3
9 Jeff Burton 740 0 0 2
10 Jeff Gordon 739 0 0 3

This is the top ten in points for the season so far. Who do you think is the biggest surpise in the top ten so far?

my pick goes to all the Roush drivers in the top 10

RaceFanStan · 31 Mar 2002, 02:07 (Ref:247770)

All the Roush drivers in the top 10 is a bit surprising.
But the two rookies in the top 10 surprise me the most.
Jimmie Johnson is the top performing Hendrick car.
And Ryan Newman is hanging close to Rusty (at Penske).

Roselady3 · 31 Mar 2002, 02:09 (Ref:247772)

Yep- You're right. After the Rousch teams doing so badly last year- it is a surprise. (Sorry T)

Another big surprise is Sterling being in the lead. (sorry Stan) I'm not saying it is bad. But I wouldn't have predicted it.

& the final surprise--- Jeffie in 10th place. (sorry Tim) It seems like the luck just isn't falling his way this year.

Now didn't I do that like a diplomat?

The Beer Baron · 31 Mar 2002, 02:19 (Ref:247778)

actually Tony is the biggest surprise, but 3 top 5 fives, and 3 top 10s,!

Surprise is Jimmie Johnson!

nice to see the Rousch cars

RaceFanStan · 31 Mar 2002, 03:07 (Ref:247796)

You don't have to apologize to me Roselady.
I took no offense at all, Sterling "sneaked up" on a lot of people.
Sterling was gaining in the latter part of the season last year.
Most people didn't notice how strong the 40 car was running or how good the team had gotten late last season.
Only the Marlin fans expected that Sterling would be strong from the start this year.

Ax Slinger · 31 Mar 2002, 14:12 (Ref:248048)

Hold on... Let me see if I have this strait now. The 24 team is co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, and the 48 team is co-owned by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick. Or is it the other way around?

RaceFanStan · 31 Mar 2002, 14:22 (Ref:248054)

I noticed that too Tim.
it might be another way around the rule that limits team owners to 2 cars.
jack roush seems to have set the tone for getting around that rule, lol.

Ax Slinger · 31 Mar 2002, 14:53 (Ref:248088)

There is actually a rule that says team owners can only have 2 cars? How did Hendrick have 3 then? I know Gordon is an "Equity Owner" of the 24, but the TV guys always say that the 24 is owned by Hendrick, as well as the 5 and 25, but they say that Gordon is the owner of the 48, yet the 24 and 48 share the same shop at the Hendrick complex... So if there is a rule like that, Jack Roush ain't the only one dancin' around it.

RaceFanStan · 31 Mar 2002, 16:36 (Ref:248148)

Rick is sole owner of the 5, Papa Joe is listed as the owner of the 25. Smooth, huh ?

Joe Fan · 31 Mar 2002, 21:46 (Ref:248469)

I expected Ryan Newman to be near the top heap but I didn't expect Jimmie Johnson to be where he is.

Roush being back in the thick of things doesn't surprise me very much. I figured that he would get the operation pointed in the right direction.

I am really surprised that Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon aren't in the top five. Those two are usually near the front all the time.

**gomick** · 1 Apr 2002, 00:56 (Ref:248551)

i would say that kenseth, johnson, busch and newman are the surprises so far this year. though the season is so long that the guns will rock and be there at the end of the season

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