With 13 races left in the 2009 season, series-only regulars are compiling strong stats against their double-duty driver cohorts that suggest a special year is in the making.
Heading to Michigan, there are seven series-only regulars ranked in the top 10 in the driver standings, the most since eight were listed in 2005 also following 22 events.
Brad Keselowski, in third, leads the group with Jason Leffler (No. 38 Great Clips Toyota), rookie Justin Allgaier (No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge), Steve Wallace (No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet), Mike Bliss, Jason Keller (No. 27 Kleenex Ford) and another rookie, Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 US Fidelis Chevrolet) in fourth through ninth, respectively.
They’ve put three wins on the board thus far – two by Keselowski and one by Bliss. That’s one victory away from matching last year’s output by series-only regulars.
They have three poles, one shy of last year’s total of four, and three of those were by Joey Logano. This year, three different series-only regulars have won poles (Keselowski, Gaughan and Erik Darnell).
Speaking of Logano, this is one of the few combination events in which he won’t be entered. Brad Coleman will drive the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing at Michigan. It will be only the second time this year Logano has sat out a combo event. He also stepped aside at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
His absence is significant for a couple of reasons. First, Logano can fall out of the top 10 in the standings for the first time since he won at Nashville Superspeedway in April. After that race, he vaulted from 12th to sixth in the rankings. He’s currently 10th.
Second, Michael McDowell is 11th, just 97 points out of 10th. In the two races he’s driven for Brian Keselowski’s organization, he’s averaged 112 points which would not only give him a great shot at 10th, but also put three rookies in the top 10 this late in the season for the first time since 2005.
CAR DRIVER MAKE 0 Kertus Davis Chevrolet 1 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 1 Danny O'Quinn Jr. Chevrolet 2 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 5 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 5 Casey Atwood Chevrolet 6 David Ragan Ford 7 Jason White Chevrolet 9 John Wes Townley* Ford 10 David Reutimann Toyota 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 12 Justin Allgaier* Dodge 15 Michael Annett* Toyota 16 Greg Biffle Ford 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 20 Brad Coleman Toyota 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 24 Eric McClure Ford 26 Michael McDowell* Dodge 27 Jason Keller Ford 28 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet 29 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 31 Tim Andrews Chevrolet 32 Brian Vickers Toyota 33 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 38 Jason Leffler Toyota 40 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet 47 Chase Miller Toyota 49 Mark Green Chevrolet 52 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 60 Carl Edwards Ford 61 Matt Carter Ford 62 Brendan Gaughan* Chevrolet 66 Steve Wallace Chevrolet 70 Shelby Howard Chevrolet 81 J.J. Yeley Dodge 87 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 88 Brad Keselowski Chevrolet 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 90 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 91 Terry Cook* Chevrolet 99 Trevor Bayne Toyota 141 Kevin Hamlin Chevrolet 150 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 173 Kevin Lepage Dodge 178 Derrike Cope Dodge 192 Willie Allen Dodge 196 Dennis Setzer Dodge 198 Paul Menard Ford 214 Justin Lofton Toyota 219 J C Stout Chevrolet 234 Tony Raines Chevrolet
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