The Race for the Top 35

[Jimmy Hendricks]

1 race to go....

31. #26 McMurray 318 points
32. #44 Jarrett 309 points
33. #96 Yeley 304 points
34. #70 Mayfield 301 points
35. #55 Waltrip 294 points

36. #77 Hornish Jr. 280 points
37. #22 Blaney 279 points
38. #40 Franchitti 270 points
39 on down- get ready to start qualfiying boys.

[NDGator]

29 346 -1 Travis Kvapil
30 331 +5 Casey Mears
31 318 -4 Jamie McMurray
32 315 +1 Dale Jarrett
33 303 +1 Michael Waltrip
34 301 -4 Jeremy Mayfield
35 298 -3 J.J. Yeley

36 280 +2 Sam Hornish Jr.
37 273 -1 Dave Blaney
38 264 -1 Dario Franchitti
39 232 -- Regan Smith
40 217-- Kyle Petty

These are Drivers, not owners not sure if there is a difference?

[jonesi]

29 346 -1 Travis Kvapil
30 331 +5 Casey Mears
31 318 -4 Jamie McMurray
32 315 +1 Dale Jarrett
33 303 +1 Michael Waltrip
34 301 -4 Jeremy Mayfield
35 298 -3 J.J. Yeley

36 280 +2 Sam Hornish Jr.
37 273 -1 Dave Blaney
38 264 -1 Dario Franchitti
39 232 -- Regan Smith
40 217-- Kyle Petty

These are Drivers, not owners not sure if there is a difference?

Yes driver & owner points are currently the same down to 40th place since there have been no driver changes or DNQs there. It appears there will be a change of 5 teams in the top 35 after next week.
Brian Vickers 9th & Kurt Busch 10th already have enough points, David Ruetimann 28th is almost locked in too. Dale Jarrett 32nd & Michael Waltrip 35th also may move into top 35. That would be plus 3 for Toyota.
36th through 40th all are currently in top 35 on '07 points. Hornish, Blaney or Franchitti could probably stay in with a top 20 finish. Smith probably need a top 15 and Petty a top 10 finish. The cutoff is likely to be around 340-350 points.

[don7031]

If the MWR cars qualify, I don't like Hornish's and Franchitti's chances to reach locked in status with Bristol up next.

[jonesi]

Alternative for Petty's situation already being considered.
http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...or_is_he_.html

[MoparsRule]

Alternative for Petty's situation already being considered.
http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...or_is_he_.html

What a joke.

[brickyard1911]

David Ruetimann 28th is almost locked in too. Dale Jarrett 32nd & Michael Waltrip 35th also may move into top 35. That would be plus 3 for Toyota.

What happens when Jarrett steps out of his ride after the next race? Ruetimann is stepping into the UPS car. Do they keep the 28th place points (right now)? Drop down to 32nd? If Michael falls out of the top 35 do they take one of the higher points totals?

[Truth Detector]

Alternative for Petty's situation already being considered.
http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...or_is_he_.html

[MoparsRule]

What happens when Jarrett steps out of his ride after the next race? Ruetimann is stepping into the UPS car. Do they keep the 28th place points (right now)? Drop down to 32nd? If Michael falls out of the top 35 do they take one of the higher points totals?

Does DJ return to the car every time they need a past champions freebie to make the race if they're out of the T35?

Does DJ "get the car in" the race & then Mikey or Reutimann take over on Sunday - starting from the back of the field.

What a joke.

[Littleman]

What happens when Jarrett steps out of his ride after the next race? Ruetimann is stepping into the UPS car. Do they keep the 28th place points (right now)? Drop down to 32nd? If Michael falls out of the top 35 do they take one of the higher points totals?

I don't believe they can do that, with changing points between cars, now, per NASACR "rules".

[TM1511]

This past champion's provisional is getting out of hand. I wonder when we will see Terry Labonte again? The champion's provisional is the only reason Bill Elliott still has a ride, but his championship was 20 years ago and the spot goes to the most recent.

[Doctorindy]

This past champion's provisional is getting out of hand. I wonder when we will see Terry Labonte again? The champion's provisional is the only reason Bill Elliott still has a ride, but his championship was 20 years ago and the spot goes to the most recent.

I think they either need to get rid of the Champion's Provisional altogether, or, do like they did circa 1994 or so, and add the Champ's Prov. as the 44th starting position, whenever it was alotted.

[Jimmy Hendricks]

What happens when Jarrett steps out of his ride after the next race? Ruetimann is stepping into the UPS car. Do they keep the 28th place points (right now)? Drop down to 32nd? If Michael falls out of the top 35 do they take one of the higher points totals?

Its the car number's/entrant points that matter.

Reutimann will take Jarrett's points (the #44 group) when he hangs it up in a week. McDowell will slide into the #00's points. Both look like they will be good to go for the top 35.

Mikey will have to have a good finish next week (and have to qualify too) to make the top 35.

[Jimmy Hendricks]

This past champion's provisional is getting out of hand. I wonder when we will see Terry Labonte again? The champion's provisional is the only reason Bill Elliott still has a ride, but his championship was 20 years ago and the spot goes to the most recent.

Maybe Dario will get the "champions provisional", since he is the reigning IRL champion.

[schraderfan]

The #4 and #09 teams swapped owner points during the season last year, so technically it's possible. But NASCAR would have to approve it. They could go either way - it's a pretty cheap move but they have been liberal with owner points lately.

Another factor could be the various bonus programs. The #43 team could miss the top 25 and a bunch of money at the end of the year if they swap.