NASCAR at the backstretch

In my previous analysis (NASCAR at Turn 1), I analyzed the first quarter of the NASCAR season. In this analysis, I analyze NASCAR at the halfway point of the season. The top 20 drivers will be analyzed and graded on their season to date. The next analysis will be after the Richmond race.

UP FRONT

Tony Stewart: Smoke finally got that first points win as an owner-driver under his belt, at Pocono on June 7th. (He had won the All-Star Race previously.) He would add the Coke Zero 400 to the win column on July 4th. Overall, Smoke has been stout. He has certainly surprised me. And even when he doesn't win races, it seems like he's always in the top 5. Chance to make the Chase: MORTAL LOCK.
Grade: A++

Jeff Gordon: he added Texas to the list of tracks he's won at. He's 175 points in arrears of Stewart. He also has 10 top fives and 13 top 10's. He's had a couple of hiccups, but overall has been running very well. Chance to make the Chase: LOCK.
Grade: A+

Jimmie Johnson: he's stout as always, and crew chief Chad Knaus and the #48 crew are the best in the business. At this point, he's 212 points in arrears. Like Gordon, he has 13 top 10's. He has two wins at this point. With tracks coming up that are good to him, look for JJ to get a couple more wins before the Chase. Chance to make the Chase: LOCK.
Grade: A+

Kurt Busch: the Blue Deuce is running MUCH better than at this same point last season. While he doesn't have a win to show for it, he'll get a win before the Chase. He has six top 5's and 10 top 10's so far this season. Currently, he's 358 points in arrears. Chance to make the Chase: EXCELLENT.
Grade: A.

MID-PACK

Denny Hamlin: remember last year when he was so stout? That seems SO long ago. While he's still solid, he hasn't quite put it all together. He still shows signs of being impatient. He's taken a small step back, but not so far back that he's in jeopardy of missing the Chase. He's 427 points in arrears, with six top 5's and 8 top 10's. He's in a somewhat comfortable position to make the Chase, but a couple of bad races where he finishes in the mid-30's on back, and he'll be sweating bullets. Chance to make the Chase: GOOD.
Grade: B.

Carl Edwards: Cousin Carl has almost mirrored Hamlin in results and performance. Edwards has one less top 5 and one more top 10 than Hamlin. While he's the best Roush Fenway driver out there, something's a little off. He's not quite as sharp as he was last year. More mistakes in the pits, missed set ups, and bad calls by crew chief Bob Osborne have added up to somewhat of an off season. Edwards is 446 points behind Stewart. He is in a somewhat more tenuous position than Hamlin to make the Chase. Chance to make the Chase: FAIR.
Grade: B-

Ryan Newman: Flyin' Ryan has been much better this quarter of the season than in the first quarter. The chemistry between Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson is much better. With seven races left before the Chase begins, Newman has a 90 point lead over 12th place. While he hasn't won yet, his time is coming. But a couple of bad races could put him in danger of missing the Chase. Chance to make the Chase: FAIR.
Grade: B.

Kasey Kahne: the #9 has a win this year at an unlikely venue: Sonoma. He's been great, and he's been equally bad. Some parts of the season, it looked like Kahne was a serious contender. And other parts he looked equally putrid. He needs to be more consistent if he is to make the Chase. He's in that group that could either make the Chase, or miss it altogether. Chance to make the Chase: TENUOUS.
Grade: B-

Juan Pablo Montoya: being in the Bowtie Brigade has agreed with JPM. He has run MUCH better. The chemistry he and crew chief Brian Pattie have developed almost rivals that of Johnson and Knaus. Remember, when the #42 was running Dodges, and Pattie was the crew chief, Montoya was running very well. What has hurt Montoya is that he doesn't have a win or a top 5 this season. These next few races are critical to Montoya's chances of making the Chase. Chance to make Chase: TENUOUS.
Grade: B-

Kyle Busch: now I've come to the Lightning Rod. No, he hasn't forgotten how to drive. But his season is one of the most disappointing ones of the year. He's winless, and he has reverted back to the attitude he had as a rookie. The whole #18 operation is way off this year, and he's been mortal. I'll go out on a limb and say he MISSES the Chase altogether. Too many other drivers are running better. Chance to make the Chase: TENUOUS.
Grade: C-

Mark Martin: what else can I say, but the old man can STILL get it done! (I say "old man" with a great deal of respect.) He leads all drivers in wins with four, and is second in poles with three. He is running MUCH better in the last two months. He had put himself in a HUGE hole early in the season, but has dug out of it. He'll get a couple of more wins and put himself in a great position to make the Chase. Chance to make the Chase: EXCELLENT.
Grade: A.

Matt Kenseth: aside from the Daytona 500 win, his season has been ordinary. After that hot start, he has cooled down considerably. He has struggled with bad luck, missed setups, and uncharacteristic lack of sharpness and chemistry with the crew. In other words, the "meh" factor. He'll be the beneficiary of Kyle Busch's struggles. Chance to make the Chase: TENUOUS.
Grade: D.

BRINGING UP THE REAR

Greg Biffle: now we come to the first driver outside the Chase zone. Like the rest of the Roush Fenway drivers, Biff's performance has suffered. He has uncharacteristically struggled at the 1.5 mile tracks. He seems to be going backwards as the season goes on. Chance to make the Chase: NOT GOOD.
Grade: D.

David Reutimann: Reuty has run much better this quarter. He does have a win this year. While I don't expect him to get another win, I think he CAN run well enough to make the Chase. Chance to make the Chase: DECENT.
Grade: B-

Clint Bowyer: after starting off strong, he has fallen off the map. Believe it or not, he's the first RCR driver I have mentioned. He is over 100 points behind 12th place Matt Kenseth. The #33 team seems to be in a free fall with no way of escaping. Chance to make the Chase: REMOTE.
Grade: D.

Brian Vickers: when you're 16th in the standings, you need WINS. Vickers has ONE win in his career. At this stage of the season, he's GOT to take some chances on getting wins. I don't see the Chase happening for Vickers, at least not this year. Chance to make the Chase: UNLIKELY.
Grade: C.

Jeff Burton: wasn't it a few short years ago he was considered a title threat? Now he's nearly 200 points behind Kenseth, and losing positions in the standings. To say RCR has struggled is like saying water is wet. Chance to make the Chase: SLIM AND NONE, AND SLIM JUST LEFT TOWN.
Grade: D-

Marcos Ambrose: he's been running much better this quarter of the season. He dug himself too deep of a hole to make the Chase, but he can use the remainder of the season in preparation for next season. Chance to make the Chase: NONE.
Grade: B-

Jamie McMurray: he's not the worst RFR driver in the stable, at least in terms of points. There's been times when he's run well, and times when he's really struggled. The struggles have outweighed the good times. Could be in line for a third Yates Racing team, as RFR downsizes to a four-team operation. Chance to make Chase: NONE.
Grade: D.

Joey Logano: the last of the drivers to be analyzed. After getting his bearings from under him in the first quarter, he and the #20 team have been MUCH better. He became the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win a race earlier in the season, at Loudon. I'm impressed with his coolness under pressure and how he carries himself. He has a bright future ahead of him. Chance to make the Chase: NONE.
Grade: A-

Those are my grades and analysis for the top 20 drivers at this point in the season. They are based on how they ran in the second quarter of the season. What do you say?