Driver Chassis Selections for Atlanta Emory Healthcare 500

by Jeff Wackerlin
MotorSportsRadio.com

1. Kevin Harvick: Finished ninth in the spring for sixth top 10 in 19 starts; Finish was third consecutive top 10; Led 66 laps and finished second in this event last year; Leads all drivers with a 7.0 average in five starts with the COT; Sixth-best average finish (12.6) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 288) that he drove to Victory Lane at Michigan in August.

2. Jeff Gordon: Four-time winner with last win coming in 2003; 18th-place finish in the spring ended streak of five consecutive top 10s; 8.4 average in five starts with the COT; Third-best average finish (12.2) and most laps led (393) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.

3. Kyle Busch: Winner of the 2008 spring race after leading 173 laps; Posted first finishes outside the top 10s with Joe Gibbs Racing in the last three events; Never scored a top 10 in first seven starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Fifth-best average finish (12.6) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 274) that he finished eighth with at Indianapolis.

4. Carl Edwards: Scored his third win in the 2008 fall race; 37th-place finish in this event last year broke a streak of five consecutive top 10s where he was running at the finish; Was parked in the spring race after contact with Brad Keselowski; 20.4 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 702) in the Emory Healthcare 500.

5. Denny Hamlin: In 10 starts, finished a best third in the fall of 2008; Has three top 10s, all coming in the second race; Led 26 laps and finished sixth in this event last year; Eighth-best average finish (13.4) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.

6. Tony Stewart: 10.7 average finish in three starts with Stewart-Haas; Posted two wins and 11 top 10s in previous 20 starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; 15.2 average finish and 82 laps led in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 515) that he won the pole and finished second with at Pocono.

7. Jeff Burton: Five top 10s in 11 starts with Richard Childress Racing; Last top 10 with RCR came in the 2008 spring race; 19.2 average finish in the five starts with the COT; 10th-best average finish (15.) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 314) in the Emory Healthcare 500.

8. Matt Kenseth: Coming off best finish (second) and eighth top five in 21 starts; Finished 12th in both races in 2009; Previous five starts resulted in finishes of eighth or better; Second-best average finish (10.0) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 694) that he finished 12th with at Indianapolis.

9. Jimmie Johnson: Three-time winner; Last win came in the 2007 fall race after leading eight laps; 14.4 average finish in the five races with the COT; 15.4 average finish and 185 laps led in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will be back in the same car (chassis No. 592) that he finished 10th with at Pocono in July.

10. Kurt Busch: Coming off second consecutive win in the spring race; Finished 38th in this event last year after a crash took him out of contention; Most laps led (375) in the five races with the COT; 13.4 average finish and 383 laps led in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will be back in the same car (chassis No. 704) that he most recently finished sixth with at Pocono in June.

11. Greg Biffle: Coming off ninth top 10 in 15 starts with an eighth-place finish; Best finish (third) came in the 2005 spring race; Finished 10th in this event last year; 13.2 average finish in the five starts with the COT; 19.0 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 696) that he drove to Victory Lane at Pocono.

12. Clint Bowyer: 26.0 average finish in last two starts; Four top 10s in nine races have resulted in sixth-place finishes; 15.6 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 310) that he finished fourth with at Indianapolis.

13. Jamie McMurray: 20.9 average finish in 16 starts; Best finish (sixth) came in the 2005 fall race with Ganassi Racing; Finished 29th in the spring in first track start in an Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet; 20.0 average finish and 111 laps led in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 1016) in the Emory Healthcare 500.

14. Mark Martin: Won the pole in first track start with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2009 spring race; Best finish, and only top 30 with HMS, came in this event last year in fifth; Finish was 14th top 10 in 49 starts; Two wins came with Roush Racing in 1991 and 1994; Fourth-best average finish (12.4) in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will be back in the same car (chassis No. 550) that he most recently finished seventh with at Pocono.

15. Ryan Newman: 16.0 average finish in three races with Stewart-Haas; Finished ninth in this event last year for fifth top 10; Seven-time pole winner; 15.6 average finish in the five starts with the COT; 15.4 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.

16. Kasey Kahne: Defending event winner; Two victories came behind the wheel of a Dodge; Led 144 laps and finished fourth in the spring in first track start in a Ford; Last three starts have resulted in top 10s with Richard Petty Motorsports; Leads all drivers with a 7.2 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.

17. David Reutimann: Finished fourth in this event last year for only top 10 in six starts; Latest winner on a 1.5-mile track (Chicago); 19.2 average finish and 55 laps led in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.

18. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 11.4 average finish in five starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Posted one win and nine top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Won the pole and finished 15th in the spring; Will debut a new chassis (No. 612) in the Emory Healthcare 500.

19. Juan Montoya: Coming off consecutive third-place finishes; Led 31 laps from the 22nd starting position last year in this event; 17.8 average finish in the five starts with the COT; 25.6 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1003) that finished 16th at Chicago.

20. Martin Truex Jr: Finished 27th in the spring in first track start with Michael Waltrip Racing; Posted two top 10s in previous 10 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc./Earnhardt Ganassi; Won the pole and led 68 laps in this event last year; 18.0 average finish in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.