Driver Chassis Selections for Charlotte Bank of America 500

by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorSportsRadio.com

1. Jimmie Johnson: Defending event winner; Victory was one of six in 18 starts; Finished 37th in May; 19.2 average finish in the five races with the COT; Fourth in average finish (11.7) and laps led (193) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new chassis (No. 623) in the Bank of America 500.

2. Denny Hamlin: 22.2 average finish in the five races with the COT; Finished 18th in May; Led 54 laps in this event last year before the engine expired; 17.4 average finish and 121 laps led in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 279) that he finished ninth with at Dover last month.

3. Kevin Harvick: Last of three top 10s in 19 starts came in this event in 2003; 11th place in May is best finish in last 13 starts; 14.1 average finish and 18 laps led in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 318) that he led 16 laps and finished third with at Kansas.

4. Jeff Gordon: Last of five wins came in this event in 2007; Third-best average finish (10.6) in the five races with the COT; Second-best average finish (11.3) and most laps led (422) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010.

5. Tony Stewart: 15.7 average finish in three starts with Stewart-Haas; Won the 2003 fall race with Joe Gibbs Racing; Win was one of 11 top 10s with JGR; Third in average finish (11.6) and laps led (334) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 515) that he won with at Atlanta last month.

6. Kurt Busch: Won the All-Star race and Coca-Cola 600 in May; Finished in the top 10 in last two fall races; 12.8 average finish in the five races with the COT; Fifth in average finish (12.3) and second in laps led (393) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new chassis (No. 738) in the Bank of America 500. (editor note: WHY? Saving the winning cars from AMS and CMS for what?)

7. Carl Edwards: 13.2 average finish in 11 starts; Finished 39th in this event last year after the engine expired;  Has yet to lead a lap in the five races with the COT; 15.7 average finish and 36 laps led in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new chassis (No. 709) in the Bank of America.

8. Jeff Burton: Two-time Coca-Cola 600 winner; Only victory in 12 starts with Richard Childress Racing came in this event in 2008; 14.2 average finish and 59 laps led in the five races with the COT; Eighth-best average finish (13.9) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 314) that he finished second with at Dover last month.

9. Kyle Busch: Leads all drivers with a 4.8 average finish in the five races with the COT; Has finished eighth or better in seven of the last eight races; Sixth-best average finish (12.7) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 286) in the Bank of America 500.

10. Greg Biffle: 32nd-place finish in May raised finishing average to 15.4 in the five races with the COT; Latest winner on a 1.5-mile speedway after winning at Kansas; 18.9 average finish in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 708) in the Bank of America 500.

11. Matt Kenseth: Coming off 11th (third consecutive) top 10 in 22 starts; 14.0 average finish and 54 laps led in the five races with the COT; Leads all drivers with a 9.7 average finish in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 694) that he finished 11th with at Atlanta.

12. Clint Bowyer: 17.2 average finish in the five races with the COT; Coming off second consecutive top 10; 14.3 average finish in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 283) that he most recently finished 25th with at Dover.

13. Ryan Newman: 12.8 average finish in the five races with the COT; Two poles and a 7.3 average finish in three starts with Stewart-Haas; Posted five top 10s in previous 16 starts with Penske Racing; Seventh-best average finish (13.4) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 531) that he most recently finished eighth with at Kansas.

14. Jamie McMurray: 16.8 average finish in the five races with the COT; Led 29 laps and finished second in first track start in an Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet in May; 18.0 average finish; 118 laps led in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 1006) that he posted top fives with at Chicagoland and Darlington.

15. Mark Martin: 12.4 average finish in the five races with the COT; Coming off first top 10 (fourth) in three starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Four-time winner with Roush Racing; Ninth-best average finish (13.9) in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 620) in the Bank of America 500.

16. Juan Pablo Montoya: Only top 10 in seven starts came in the 2009 Coca-Cola 600; Has yet to lead a lap; 29.0 average finish in the five races with the COT; 23.7 average finish in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1015) that he most recently finished seventh with at Michigan.

17. David Reutimann: 12.6 average finish in the five races with the COT; Won the 2009 rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600; Finished fifth in May; 21.0 average finish and 55 laps led in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010.

18. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 28.2 average finish in five races with Hendrick Motorsports; Recorded eight top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Led 76 laps and finished fifth in 2008 Coca-Cola 600; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 556) that he most recently finished 23rd with at Dover last month.

19. Kasey Kahne: 5.0 average finish in the five races with the COT; Three-time winner; Last win came in 2008 May race; 12th-place finish in May ended streak of five consecutive top fives; 15.0 average finish and 187 laps led on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010.

20. Joey Logano: 9.0 average finish in three starts; Finished fifth in this event last year; 20.7 average finish in the seven races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2010.