Friday, May 27, 2011

Driver Chassis Selections For Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

Note: Not all teams list their chassis choice in PR release

Johnson is going with his Darlington car this week (Getty)
1. Carl Edwards: 18.8 average finish and two laps led in the six races with the COT; Best finish came in this event in 2009 in fourth; One win and a 2.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will be looking to become the eighth driver to sweep the All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 765) in the Coca-Cola 600.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Six-time winner in 19 starts; Finished 37th in this event last year after crashing into the inside retaining wall on the backstretch; Finish raised his overall average finish to 9.8; 16.5 average finish and 251 laps led in the six races with the COT; Best driver rating in the past 12 races; 12.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 659) that he finished 15th with at Darlington Raceway earlier this month.

3. Kyle Busch: Leads all drivers with a 4.3 average finish in the six races with the COT; Second-best driver rating in the past 12 races; 27.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011. Using Texas car.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 28.3 average finish in six 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; 8.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 617) that he finished ninth with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

5. Kevin Harvick: Coming off fourth top 10 in 20 starts; Finished 11th in this event last year; 17.5 average finish in the six races with the COT; 18.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 353) in the Coca-Cola 600.

Texas chassis makes an appearance this week for Kenseth
6. Matt Kenseth: Coming off 12th (fourth consecutive) top 10 in 23 starts; 12.7 average finish and 55 laps led in the six races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 741) that he won with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

7. Ryan Newman: 16.7 average finish in the six races with the COT; Two poles and a 14.5 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas; 9.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011.

8. Clint Bowyer: 17.2 average finish in the six races with the COT; Finished seventh in this event last year for third top 10 in 10 starts; 8.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 350) that he led 44 laps with en route to a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

9. Kurt Busch: Defending race winner; Win was fifth top 10 in 21 starts; 15.7 average finish and 318 laps led in the six races with the COT; 9.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 750) in the Coca-Cola 600.

Stewart's Vegas car was dominant; it goes this week.
10. Tony Stewart: 17.0 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas; Won the 2003 fall race with Joe Gibbs Racing; Win was one of 11 top-10s with JGR; 7.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 591) that he led 163 laps en route to a second-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

11. Mark Martin: 12.7 average finish in the six races with the COT; Finished fourth in this event last year for 23rd top 10 in 52 starts; 13.0 average finish in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Four-time winner with Roush Racing; 27.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 646) that he finished 19th with in last weekend's All-Star Race.

12. Greg Biffle: Coming off sixth top 10 (fifth-place finish) in 16 starts; 32nd-place finish in this event last year raised finishing average to 13.7 in the six races with the COT; 16.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 749) that he finished fourth with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

13. Denny Hamlin: Coming off fourth top 10 (fourth-place finish) in 11 starts; 19.2 average finish and 59 laps led in the six races with the COT; 11.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011.

14. Jeff Gordon: Last of five wins came in the 2007 fall race; 9.8 average finish in the six races with the COT; Finished sixth in this event last year for 20th top 10 in 36 starts; 29.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011. Using All-Star chassis from last week.

Brand new car for Montoya this week (Getty)
15. Juan Montoya: 26.0 average finish in the six races with the COT; Only top 10 (eighth-place finish) in eight starts came in this event in 2009; 8.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 1108) in the Coca-Cola 600.

16. AJ Allmendinger: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in eight starts; Best finish came in this event last year in 14th; 19.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 752) that he finished 19th with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

17. Paul Menard: Only top 10 in eight starts came in this event last year; 23.9 average finish; 8.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 356) in the Coca-Cola 600.

18. Kasey Kahne: Three-time winner; 10.5 average finish and 133 laps led in the six races with the COT; Seven top-10s in 14 starts; 17.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011.

19. Martin Truex Jr: 19.0 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Scored two top-10s in nine previous starts; 20.5 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011.

20. Marcos Ambrose: 25.0 average finish in four starts; 5.0 average finish in the two races on 1.5-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 735) that he finished sixth with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com

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